Welcome to our weekly update, where we celebrate the breadth of school life at Westonbirt. Each edition offers a snapshot of the learning, achievements and wider opportunities that define our community. We hope you enjoy reading this week’s highlights.
This week, our Year 7 students took part in a lively press conference with King Henry VIII himself! Stepping into the role of journalists, they questioned the monarch to uncover the story behind his decisions.
Following this interactive session, pupils are now writing articles exploring the reasons behind the King’s decision to change the country’s religion, as well as considering how he might respond to the challenges this could create.
A fantastic example of bringing history to life in the classroom, encouraging curiosity, critical thinking and creativity.
Co-curricular activities have got off to a strong start this week and will be in full swing next week.
One of the pupil-led activities this week was Languages Club, where pupils explored Japanese language and culture through independent research and discovery!
Pupil led activities are a new Westonbirt initiative where pupils take ownership of clubs with staff support, developing their communication, leadership and organisational skills, the clubs range from dungeons and dragons to model united nations!
Our Leiths pupils enjoyed an incredible day in the kitchen at Whatley Manor, where they were welcomed by Michelin-starred chef Ricki Weston for an inspiring insight into the world of high-end, seasonal cooking.
The visit offered a fascinating exploration of “field to plate” dining, with Earth Day providing a particularly fitting backdrop for conversations around sustainability and responsible food sourcing. The day included a tour of the kitchen garden, where pupils saw seasonal produce growing and being used in practice, as well as a visit to the hotel’s bee hives and an introduction to sustainable honey production.
Practical demonstrations formed a key part of the experience, including a lamb butchery demonstration and a cooking session showcasing how a specific cut of meat can be transformed using local, seasonal ingredients.
Congratulations to Year 10 GCSE student Bluebell E on an outstanding performance as Eurydice in Hadestown Jr at the Cheltenham Playhouse.
Six members of staff and two Sixth Form students, including Study One’s Head of Performing Arts, attended the opening night and thoroughly enjoyed the production. Bluebell delivered a stellar performance in the lead role, bringing real presence, confidence and maturity to the stage.
It was a fantastic evening of theatre, and the support continued throughout the week as more of the Westonbirt community attended to celebrate and enjoy her performance.
Some wonderful news from our Prep School equestrian team! Ten-year-old Safiya has achieved an outstanding result, winning and qualifying for the NSEA Elite 1.10m showjumping qualifier.
Riding a double clear, Safiya secured her place representing Westonbirt School and has qualified directly for the International Main Arena at Hickstead in June for the Championships.
The Main Arena at Hickstead is one of the most iconic showjumping venues in the country, renowned for hosting top-level competition on its vast grass arena. It is a rare opportunity, with most classes held in the surrounding outdoor rings, making this qualification particularly special.
Safiya is incredibly excited to be competing at such a prestigious venue at such a young age, and will be the youngest rider in her class by some distance – a fantastic achievement!
Westonbirt will be sponsoring the NSEA event at Rectory Farm this weekend on 25th April so do pop by to say hello!
Friday 10th April saw the Home International Series arrive with an exciting clash between Scotland and England U20s. Westonbirt was proudly represented on both sides, with alumna Sophie E selected for England and current pupil Mary J taking to the pitch for Scotland.
Congratulations to both players on their fantastic achievement in reaching this level and for being part of such a competitive and high-quality match. England secured the win on this occasion, but it was a brilliant showcase of talent from both teams.
It is always wonderful to see Westonbirt pupils and alumni shining on the national stage, and we look forward to following their continued success.
A huge congratulations to our 1st XI boys’ cricket team, who got their season off to an outstanding start in the U18 National T20 Cup with a dominant performance against Clifton High.
The team delivered a phenomenal batting display, finishing on an impressive 236–1 from their 20 overs. Highlights included an unbeaten 75 from one of our Year 11 pupils and a superb unbeaten century from the 1st XI captain.
They followed this with an equally strong performance in the field, bowling with discipline and control to restrict Clifton High to 123–6.
A fantastic all-round team effort and we look forward to seeing them progress to the next round.
This week saw two Westonbirt pupils, Alex S-Y and Will C, head to the ISA Shakespeare Finals, where both delivered incredibly strong performances.
Alex performed a monologue from Romeo and Juliet, while Will took on Henry VI, showcasing confidence, character and excellent stage presence.
We await the results of the competition, but extend huge congratulations to both pupils on their fantastic performances and for representing the school so brilliantly.
The Westonbirt community came together to celebrate the official opening of the new Prep School buildings with a fantastic launch event and opening party.
The occasion marked a significant milestone for the school, bringing pupils, staff and families together to enjoy the new state-of-the-art learning spaces and reflect on the journey of the development.
It was a joyful celebration of this exciting new chapter for the Prep School, with the new facilities now fully open and in use. Read more here.
Our boarders are back! Pupils have returned to the Westonbirt community and have made the most of the beautiful weather this week, enjoying the grounds with games of badminton, swingball and relaxed sunny evening activities outdoors.
Our Short Stay pupils also enjoyed a cultural visit to Bath, making the most of a bright spring day exploring the city.
Meanwhile, there has been plenty of friendly competition in the Dorchester House, with some very competitive games of UNO!
We look forward to another great week ahead.
It’s been another action-packed week in sport at Westonbirt, with pre-season training and fixtures across a range of teams. You can view the full set of fixtures and results here.
We always love to hear about achievements and moments of teamwork or collaboration. If you would like to share something, please email marketing@westonbirtschool.uk.
