Description
The school’s beautiful rural location boasts 26 acres of parkland overlooking the Bourne valley. Located just off the A41, between Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, Westbrook Hay has easy access to all major routes. The unique setting offers a secure environment within which children explore and enjoy all that childhood has to offer. Through visionary teaching in small classes and with a wonderful mixture of purpose built facilities and historic surroundings, the children enjoy a broad curriculum, achieve excellent results and have the all-important confidence to succeed.
Facilities
Pre Prep
At Westbrook Hay we believe that parents are the first and most influential teachers that their children will have. They therefore endeavour to form meaningful and effective partnerships with parents to ensure their child’s successful learning and happiness. This process begins before the children join us by various methods including; personal contact through siblings already with us; invitations to open days and special events (such as the very successful Teddy Bear’s Picnic); parents' meetings as part of the induction programme; information from the school prospectus and the school website.Once a child has joined us the partnership is developed further by daily contact between the teacher and parents in the classroom. Parents are welcomed to bring their child in to the classroom at the beginning of the day. Progress is reported through a Christmas and summer written report and parents consultation evenings in the Christmas and Easter terms.
Prep School
Children progress from the Pre-Prep join the Prep School in Year 3. The breadth of the curriculum is maintained, but there is also the opportunity for more sport and a greater variety of extra-curricular activities. There are sets for English and Maths which allow for individual needs to be assessed, as well as maintaining mixed ability teaching in other subjects.Years 3 & 4 are located in a purpose-built building which boasts spacious classrooms equipped with interactive white boards, an extensive science laboratory and a bespoke Design and Technology workshop.
Years 5 & 6
When the children move into Year 5 at the age of 9, lessons are taught by subject, rather than class based teaching. Some streaming takes place as your child moves into Year 5. This is based on maths, English and science results, although there is some movement between specific subjects to suit every child’s needs. The aim is to fully prepare your children for their most appropriate academic step into senior school, be that 11+ and entrance tests during Year 6, or senior school entrance exams during Year 8.
Years 7 & 8
Years 7 & 8 are the culmination of a pupil’s time at Westbrook Hay. These two years are filled with opportunities to become Prefects, captains of sports, to be influential in the School Council and the Charities Committee, to audition for lead roles in the school play, to take on leadership roles in music including the choir and orchestra and a host of other challenges which gives every pupil the opportunity to develop. The pupils start Year 7 as children but we hope they all leave Year 8 as young adults who have developed in and out of the classroom by taking on challenges and responsibility.
Features
Things to note
Performing Arts
Children explore the performing arts in each different Key Stage, with Dance being on the timetable for Nursery and Key Stage 1 to enable children to begin to explore the expressive arts through movement. Crossing over at Key Stage 2 into a wider performing arts lesson being timetabled for an hour a week, including Drama and Movement where children are able to adopt, create and sustain a range of roles, responding appropriately to others in role. They have the opportunities to improvise, devise, choreograph and script drama and dance for one another and a range of audiences, as well as to rehearse, refine, share and respond thoughtfully to drama, dance and theatre performances. Moving through to Drama in Key Stage three, which prepares students for GCSE Drama or the International Baccalaureate in Theatre, framework in their next school.
Sport
They are unique as a day school in being able to offer so much sport to our children and have a comprehensive 'Sport for All' policy in place. Prior to Year 3, the focus is to build a child's physical literacy. This continues in the Prep School where sport takes place in five lessons of the week in the form of PE or Games with the addition of competitive fixtures against other schools in which all pupils are involved in. Our A sides have the opportunity to play in regional and national tournaments and in the past we have been very successful, with the highlight being the three consecutive years from 2016 our U13 football sides won the IAPS National Title.
Art
Art plays an important role at Westbrook Hay. It is not just about splashing paint onto paper but is seen as a skill which helps to develop and improve so much about a child. It builds on a child’s ability to reflect and act creatively, using a multi-sensory approach as a process of self discovery.The pupils at Westbrook Hay have specialist Art lessons for 1 hour per week. In addition to their lessons the pupils get many other opportunities to further their interest in Art and Design; for example there are specialist scholarship lessons every week. There are also extra Art activities on a Thursday as well as an Art Club after school on a Tuesday.
Music
The music department has the aim that every child in the school will learn to play a musical instrument whilst at Westbrook Hay. Many are encouraged to join the school choirs, play in the school orchestra, wind ensemble and perform at Evensong at school and also music concerts. There are also opportunities for more informal band ensembles. Music lessons for most instruments may be booked with qualified music teachers.There are also a broad range of music trips for the children to attend as well as competitions. Music at Westbrook Hay has hugely benefited from the wonderful Performing Arts Centre that offers so much for our children. It has 6 music practice rooms as well as a 300 seat auditorium.
Extra Curricular
Please check the school website link for details.
2.80 miles
