Dear Ash Mount Community,
This week began with something very special, our first Coffee & Connect morning at Victory Heights
Primary School. It was such a pleasure to meet so many families who are beginning to think about their
children’s transition into secondary school. Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation and
shared your hopes for your children’s next steps. I have also been delighted to start receiving your
applications for August 2026 – it’s wonderful to see Ash Mount already beginning to take shape as a
community of learners and families.
As October begins, we move into a new theme for Voices of Ash Mount, A School Designed for the
Future, guided by our tagline: Deliberate by Design.
At Ash Mount, every decision begins with one guiding question: What will help our students learn with
purpose, live with compassion, and lead with courage? From the architecture and light to the colours,
materials, and textures we choose, everything has a purpose. Our goal is to create a school that inspires
learning, supports wellbeing, and prepares students for the world of tomorrow.
A future-focused education must, of course, deliver strong academic outcomes, but it must also help
children develop the skills and character needed for an ever-changing world – independence, resilience,
creativity, and empathy.
Throughout October, Voices of Ash Mount will explore five key aspects of what it means to design a
school for the future:
- Learning Environments that Inspire – how architecture, light, and space support wellbeing and
independence. - Teaching Independence and Moral Compass – helping students lead their own learning and
make thoughtful choices. - Curriculum with Purpose – balancing academic excellence with the skills of the future.
- Technology, Innovation and Human Connection – using technology thoughtfully to enhance
learning. - Wellbeing and Values at the Core – how compassion, courage, and purpose guide all that we
do.
This week’s focus is on Learning Environments that Inspire how thoughtful design supports
wellbeing and independence.
Every part of the Ash Mount campus is being created with students at the centre. Classrooms are bright
and calm, filled with natural light and soft tones to support focus and comfort. The movement of sunlight
and shade has been carefully studied throughout the day, and natural materials and green spaces
connect children with their environment. These choices promote calmness, curiosity, and a sense of
belonging.
Beyond the classrooms, our design encourages independence. Wide learning streets, open collaboration
zones, and quiet reflection areas will allow students to choose how and where they learn best. These
spaces are not simply beautiful; they are deliberate, teaching children to take ownership of their learning,
work with others, and balance focus with creativity.
Our outdoor learning environments have also been designed to inspire connection, with nature, with
community, and with curiosity. For our primary learners, our Roots & Shoots Garden will be a vibrant
green space where children can grow plants, tend to herbs, and even build dens. It’s a space that feels a
little like a forest school, hands-on, exploratory, and full of opportunities for environmental learning.
For our older students, The Oasis will be a calm and shaded outdoor library space designed especially
for our secondary learners, a place to read, reflect, collaborate, and simply enjoy being outside. It’s part
library, part garden, part outdoor common room, and part wellbeing space.
Across the school, our growing areas will link to lessons in science, sustainability, and food education
from seed to table. Children will learn not only how things grow, but also about care, patience, and
responsibility. These outdoor spaces bring learning to life and remind us that education doesn’t only
happen within four walls.
Being Deliberate by Design also means being agile ready to adapt as education evolves, while staying
true to clear values and a consistent vision. We are building a school that will grow with its students and
remain relevant for years to come.
I left this week’s Coffee & Connect inspired by the enthusiasm of the families I met and by the thought
that soon these conversations will take place in the very spaces we are now designing. Each beam of
light, each calm colour, and every green space is a reminder that Ash Mount is being built for the children
of tomorrow. deliberate by design in every sense.
Best wishes,
Abigail Fishbourne
Founding Principal, Ash Mount School
