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.
Our Year 10 Geography students recently enjoyed a day of fieldwork at the River Churn, investigating how the river changes downstream as part of their studies.
By collecting and analysing real-world data, students were able to put classroom theory into practice while developing valuable investigative and analytical skills. Fieldwork is an essential part of Geography, deepening understanding and bringing learning to life through first-hand experience.
Blessed with glorious sunshine throughout the day, it was a fantastic opportunity for students to explore the natural environment, strengthen their geographical knowledge and see their learning in action.
Congratulations to Year 7 student Natalie Lloyd, who will be performing in the final of the National Youth Monologue Competition 2026 this Sunday!
Natalie has reached the final stages of the Classical section from a field of thousands of entrants from across the country – an outstanding achievement. She will take to the stage at London’s prestigious Trafalgar Theatre in the West End, performing a monologue from Romeo and Juliet that she has prepared through her LAMDA lessons.
We wish Natalie the very best of luck this weekend and are incredibly proud of her remarkable achievement.
Our Year 7 pupils enjoyed a wonderful day at the Three Counties Show near Malvern this week, experiencing the very best of countryside pursuits.
Pupils watched trick horse riding displays, explored agricultural machines, petted hounds and met a whole variety of agricultural animals. They thoroughly enjoyed spending time with friends and embracing the independence that the day offered. There was even time to try their luck at the fairground side shows, with some pupils heading home victorious with giant cuddly cows in tow!
We were especially proud to hear from one trader that Westonbirt was ‘the most polite school on the show field’ – well done, Year 7, for representing Westonbirt so brilliantly!
Rehearsals are well underway for our Junior production of 13 JR., and our talented students in Years 7, 8 and 9 have been working incredibly hard to bring this musical to life.
Packed with a catchy rock score and plenty of humour, 13 JR. follows Evan Goldman as he swaps the bright lights of New York City for not-so-inspiring Indiana, navigating friendship, popularity and the ups and downs of being 13 along the way.
We can’t wait to welcome audiences for what promises to be a fantastic evening of entertainment, book your tickets here.
Today, the Westonbirt community came together for our annual Race for Life, with pupils across the school proudly wearing pink and taking part in support of Cancer Research UK.
With nearly 1 in 2 people affected by cancer during their lifetime, the event was an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for life-saving research.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part and supported this year’s Race for Life! To make a donation click here.
Forget Glastonbury. Even Coachella would have been jealous… WestFest was where the real magic happened on Friday evening!
Our front fields were buzzing as the whole school came together to enjoy food, live music, frisbee, glitter tattoos and plenty of opportunities to relax and spend time with friends.
It was the perfect way to round off the week and a wonderful celebration of everything that makes Westonbirt so special.
The countdown to WestFest 2027 begins…
Yesterday evening, our community came together to celebrate the incredible work of our GCSE and A Level Fine Art, 3D Design and Photography pupils at this year’s Art Exhibition.
With paintings, sculptures and innovative 3D creations on display, the exhibition showcased two years of creativity, dedication and imagination. Accompanied by live music from the Westonbirt Science Department’s Gainesville Band, it was a wonderful evening of celebration and recognition for our talented young artists.
The exhibition also provided a special opportunity to bid farewell to our Year 13 pupils as they prepare for the next chapter beyond Westonbirt, with many set to pursue careers in the creative industries. A particular congratulations goes to Samara, who has been awarded a full scholarship to study Architecture at Pratt University in New York.
Congratulations to every pupil who exhibited their work and helped make the evening such a memorable occasion.
This week, we welcomed Will Orr-Ewing to the latest Wishford Education Lecture, held at Westonbirt School and hosted by Simon Balderson, Director of Innovation for Wishford Education. Will spoke on one of the most urgent issues facing schools and families today: raising children safely in the digital age.
A founder of Keystone Tutors and a leading campaigner for children’s online safety, Will recently co-founded Generation Alpha CIC and has been at the forefront of calls for stronger guidance on smartphone use in schools. His talk explored the evidence surrounding the impact of smartphones and social media on young people, arguing that the issue extends beyond distraction to one of safeguarding, wellbeing and learning.
Drawing on examples from schools that have introduced smartphone bans, Will highlighted reported reductions in detentions, truancy and safeguarding incidents, prompting thoughtful discussion among the teachers, senior leaders and parents in attendance.
It’s been another action-packed week in sport at Westonbirt, with fixtures across a range of teams. You can view the full set of fixtures and results here.
It’s been another action-packed week in boarding, with pupils making the most of a fantastic programme of activities both on and off campus.
Weekend adventures included trips to the Cotswold Water Park and an exciting escape room challenge, while our immersion pupils enjoyed exploring some of the UK’s most iconic cultural destinations. From taking in the sights of London, including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, to discovering the historic beauty of Bath, there have been plenty of memorable experiences along the way.
Back at school, outdoor adventure evenings brought our Prep and Senior boarding communities together for fun and games, with plenty of board games and shared activities rounding off another busy and enjoyable week.
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.
