Westbourne House School

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Westbourne House is a school for both day and boarding pupils. We discover and shape the magic of each child and ensure they make the most of the world of opportunities available to them.
Young lives. That’s what we focus on, and that’s what inspires us. At Westbourne House, we see education as a path, not a destination, and enabling children to succeed today is but the initial step to a successful life – and a better world. It’s a perspective that makes us constantly reassess, refine, and evolve how we operate.
Since 1907, we’ve been learning from each child. And as our experiences, pedagogical expertise, and sensibilities have continued to build so has our ability to discover and shape the character, personality, dreams, potential – in fact, magic - of each child.
In our community-based and relationship-driven environment and expansive natural surroundings, our students can safely develop at an age-appropriate pace. Our exceptional academic approach, freedom of intellectual and physical expression, and stimulating diverse atmosphere are built on a foundation of respect, kindness, and perseverance. They’ll participate enthusiastically and they’ll experience the true meaning of inclusion, but their individuality will always be respected, catered to, and nurtured by our staff’s unparalleled level of support and responsiveness.
When curiosity is cultivated and then satisfied, and initiative is rewarded, exceptional individual and collective results are achieved.
We ensure the children’s academic readiness for senior school and we open the doors to valuable scholarships, but more importantly, we open their minds and give them the reasoning tools and the forward drive they’ll need to make confident, ambitious, and brave decisions on their way to their chosen future. We make this noble purpose, rooted in a sense of personal responsibility, our guiding light - one that drives us in everything we do and to which we are relentlessly committed.
We don’t want children to grow up too fast. Thanks to our idyllic setting, children here spend their lunch and break times being active, running down to the woods to build dens, or organizing their games, such as Family It. Boarders also love having adventures on our grounds and having the freedom to use the facilities out of hours.
Colin Sharman, Headmaster from 1961- 89, who still lives on-site, called Westbourne House ‘a little oasis of learning’ and it continues to have this special atmosphere today.
We place great importance on the way pupils treat and encourage one other and this creates a deeply-felt sense of family. Pastorally, this is a small and friendly school where all staff gets to know the children well. The school itself and its extensive grounds also seem to play their part in creating a relaxed and friendly culture.
Our priority is to attract and motivate first-rate teachers. Thanks to a combination of excellent on-site staff accommodation and a wide variety of opportunities, our classes are led by highly qualified and passionate staff. From Year 5, children are taught by specialist teachers, who are trained to secondary school level and are experts in their field.
We have a holistic view of what makes an amazing, all-round education and the teachers inspire a love of learning, freeing children's imaginations and building intellectual confidence, as well as devoting time to creating dynamic programs and activities to encourage children to be kind, respectful, empathetic, resilient, active and ambitious.
We want children to feel understood and appreciated for who they are. We look to teach them in a way that sparks their interest and feeds their hunger for knowledge. We want them to feel confident to share their ideas and to take the initiative. We achieve this by nurturing each child's uniqueness and recognizing and celebrating their progress and contributions, whether they be mathematical reasoning, kindness, humility, musical talent, or determination.
You couldn’t find a more welcoming introduction to boarding: modern, family-style houses, supportive houseparents, and a vibrant boarding community. Our boarding traditions are thriving and our boarders benefit from forging close relationships with peers and staff, learning to be more independent, and having fun with friends.
The school has an outstanding reputation for all-around excellence, and well over 100 scholarships in the last five years in a variety of disciplines would bear testament to that. We offer superb preparation for children going to senior schools, including Bedales, Benenden, Brighton, Bryanston, Canford, Charterhouse, Cranleigh, Eton, Harrow, Hurstpierpoint, Lancing, Marlborough, Portsmouth Grammar School, Portsmouth High School, Radley, Wellington, and Winchester, which are popular destinations for leavers.
However, the overriding ethos of the school is to be inclusive wherever possible, such that each child has the opportunity to make the most of all that is available to them – after all, if this rich variety is not experienced at this age, when will it be?

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