Aysgarth School
Encyclopedia
Aysgarth School is one of the leading boys' prep boarding school
s in the UK. Aysgarth School is set in the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales
near Bedale
, North Yorkshire
and is the only all-boys boarding and day prep school
in the north of England. This independent school
was founded in 1877 to prepare boys aged 8–13 years to go on to national public schools. In the north, Aysgarth has an unmatched record of sending boys to schools such as Harrow
, Radley
and Eton
and to Sedbergh and Ampleforth nearby. Aysgarth now also welcomes day boys and provides early years education in the Nursery and Pre-Prep for both boys and girls aged three to eight years.
Although conveniently local to areas such as Catterick
, the school also has boys from all over the country and overseas enrol due to their reputation and willingness to arrange for children to be escorted on the train by staff to London and Edinburgh.
The school suffered a severe fire in the 1930s.
Alumni include George Butterworth
composer
, Robert Swan
OBE
and Sir Matthew Pinsent
.
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s in the UK. Aysgarth School is set in the foothills of the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
near Bedale
Bedale
Bedale is a market town and civil parish in the district of Hambleton, North Yorkshire, England. It lies north of Leeds, southwest of Middlesbrough, and south west of the county town of Northallerton...
, North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
and is the only all-boys boarding and day prep school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
in the north of England. This independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
was founded in 1877 to prepare boys aged 8–13 years to go on to national public schools. In the north, Aysgarth has an unmatched record of sending boys to schools such as Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, Radley
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
and Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and to Sedbergh and Ampleforth nearby. Aysgarth now also welcomes day boys and provides early years education in the Nursery and Pre-Prep for both boys and girls aged three to eight years.
Although conveniently local to areas such as Catterick
Catterick, North Yorkshire
Catterick , sometimes Catterick Village, to distinguish it from the nearby Catterick Garrison, is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England...
, the school also has boys from all over the country and overseas enrol due to their reputation and willingness to arrange for children to be escorted on the train by staff to London and Edinburgh.
The school suffered a severe fire in the 1930s.
Alumni include George Butterworth
George Butterworth
George Sainton Kaye Butterworth, MC was an English composer best known for the orchestral idyll The Banks of Green Willow and his song settings of A. E...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, Robert Swan
Robert Swan
Robert Charles Swan, OBE, FRGS is the first person to walk to both Poles.He was born on 28 July 1956 in Durham, England and attended Aysgarth School and then Sedbergh School before completing a BA degree in Ancient History at St Chad's College, Durham University. He is currently an advocate for...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and Sir Matthew Pinsent
Matthew Pinsent
Sir Matthew Clive Pinsent CBE is an English rower and broadcaster. During his rowing career, he won 10 world championship gold medals and four consecutive Olympic gold medals, of which three were with Steve Redgrave...
.