Boarding Prep School in Yorkshire UK for Boys

Aysgarth School, York:
Aysgarth is one of the country’s leading Prep Schools for boys, incorporating a full boarding focused, boys’ Prep School for 8 to 13 year olds, and a Pre Prep and Nursery Day Programme for boys and girls ages 3 to 8. Aysgarth is situated in the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales, just ten minutes drive from the A1, and 50 minutes from the nearest airport, Durham Tees Valley. The Prep School, for boys aged eight to 13, is the only all-boys boarding and day prep school in the north of England.

Day & Boarding Programmes for Students Ages 3-13:

Academic Curriculum:
The curriculum is broad and we group boys by ability to enable them to develop at the appropriate rate. Boys are taught by subject specialists after the first year and class sizes are small – typically 10-12. We teach Latin to most boys and there is an annual trip to France in the boys’ fourth year. Our learning support team assists those with learning difficulties across the ability range. The form tutor maintains an overview of the academic progress of boys in their form.

Assessment is regular, and the school database enables us to monitor each boy’s progress carefully so that he is developing to his potential. As part of the curriculum we offer Latin, Greek, French, English, Mathematics, History, Geography, Physical Education, Religious Studies, PSHE and Science.

Music & The Arts:
Our timetable provides for all boys to spend time every week in music and drama lessons. We offer poetry reading and recital classes on a voluntary basis and debates are organised internally and with other schools. The staff who lead these activities are exceptionally talented, committed and enthusiastic.

The music is outstanding and the facilities include practice and rehearsal rooms, electronic keyboards to allow composition and pianos throughout the school. A very high proportion of the boys play a musical instrument and there is an orchestra and a great variety of ensembles and bands. The choirs reach a very high standard and are often invited to perform locally and further afield.

We have a large and well equipped theatre with a raised stage where school plays and concerts are performed. We provide every boy with the opportunity to perform in a play most years, and there is an annual major production.

Creative Arts:
Children love making things, drawing and painting, and most have gifts in at least one of these areas. Each boy spends time every week in art and craft, design and technology lessons. There are also many opportunities in free time to use the extensive facilities to pursue these interests.

A brand new Creative Arts Centre was opened recently and is in the middle of the school to ensure that these activities are not peripheral. Each year we allocate several days to ‘Arts Week’ when the boys’ timetable is focused on visiting exhibitions, participating in workshops with visiting artists and displaying their work around the school.

Sport:
Our focus on boys enables us to excel in the sports that boys love. The main sports are cricket, football and Orugby, which are played on our extensive playing fields. In addition, we offer tennis on floodlit all-weather courts, hockey, squash, badminton, table tennis and Eton fives for those who enjoy ball sports, and gymnastics, trampolining and judo, many of which take place in the sports hall. The heated indoor swimming pool is used for competitions, water polo, training and relaxation. Cross-country running is also popular around and beyond the school grounds.

Our sport is very strong, and our philosophy is that it should provide opportunities for achievement and fun for all the boys – not just for those who are particularly talented. We provide most boys with the opportunity to represent the school in a team sport. However, some boys will find an undiluted diet of rugby on cold, wet, winter days unappetising and so we offer them a variety of other activities that still give them the opportunity for exercise and skill development.