There is a great sense of community right across the school and we encourage children from different parts of the school to work with and support each other.
A friendly, family atmosphere is evident throughout the school.
ISI Report 2016
Our aim is for a kind and supportive pupil body and we encourage our children to follow The Westbourne Way, a set of moral guidelines that helps create the deeply felt sense of family and community here.
Following on from a whole-school kindness focus, the Kindness Committee was also born. Children standing on this committee share a passion for nurturing kindness in the community.
Patrols
Every child at in the Prep School at Westbourne House is a member of a ‘patrol’. The history of our patrol system is fun to understand. Westbourne House was founded in 1907 and shortly afterwards, in 1908, ‘Scouting For Boys’ by Robert Baden-Powell was published. This book had a powerful effect, and up and down the country scouting troops and patrols were created, including at Westbourne House School.
There are many historical photos of the school boys in scout uniforms saluting, raising the flag and proudly posing in their patrols. At one point a train carriage was brought into school and each patrol was given a compartment as a base! Our logo, our patrol system as well as our leadership positions of patrol leader and troop leader were all inspired by the scouting movement and is a proud part of our history.
Our patrols are Otters, Tigers, Owls and Panthers.
Patrols create wonderful cross-age communities with a common goal: of being the best patrol. ‘Best’ is hard to describe as the patrols work together on many challenges from being the tidiest or kindest patrol, to winning the inter-patrol cricket and debating competitions.
Our patrol leadership positions are rotated every term, giving many children the chance to experience leadership. Staff support children in these roles to ensure that the experience is meaningful.
Patrols create an additional sense of family within the school and the children are supportive of one another across the ages.
Teamwork and a healthy competitive spirit are strong in the school.
ISI
Boarding
Our boarding community is tightly knit and benefits from our home from home, friendly boarding houses. We expect our boarders to support one another, to be kind, considerate and respectful and we work with our children to build a strong community spirit. There are many fantastic traditions that bring the whole community together including the much-fabled weekly Wednesday BBQs.
Boarders also love the time they have to wind down, hang out with their boarding friends and enjoy our wonderful grounds (including cricket nets and tennis courts of course).
There is a positive atmosphere in each of the boarding houses and healthy relationships between boarders and boarding house staff.
ISI
Old Westbournians
When you leave Westbourne House, we don’t want it to be goodbye. We organise events to bring our ex-pupils, our OWs, together.
