GCSE Success in 2021

Why Choose Westbourne?

The last academic year has proven the resilience of Westbourne School in a number of ways. Experience tells us that the right values and a nuturing environment are as important as academic rigour. Here’s what makes Westbourne School stand out so that our children can thrive and grow, each in their own way.

1. Academic excellence and enrichment – we develop each child’s potential 

We offer a first-class education for children from the age of three to 16. Our curriculum affords pupils choice with 17 GCSE options. We build the timetable and staff provision around pupils’ choices and know of no other school that offers such an individualised approach to learning and academic progress.

We stretch our More Able Pupils (MAPS) by having sets in all core subjects and regular additional opportunities, extra lessons and outings to advance their learning and skills in specific core subjects. We also have strong Learning Support and Special Educational Needs (SEN) teams that support pupils who need extra help.

We offer an extracurricular enrichment programme with a vast range of activities, trips abroad and special events for modern foreign languages, art, music, skiing, sport and adventure. These showcase creativity in music and the arts and prowess in sport, with inclusivity and opportunity for everyone at the heart of our approach.

2. Growth and expansion – we’re here to stay

Westbourne’s story is one of success and expansion to cater for demand for places and year-on-year growth. Careful fiscal control has ensured a robust model and a bright future for your children.

As the school’s reputation continues to grow, so do its facilities and offering. In just over five years, we have opened and expanded a new Pre-School. We have bought and refurbished a new building, Westbourne Place, to create six new classrooms and two departments in food technology and drama. We have a new Senior School hall and Garden Studio. We have embarked on a major whole-school development comprising a new hall, gymnasium and three classrooms to replace the existing hall.

3. The Westbourne Way – we bring the best out of our children

At Westbourne, we educate and nurture children for life. We are a thriving community where children are free to express their ideas, explore, be creative, learn and follow their passions in a safe and happy environment, in and outside the classroom.

The Westbourne Journey involves five foundations that all pupils focus on alongside their studies: effort, activities, citizenship, community service and a contribution to events. Involvement is recorded and rewarded to encourage each child’s full participation in school life with all the benefits of our 360-degree approach to learning and enrichment.

We foster a spirit of competitiveness and we have traditional values of excellence, inclusion, respect and resilience. At our events, open days and school trips, you can be sure that our children will greet you politely, hold open a door and always act as ambassadors for our school.

4. Our inclusive approach – we offer choice and opportunity

We have been championing co-education in Sheffield for over 30 years and are the only non-selective, co-educational independent school in Sheffield.

We are culturally diverse and non-denominational with over 23 different languages spoken at our school. Inclusivity and diversity are played out in all areas of school life – academically, on the playing field and in all areas of curricular and extra-curricular activity. This gives pupils the opportunity to excel and to be the best that they can be.

Children are not selected on academic ability yet we still enjoy a strong tradition of excellence in education and offer academic, sport, music, performing arts and drama scholarships to children from diverse backgrounds.

5. The Westbourne Family – we care about each child

When you join Westbourne, you join a family. We are big enough to cater for diverse interests and abilities, yet we are small enough to care for each child.

The single biggest contributory factor to achievement at Westbourne is the fact that we have small class sizes (average 14.6 across the school) which enable individualised learning. Thanks to our unrivalled staff-to-pupil ratio, our teachers are able to support each pupil’s learning through excellent and tailored pastoral care.

It’s not just teachers and pupils that make up our family. We have a host of loyal supporters including parents, grandparents and alumni who give specialist talks and visits. Friends of Westbourne are a committed group of parents who raise additional funds for the school and we have a vibrant staff and parent choir.

6. A real-world experience – we’re well-connected to the city

We forge strong relationships with Sheffield enabling access to its leading universities, teaching hospitals and major venues for sport and music.

We hold music and theatre performances at iconic venues around the city. We invite doctors, scientists, business owners and university speakers to share their passion and knowledge at guest talks and events. Pupils are also expected to gain valuable work experience in the city to help them on their way into the world of work.

We have strong links with some of the region’s top sporting venues where all our children have the chance to play their part, including the English Institute of Sport (EIS), Ice Sheffield, Goodwin Sports Centre, Sheffield Hallam University and Ponds Forge.

7. Our outdoor approach – we recognise the power of nature for wellbeing

We make the most of our location in leafy Broomhill, on the edge of the Peak District, to provide a range of innovative outdoor learning initiatives. These include Forest School in The Dell, a historic site which has been awarded the Wildlife Trust’s Wild School Award in recognition of our innovative approach to curricular outdoor learning and play.

Our pupils enchant audiences with regular music and theatre performances in our outdoor theatre; senior pupils have a dedicated outdoor space where they can take a break. Our new Garden Studio is used for learning outdoors and we have an outside learning classroom for cookery to support the school’s Food Technology Department. Similarly, we make use of the Peak District itself, the stunning national park on our doorstep with regular trips, activities and challenges such as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

8. And finally… because Westbourne pupils love Westbourne!

Only last month senior and junior school pupils told us in our whole school survey that they are resoundingly satisfied with life and learning at Westbourne. Why does this matter? Because we know that happiness and well being are fundamental to pupils’ success – our children’s ability to flourish in any academic environment is determined by how they feel about school.

That’s why families travel from across Sheffield and the Peak District so that their children can be part of something vibrant and special at Westbourne School. Read more.

Contact us

Phone Carla Whitehead, Admissions on 0114 2660374 to book an appointment or email enquiries@westbourneschool.co.uk

or join us for our Senior School Information Evening at 5pm, Thursday 18 November

Address: Senior School Hall, Westbourne Senior School