Ampleforth College

Our Y12 Textile students and Y9 Art Scholars had a wonderful time at The Northern School of Art seeing their degree students' end of year exhibition.

What a variety of work, including graphic design, digital animation, costume design and textile surface pattern design. Our pupils gained valuable insight into how creative degree courses can lead into a variety of industry career pathways, with exposure to working alongside professional design houses.

This year's industry collaboration was with The Victoria Beckham design studio and we were all excited to take part in a workshop using screen printing and heat press image processes to create designs for tote bags to take home.

It was fantastic to work with such amazing facilities!

While we were all enjoying the fabulous weather over the Exhibition weekend, seven members of our Equestrian Team headed to Hickstead, Sussex, for the NSEA Dressage, Eventers Challenge and Show Jumping National Championships.

In soaring temperatures, the team and their horses rose to the challenge, fully stocked with ice cream and the odd water fight! They came home with notable successes across all their 16 classes, ranging from the 70cm Eventers Challenge to the 1.10m Elite Show Jumping Class.

The championships at Hickstead draws competitors from hundreds of schools across the length and breadth of the country and it was fantastic to be part of the camaraderie between all these riders.
Congratulations to:

Liza, 3rd in Prelim Dressage
Ettie, 3rd in 110m Show Jumping
Poppy, Florence, Bea, and Olivia, 6th in 90cm Eventers Challenge
Bea, Ettie, Olivia, 5th in 1m Show jumping class. Ettie finished 8th overall individually
Liza, Bea, Ettie and Olivia, 8th in 1m Elite show jumping class
Zinnia,11th in 80cm Addington Championship Qualifier class
Olivia, 5th in 1m Addington Qualifier class
Olivia, Florence, Bea, Winners in the 90cm Addington Qualifier class. Bea finished 9th overall individually

Well done Team Ampleforth College.

Looking back at some of our favourite moments from Exhibition Weekend - a celebration of achievement, creativity, friendship and community in the Valley.

We look forward to the final few weeks of the academic year and all that is still to come!

An evening to remember.

As our top year leavers gathered to celebrate the end of their time at Ampleforth, there was much to reflect on and even more to celebrate.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's Leavers' Ball such a fantastic occasion.

The full gallery of photos will be made available to Y13 parents later this week.

Six RAF cadets recently took part in an Aerial Experience Flight at RAF Leeming, enjoying excellent conditions throughout the day.

Each cadet took to the skies in a Grob Tutor alongside an RAF pilot, giving them a valuable first-hand experience of powered flight and RAF flying operations.

The cadets thoroughly enjoyed the experience, their final opportunity for powered flying this training year. It was a memorable day and a really rewarding experience for all involved, further strengthening the cadets’ enthusiasm for aviation and the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force.

40 students and staff took on the Big Walk last weekend, a gruelling 24-hour walk over 78 kms from Whitby to Ampleforth. They took part in support of the Friendship Project.

For over 20 years, the Friendship Project has been a special partnership between Ampleforth and Oak Field School in Nottingham, a school for children with physical and learning disabilities. Every year, a group of our Year 12 students plan opportunities to build friendships and share valuable social experiences with the pupils at Oak Field. They raise funds to enable this to happen and sponsorship for The Big Walk is a key part. Any additional funds raised are donated to Oak Field to buy specialist equipment.

Spirits were high at the start, but it was cold, wet and foggy in the darkness of the moors overnight and heavy going underfoot. Bacon butties for breakfast in Helmsley were a welcome respite before taking on the last 10km. A tumultous welcome from the whole school saw off any thoughts of sore feet and huge congratulations and thank yous to everyone who took part, supported, and sponsored along the way.

Please support our students to extend this hand of friendship by donating here: https://tinyurl.com/BigWalk2026

The RAF Section of the Combined Cadet Force recently enjoyed an exciting and informative Field Day visit to RAF Waddington.

Hosted by serving RAF personnel, cadets toured the station and explored exhibits of specialist equipment and aircraft. Highlights included visiting the home of the Red Arrows, as well as learning about the capabilities of the Protector Drone and the highly specialised Rivet Joint ISTAR platform.

This was a valuable opportunity for cadets to speak directly with RAF personnel, ask questions about careers within the RAF, and gain a deeper understanding of the professionalism and expertise required in modern air operations. It was a inspiring experience for all involved.