Sponsored blog by Ashville College
It can be a busy time for parents starting to look at schools for their children for next year. Schools in both the independent and state sectors have started their recruitment drives for the 2023-24 academic year and beyond, and as soon as you start engaging with the admissions departments of those schools, the admin starts stacking up.
While websites, brochures and other marketing materials are incredibly useful sources of information, attending a school open day is worth its weight in gold in helping you decide which schools to investigate further, and which to eliminate from your search.
At Ashville, we are really looking forward to our Open Mornings on 24 September 2022 and 4 March 2023, for many reasons. It’s an exciting time for the school, with new leadership in Mrs Rhiannon Wilkinson, who has just completed her first full year, and Mr Asa Firth, who is the new Head of Prep School. We’ve just emerged from three Covid-affected years, and can now plan events as we once did, throwing open our doors to show the school and its community in all their glory.
Admittedly, attending open days can seem like a big job for busy families juggling home and work life commitments, and especially if you’re looking at multiple schools. So we’ve put together our top five reasons why they’re definitely worth the time and effort.
1. Hear from the pupils
At every Ashville open day, our visitors speak most warmly about the pupils who take them on tours, prefects and representatives from younger year groups, too. Children are the best ambassadors for a school – they are the ones who come here, day-in, day-out, for their education – and are best placed to give you that all-important first impression. Your young tour leaders should be unscripted, apart from pointing out what’s on the tour route, and will not hesitate in sharing their unique insights into their school.
2. Explore the facilities
Whether it’s the art block or sports halls you want to see, tour routes are designed to give a varied and balanced look inside a school, and how that school invests in its facilities on a rolling basis to ensure it continues being fit for purpose and enhancing its offering. For example, at Ashville, pupils, staff and members of the public today enjoy the facilities offered by our on-site Sports Centre, which underwent a £3.8 million refurbishment in 2017 and houses the longest swimming pool in the Harrogate District, and we completed a £1 million refurbishment of our Dining Hall in November 2021.
If there’s something not on the tour route that you want to see, Admissions staff will do their best to accommodate your request, even if it means arranging an individual appointment for you to return at a later date. Touring the school isn’t just about seeing its ‘headline’ features; it’s also a chance to check the general upkeep of the buildings and grounds, from the décor to the cleanliness of the facilities. Is the school ‘house proud’?
3. Meet the staff, including specialist teachers
Open days are an important date in the diaries of all school staff, including the Head of the College, Head of Prep School, and other senior leaders, who will be delighted to meet you in person. But perhaps more importantly, the class teachers and specialist subject teachers will be there, too, and will be happy to answer any questions about teaching and learning, and what your child can expect from their class or subject.
4. Treat yourself
You’ve given up your time to attend an open day, so the least you can expect are a few treats. We are wowed time and time again by the efforts of our Catering team, who pull out all the stops to provide a delicious buffet lunch, cakes and beverages in our refurbished Dining Hall. And don’t forget to grab a goody bag on your way out!
5. There’s no obligation!
Expect to hear from the school to ask how your visit went, but never feel that just because you’ve attended an open day you are expected to choose that school. Of course, schools hope that you consider them to be the right fit for your child, they offer all the opportunities you seek, and they have demonstrated that on the day, but Admissions departments appreciate your honest feedback if the school isn’t for you.
Ashville offers a world where children thrive. To register for our Open Morning on 24 September 2022, and experience all the above benefits from an open day, click here.