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’s lesson spotlight is a seminar for our Sports Scholars on health, nutrition, and maintaining balance as student athletes. The session focused on how to fuel the body effectively and make informed choices to support both performance and wellbeing. We were delighted to welcome our catering team, Chapter One, alongside guest speaker Bethany Hill, nutritionist, who delivered an interactive workshop. Students explored five key steps to improving performance and healthy living, gaining practical insights to apply both in and beyond sport.
A highlight of the session was sampling a healthier brownie alternative made with a surprise ingredient – beetroot. Many students were impressed, with most unable to detect the difference and describing it as delicious. With thanks to Mr Sestaret for organising this valuable experience in collaboration with Chapter One, supporting students’ development as well-rounded athletes.
With the arrival of the sunshine, we thought we’d shine a light on one of our most anticipated co-curricular activities: cricket!
Both boys and girls have been pulling on their pads and helmets and heading to the nets to develop their bowling and batting technique, with Westonbirt’s brand new bowling machine making the most of every opportunity to refine their skills.
There has also been plenty of success in recent fixtures – head to the Sports section to find out more!
Westonbirt pupil Stanley E (Year 10) had the huge honour of being selected for the Great Britain rollerskating team for the German Cup. The event took place in Freiburg, where Stanley delivered an outstanding performance, winning Gold in his category.
With almost 100 athletes competing from eight different countries, this was Stanley’s first international tournament – a fantastic achievement, and one we are incredibly proud of.
Westonbirt pupil Bluebell achieved outstanding success in the ISA Arts Musical Theatre Competition 2026, securing first place!
The piece she performed is part of her upcoming LAMDA examination, showcasing both her technical ability and expressive performance skills. Her rendition clearly impressed the panel, with West End judges describing it as flawless and awarding her a perfect score of 100%.
This is a fantastic achievement and a wonderful reflection of Bluebell’s dedication and hard work in the performing arts.
On Saturday 25th April, Westonbirt was delighted to sponsor the Show Jumping event at Rectory Farm, where pupils enjoyed a stunning day of blue skies and sunshine representing the school across a full schedule of classes. It proved to be an exceptional day of competition, with Westonbirt riders delivering a series of outstanding performances across all levels. Our Grass Roots teams were particularly successful, securing wins in the 50cm, 60cm and 70cm classes, alongside a number of strong team results and qualifications for Hickstead 2026.
Across the day, pupils demonstrated real skill, determination and horsemanship, reflecting the strength and depth of our equestrian programme.
For individual results, please see the Sports section and SOCS.
A fantastic day of sport and achievement – well done to all involved!
Over the weekend, the DofE team took 12 Year 10 pupils out on their Silver Practice Expedition in the Mendip Hills.
With wonderful weather throughout, pupils stayed at two different campsites, both offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape. On Saturday, they walked around Cheddar Gorge, covering over 20km with all their kit on their backs.
It was a pleasure to take this group into the outdoors – they were a real credit to themselves and to Westonbirt. We look forward to their Qualifying Expedition in July, when they will head to Bannau Brycheiniog for the next stage of their journey.
Last weekend, Westonbirt’s Spike Squad travelled to Harrogate to compete in the FIRST LEGO League National Final, a fantastic STEM showcase event. Competing against schools from across the UK and internationally, with teams joining from Brazil and Kazakhstan, pupils demonstrated impressive skill and creativity throughout the competition.
The team presented their robot design and coding capabilities, alongside a science-fair style Innovation Project, receiving excellent feedback from the judges.
Huge congratulations to Clara, Olivia, Charlotte, Henry, Gallop, Rupert, Dane and Finley for proudly representing Westonbirt at this Institute of Engineering and Technology competition.
Westonbirt pupil Arthur M (Year 8) played in the championship match of the West England North League, where his team secured the win to become U14 champions
His hard work and commitment throughout the season have truly paid off. A fantastic achievement, and the school is incredibly proud of him.
Year 10 GCSE 3D Design students have been working hard to manufacture three-dimensional prototypes of their design concepts.
Many have chosen to focus on the Architecture: Tiny Homes theme for their Personal Investigation coursework. These first prototypes have been created as part of their practical exam and demonstrate a consistently high standard of outcome.
Excellent problem solving and innovation on display – well done Year 10!
Yesterday, Westonbirt was proud to host the AI × EI Conference. Bringing together Heads and senior leaders from across the sector, the Wishford Centre for Innovation created a space for discussion around one of education’s most important questions: how do we balance the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence with the enduring importance of emotional intelligence?
Throughout the day, delegates heard from expert speakers from education and industry, exploring the ethical, practical and philosophical implications of AI in schools, across curriculum, assessment, pastoral care and leadership.
It was a privilege to welcome a community of educators united by a shared commitment to shaping a future where technology enhances, rather than replaces, the human qualities of empathy and creativity at the heart of education.
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 busy week in boarding, with our community making the most of the long, sunny evenings with s’mores, garden games and twilight dog walks.
Our Short Stay pupils enjoyed trips to Bath and London, immersing themselves in UK culture and experiencing some of the country’s most iconic destinations.
Meanwhile, the Beaufort, Sedgewick and Gloucester crews headed out to watch the Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester Rugby clash!
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.
