The Marches School Sixth Form Study Centre has been named the Jordan Ashley Study Centre after a former student who sadly died last October, aged 20.

The Jordan Ashley Study Centre is an area where Jordan spent much of his time at the Marches Sixth Form College, and it is now an area where current students can be inspired by Jordan’s success. The sign above the doorway, in Jordan’s name, leading into the area is next to the windows where light can shine and within his Study Centre there is a cabinet, gifted to the school by his family, filled with Jordan’s personal belongings, photos, tributes and his posthumous Degree.

To celebrate the naming, the Marches School welcomed Jordan’s family and friends, as well as staff and students at the Marches for an afternoon to share their memories of a remarkable young man.

Despite having a heart transplant at just 7 years old, Jordan was an exceptional student with dreams and aspirations to work in British Aerospace and for NASA, as he excelled in both Physics and Mathematics in school.

During his time at the Marches School, Jordan achieved highly. He was heavily involved in the Business Enterprise Scheme and he received Bronze, Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. In his final year at the Marches School, at the Annual Presentation Evening, Jordan won an unprecedented four prizes on the same evening, winning the Year 13 Maths and Physics prizes, the Presidents Shield and the Hobo Award for Abundant Enthusiasm.

When Jordan left The Marches School Sixth Form he went to Manchester University to study Physics with Theoretical Physics in the School of Physics and Astronomy. It was here that Jordan received another ‘unprecedented’ Award – his posthumous Degree (with Honours) for Physics with Engineering. Jordan’s aspirations were to earn a Nobel Prize within the field of Astronomy.

Jordan’s mother, Lorraine Ashley, said: “For The Marches School to re-name their Study Centre in honour of our wonderful Son, Jordan, is a thoughtful, heart-warming and fitting gesture to a very gifted and popular former student. Both Jordan’s Brother, Rhys, his Father Dave and myself are enormously proud of what this says about Jordan’s achievements and the love and respect that many people felt for him during his short life. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved at The Marches School for bringing this about and creating a lasting remembrance to a truly remarkable and lovable young man.”

Mr Gareth Jones, deputy head of Sixth Form at the Marches School, added: “It has been wonderful to name the Study Centre after Jordan, who was an incredibly bright, smart and personable student. He will live long in the memory of everyone here and we hope that the Jordan Ashley Study Centre will inspire our current and future students into excelling, no matter what challenges life will throw at them.”