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.