Ashton School – A part of Cork’s proud heritage
Ashton School: Eight of the nine members of the Leaving Certificate Class of 2026 who scored 600+ points.
Ashton School has been part of the Cork community since 1972. A Church of Ireland co-educational school formed by the amalgamation of Rochelle School and Cork Grammar School, Ashton has traditionally served the Protestant community while also welcoming students from the wider community where places are available.
Situated on Blackrock Road, the school has an extensive campus including a multipurpose synthetic grass pitch, grass soccer pitch, sports hall and tennis courts. The present three-storey teaching block was officially opened in 2015. Today, Ashton has 540 students and a teaching staff of 45, with 90 places offered to first-year students each year.
At the heart of Ashton is a commitment to creating a caring and Christian environment in which students are valued as individuals. Students are supported throughout their time in the school by a chaplain, student support team, year heads, subject teachers and the school guidance counsellor. Alongside academic development, there is a strong emphasis on personal and social development, helping students to grow in confidence, develop strong values and make the most of their individual talents. The achievements of students, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, on stage or through other activities, are a source of pride across the whole school community.
Academic achievement remains a primary focus. Leaving Certificate results at Ashton are consistently excellent and regularly exceed national averages. A special whole-school assembly at Ashton School recently brought together current students, staff, parents and returning graduates to celebrate the outstanding achievements of members of the Leaving Certificate Class of 2026. Addressing the assembly, Head Students Alexis Olaniran and Ruadh Stapleton congratulated the graduates on their success and highlighted the inspiration their achievements provide for current students.
Alexis described the results as "a testament to your hard work and determination" and told the returning graduates that their achievements demonstrated that "dedication and consistent efforts truly do pay off."
Speaking on behalf of the student body, she thanked the visitors for setting "an example that encourages us to do our very best, to work hard and take pride in our studies."
Ruadh echoed those sentiments, praising the graduates for their perseverance and commitment. He noted that, despite what had been a challenging examination year, nine students achieved more than 600 CAO points.
"Their results show us what we can achieve with perseverance, hard work and, of course, the help provided to us by our teachers," he told the assembly. He added that the achievements of the Class of 2026 would serve as a source of motivation for students preparing for their own Leaving Certificate examinations in the years ahead.
Principal Adrian Landen outlined the significance of the students' achievements and placed their results in a national context. Of the students who sat the Leaving Certificate in Ashton this year, 10.2% of the year group achieved more than 600 points compared with a national average of 3.1%. The principal also paid tribute to the teachers who had supported the students throughout their school journey and acknowledged the important contribution made by parents and families. He noted that the success of Ashton students is always the result of a collective effort involving students, teachers and parents working together.
"Top scores are achieved by those who learn to take control of their learning and who apply themselves diligently and consistently throughout senior cycle," he said.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of the Pfizer Perpetual Trophy, awarded annually to the Leaving Certificate student with the highest achievement. This year's recipient was Liam Gartland, who secured an exceptional set of results including seven H1 grades. Liam is pursuing a degree in theoretical physics at Trinity College Dublin. Other members of the graduate class have chosen a wide range of third-level programmes including literature, commerce, business, architecture, engineering, biological, and chemical sciences, theoretical physics, medicine and dentistry, to name just a few.
Life in Ashton, however, is about much more than examination results. The school offers a comprehensive extra-curricular programme, giving students opportunities to develop interests, discover new talents and create memories that stay with them long after they leave. Hockey has a particularly strong tradition in Ashton, with girls and boys competing enthusiastically in league and cup campaigns and many students going on to represent their provinces and country. Soccer is also hugely popular, with past pupils Franco and Jaden Umeh having recently progressed to professional careers.
Music and drama are equally important parts of school life. The Ashton School Choir, with around 50 members, has enjoyed considerable success, including winning the Irish Federation of Musicians Trophy at the Cork International Choral Festival and Coir Iarbhunscoile at Feis Ceoil in 2025. The transition-year musical is another highlight of the school calendar, giving students the opportunity to perform, develop confidence and discover their creative talents. Previous productions including Moana, The Lion King, The Wizard of Oz and Legally Blonde have entertained large audiences and involved students both on and behind the stage.
Transition Year itself is hugely popular, with almost all third-year students opting to take part. The programme combines education with experiences outside the classroom, including the annual outdoor pursuits week in Achill, where students can enjoy surfing, kayaking, windsurfing and cycling. International travel is another important feature, with recent trips taking students to Iceland, France and Germany. Second-year German students also take part in an annual exchange with Lessing Gymnasium in Cologne, giving them an opportunity to experience the language and culture first-hand.
Other year groups have plenty of opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. First-year students take part in outdoor pursuits and history-geography trips, while senior history students on occasion visit Belfast and the Antrim Coast, exploring sites such as Stormont, Crumlin Road Gaol, the Peace Wall and Dunluce Castle. Art students also enjoy an annual art history trip, visiting galleries and exhibitions and experiencing works of art that bring their studies to life.
The breadth of opportunities available is an important part of what makes the Ashton experience distinctive. Students are encouraged to take part, whether that means joining a sports team, singing with the choir, performing in a musical, travelling abroad, taking part in an exchange or simply trying something they have never done before. These experiences give students the chance to work with people outside their usual friendship groups, develop resilience and independence and gain confidence in unfamiliar situations. They also create the shared memories that become such an important part of school life.
For many students, these memories are closely connected to the people around them. Teachers play an important role not only in supporting students academically but also in encouraging them, challenging them and helping them to recognise their own potential. The relationship between students and staff is an important part of the atmosphere within the school, and the achievements of past pupils continue to be a source of pride for the Ashton community.
Perhaps the best description of Ashton comes from the students themselves. Reflecting on six years in the school, recent graduate Anouk Templin spoke about the lasting impact of her time there:
“Life is an experience. It is shaped by the places we inhabit, the people who surround us, the lessons we learn. The last six years have been quite an experience indeed. Our time in Ashton might be coming to a close, but the echoes of our memories will fill the halls and our hearts long after we are gone. And while the specifics of these memories may fade and fall prey to time, the impressions they leave are infinite.”
She went on to capture some of the moments that make up school life: “You’ll remember a joke that made you laugh until you cried; you’ll remember a day you cried until you thought you’d never laugh again. You’ll think of the people who threw you a lifeline in stormy weather, and of those who taught you a lesson on how to be a better sailor. You’ll recall the buzz of excitement on the sidelines of a hockey match, the butterflies in your stomach before going onstage in the TY musical, the warmth of the sun on your face in the summer, when you sat, white-shirted, like daisies on the grass.”
These words capture something that statistics and examination results cannot: the importance of belonging, friendship and shared experiences. From the first day in First Year to the final weeks of Sixth Year, students build relationships, face challenges, try new things and grow into young adults. The aim is that they leave Ashton not only with the best academic results they can achieve, but with confidence, independence, strong values and memories of a school community that has played an important part in their lives.
Ashton School is inviting people to visit two important events:
- Information Evening for Parents: Wednesday, 23rd September at 7.30pm
- School Open Day: Thursday, 24th September from 1.30–4.00pm
Parents and prospective students are very welcome to come and experience the school community for themselves.
