Aysgarth School is an independent day and boarding preparatory school near to the village of Newton-le-Willows, North Yorkshire, England. As the name suggests, it was originally opened in the village of Aysgarth but was moved to Newton-le-Willows in 1890.
The school was opened in 1877 by the Reverend Clement Hales to prepare boys for a secondary school education. In 1890, the school moved to newly built premises costing £20,000 in the village of Newton-le-Willows but retained the name of Aysgarth School.[2][3] The chapel was a new building too, but contained items from elsewhere, such as the pulpit which was originally from Easby Abbey near Richmond.[4] Whilst the chapel on site is a listed building, the rest of the buildings remain unlisted due to a significant fire on site in 1933 which destroyed much of the school.[5][6]
The school is a preparatory school for selection to a range of private and independent schools across the United Kingdom and offers places to boys between the ages of 8 and 13 and also runs a pre-prep (or preparatory nursery) open to boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 7.[7] Its independent status means that it is assessed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate for reporting purposes rather than Ofsted.[8]
The school has been described as one of the leading prep schools for boys and the only single-sex school of its kind north of Oxford.[9][10] Its admissions policy is non-selective and fosters a culture of allowing boys to be boys in a safe but calming environment.[11] The school is one of many who allow pets into the class and Aysgarth School encourages Housemasters to allow their dogs into class.[10][12] The school's ethos is based on Christian values and principles, and as such, boarders are expected to attend services in the chapel on site for church services.[13]
The school's motto is Ex quercu non ex salice (Latin for of oak, not of willow), and former pupils are known as Aysgarthians.[14]
^Winton, John (2016). "4: Twentieth Century Operations". The Victoria Cross at Sea (2 ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword. p. 83. ISBN978-1-47387-612-5.
^"David Ince". The Times. 24 August 2017. p. 58. ISSN0140-0460.
^"MR. J. J. JOICEY Owner of £50,000 Collection of Butterflies". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 12 March 1932. p. 14.
^Garfield, Brian (2008). The Meinertzhaen Mystery The Life and Legend of a Colossal Fraud. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books Inc. p. 43. ISBN978-1-59797-160-7.
^"Fear of Olympic failure spurred on oarsman to medal triumph". The Yorkshire Post. 23 September 2004. ProQuest335152838.
