House Names
Holmes - Red
Whitfield - Green
Mercer - Blue
Johnson - Yellow
The House names at Westbourne relate to the first four
head teachers, who, because the school was privately owned, were
also school proprietors. Each new headteacher purchased the school
from the former.
Holmes -Miss Julia Holmes who began the
school 1887-89 with Miss Sarah Whitfield.
In 1897, Sarah Whitfield passed the school onto her
sisters Clare and Louie who ran it as a tiny establishment until
1919. The Whitfield sisters retired and Mr
Mercer bought it. He made it into a preparatory
school from where the pupils were sent to boarding schools at the
age of 13. Mercer extended the syllabus and Westbourne took
on the structure (minus the kindergarten) that it kept until
2000.
Mercer died in 1933, and Mr G.B.B Johnson
bought it. Johnson was very eccentric with a glass eye that
he took out and polished to amaze the pupils. Buildings were
extended during this time, and a kindergarten was started.
Legend has it that fearing a Nazi invasion, Johnson burnt the
school records. He retired in 1944.
The school is divided into the four Houses and the
children are awarded stars/points for their particular
House.
In Junior School stars are collected over one full term
and pupils are presented with a certificate for either a Gold,
Silver or Bronze award.
Pupils receiving 3 gold certificates in one year are
invited for tea with the Headmaster.
Additionally, pupils may be nominated by staff for a merit
award each half term for outstanding performance in any area of
their personal and school life.