Loading

Virtual Experience Morning West Hill Park School Saturday 23rd May 2020

Saturday 23rd May 2020 - 10am Live Online Presentation with Q+A

admissions@westhillpark.com

Message From The Headmaster

We are greatly looking forward to welcoming you to the school’s first Virtual Experience Morning at 10am on 23rd May. Lockdown has been a great burden on everyone, but we are very proud of the Distance Learning provision we have been able to offer, and how staff, parents and pupils have risen to the challenge to create a busy and rewarding school day in this tough environment. The experience we have gained means we will still be able to give you a good idea of what our wonderful school and community is about and how we offer great opportunities for the next step in your child’s learning journey.

You will have the opportunity to see members of our Senior Leadership Team present on the key areas of school life, and then take part in a live Q+A session with them. You can also book live one to ones for after half term with any member of staff to gain more insight you need into any area of the school’s curriculum and tremendously diverse extra-curricular enrichment offering.

Of course, we are very sad at not being able to welcome you to the school in person, and very much hope that you will be able to visit in the near future. We all feel privileged to live, work and study in such a close and caring community, with access to such wonderful facilities and resources in a beautiful rural environment. Do take a look at our Spring Term in Pictures here to get an idea of the tremendous learning experience we are able to offer our pupils inside and out of the classroom each day.

Mr Chris Ward B.Ed. (Hons), Headmaster

Latest News

Of course recently we have been providing a complete curriculum remotely but last term, the school was its usual hive of activity in the classroom, sports field, music school, theatre, forest, beach and riding schools, while of course celebrating our centenary year. We have achieved outstanding success with scholarships and awards for senior schools, with 17 of our Year 6 and 8 receiving them so far this year, some more than one. Young Voices was one of the musical highlights for our Year 6 class last term, as they were privileged to sing with 8500 other children in the O2 in aid of The Teenage Cancer Trust, while on the sports field we achieved great success both against other schools and in regional and national tournaments such as In2Hockey and IAPS. The boarding house has been a hive of activity as usual, including spectacular Irish jigs for St Patrick's Day and indoor golf tournaments! The recent themes for Early Years have been water, colour and pirates while we have seen some excellent work from our pupils in the art department displayed in local and senior school exhibitions. The drama highlight of the term was the performance of the "The Pauper Princess", which fortunately the cast were able to perform just before lockdown.

Recent News and Events

School Overview

Academic Provision

We pride ourselves not just on our academic success, but also the richness of our curriculum, and engaging our pupils in learning that is fun and drives their curiosity.

We place great importance on developing learning skills in the children that allow them to be more engaged and better placed to understand how to take on new knowledge, adapt to new situations and react positively to challenges. Children at West Hill Park enjoy lessons across a broad range of subjects with plenty of time each week given to Arts and Humanities, Sport and Languages alongside the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. We are extremely proud of the number and range of scholarships awarded to pupils in Year 8 as they move to their senior school. This demonstrates that there are opportunities for all to develop excellence in fields for which they have a passion.

To this end, outdoor education is a core part of our curriculum as the children apply skills learned in the classroom to the natural world. We have a thriving forest school and we make full use of our beautiful grounds to enhance our learning. Each year, our pupils study and train for their Outdoor Challenge Award which culminates in activities and expeditions in our grounds and beyond. Our close community provides an excellent environment for us to know the pupils well so we can ensure they reach their potential by teaching that pays close attention to individual need.

West Hill children in this way are rounded and well prepared for the next step to senior school, and we take great care to ensure they progress to a school that suits their unique character and strengths.

Early Years

Our Early Years Centre provides a secure, friendly, stimulating learning environment. The uniqueness of each child is valued and their individuality is developed and celebrated. Our children are taught in small groups and cared for by a very experienced and well qualified team of teachers and Early Years assistants.

We are transforming our wonderful environment into a beautiful, calm and tranquil place which very much reflects the home. Neutral colours and cosy places bursting with authentic and natural resources, form the basis of inspiration for our children.

These authentic resources offer a range of textures to explore and investigate rather than plastic, which looks and smells the same. Our snack room for example boasts real china and our role play areas contain authentic clothing and opportunities for the children to create their own costumes. By providing an eclectic collection of resources, children are given far greater opportunities for critical thinking, exploration and new discoveries.

Boarding

Boarding is a key part of school life, and we offer both full and flexi boarding so as many of our pupils get to enjoy this special experience as possible.

We provide young people with a warm, supportive environment where they can grow and flourish with family values at heart. Everyone is treated in a way that mirrors the environment of a family home as closely as possible, with everyone becoming an extension of our own family. We therefore insist on and reinforce certain values in the same way you do at home.

We strive to ensure everyone will realise their full potential, knowing their own value and self-worth. We therefore facilitate sound academic work, social and individual growth and a sense of personal responsibility to both the house and whole school community. We will encourage independence, maturity and responsibility for everyone in our care and ensure they make the most of the extraordinary opportunities on offer at West Hill Park.

Thoughtfulness, kindness, respect for others and their property are all highly valued within the house. We are proud of the house spirit and confident that new members will very quickly feel happy, secure and at home here.

Sport

We believe sport and physical activity should be an important part of every child's school life so we work very hard to make sure each one is fully involved regardless of ability. We are lucky enough to have great facilities, including an astro pitch, tennis and netball courts, large sports fields, riding school and a well equipped sports hall to offer as wide a range of opportunities as possible, allowing each of our pupils to find an enjoyable way to get involved.

We regularly play other schools and achieve frequent success in regional and national tournaments which reflects both the hard work our pupils put into their sporting activities and the great satisfaction they gain from them.

Music

Our buzzing music school provides over 200 individual music lessons per week in addition to the class music which is a core part of the curriculum.

In addition there are 4 choirs, pop groups, music clubs such as Café Zam Zam, and regular lunchtime concerts which give ample opportunities for the children to perform.

This willingness to perform is something we actively value and encourage. Our very well attended open mic and jazz nights give further opportunity for this, instilling confidence in the pupils to display their talents to large audiences.

Dance and Drama

We put on three productions each year, The Early Years nativity play, Junior School and Senior School productions. We pride ourselves in the quality and ambition of the productions that allow opportunity for all to participate if they wish.

Our "Elements" dance company performs both in and outside of school, also leading the school wide "Wake 'n' Shakes"!

Design and Technology

There is no limit to a child's creativity and at West Hill Park we are constantly evolving the Design and Technology Department to help children meet their extraordinary potential.

We are lucky enough to work in a large open-plan workshop next to the art studio. The workshop is equipped to facilitate manual, power and computer-aided techniques for the cutting, shaping, joining and finishing of a wide range of materials and to suit virtually any design solution. The children have opportunities to work, under careful supervision, with wood, plastic, fabric and metal (using cold treatments such as scrolling, rolling, punching and bending as well as hot treatments including MIG welding and casting). Situated above the workshop is a classroom designed to deliver electronics, computer aided design and laser manufacturing as well as a sewing and dressmaking area.

Art

Art at West Hill Park is mainly taught in a large converted barn studio, with rooms flooded with natural light. Our aim is for children to experience great pleasure in the creative process and that they leave with a love and appreciation of art, and the knowledge that they can excel in their own particular areas and mediums.

Projects undertaken by the children are designed so that pupils of all abilities can achieve personal success, gain in confidence and enjoy the subject. Drawing underpins all aspects, but from this the children are able to work with watercolours, acrylic and water based oils, various mixed media, textiles, ceramics , soapstone, animation and digital photography. We are equipped with a great printing press and have a kiln which also allows the children to make pieces of slumped glass.