Westonbirt School A GSG School
- Westonbirt School
Westonbirt
Tetbury
Gloucestershire
GL8 8QG - Head: Mrs Natasha Dangerfield
- T 01666 881301
- F 01666 880364
- E admissions@westonbirtschool.uk
- W www.westonbirt.org
- An independent school for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.
- Boarding: Yes
- Local authority: Gloucestershire
- Pupils: 759; sixth formers: 96 (27 boys, 69 girls)
- Religion: Church of England
- Fees: Day £10,650 - £20,670; Boarding £35,205 - £40,995 pa (last updated on 11/07/2024)
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
Westonbirt has undergone quite the revolution, with the senior school switching from a small all-girls school to a much larger co-ed one. This change is complete, and it now really is a fantastic all through school. Thanks to its grand setting, the school feels slightly like it’s from a bygone era – first impressions evoking Malory Towers or Hogwarts for many. That said, the facilities are anything but and the teaching is dynamic with a focus on being a ‘greenhouse not a hothouse’….
What the school says...
Westonbirt School is an inspired and award-winning co-educational day and boarding community, set within 210 acres and a breathtaking Victorian mansion, 90 minutes from London. Success is celebrated and talent nurtured, with the ethos being greenhouse, not hothouse. Class sizes are small, staff know students extremely well and the strong sense of community ensures pupils feel valued.
We nurture students to discover and achieve their talents and full potential, wherever these lie, and we also prepare them for success and to be kind and community-minded individuals in life beyond school. Breadth of education and development of character are key principles. The curriculum flexes to tailor subject options to individual strengths; pupils undertake a core study programme but are free to follow their passions in course choices. Both academic and vocational subjects are available, and learning is encouraged as a passion.
Achievement is consistently good, especially at A level, and university destinations have included Oxford, Edinburgh, and Nottingham (for medicine). Other students have progressed to apprenticeships, undertaken travel or accepted sports scholarships at US universities.
The abundance of space for sports and the breadth of our co-curricular programme support our holistic approach to education. Sport has great provision, with facilities including a swimming pool, astroturf, rugby and cricket pitches, nine hole golf course and gym – and there is access to equestrian sports including polo. Pupils are regularly selected to play for county and national sports teams and perform well in ISA national competitions.
Music and drama are also key, with many opportunities for performances. Recent productions have included Frozen Jr, Our Country’s Good and Grease whilst concerts have included Folk Night and the Magic of the Movie’. Our music scholars have performed at Highgrove House, whilst our drama students compete in regional competitions and perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Art has several studios and the school puts on an annual art exhibition.
Other clubs and activities include the Combined Cadet Force, beekeeping, Lego league, basketball, politics, chess, coding, photography and astronomy.
Pupil wellbeing is paramount, with good pastoral care embedded. Tutors, counsellors, a school listener and health and wellbeing centre are all available. Finding leadership opportunities for each pupil is critically important in developing their confidence and character. As they progress through school, there are initiatives to develop leadership skills, resilience and adaptability – and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme and CCF also support this. In the sixth form, there is a prefect body, Study One and a global programme offering service, exchange and cultural opportunities to countries including India, Nepal and Kenya.
A plethora of achievements are in evidence across the school and the pupils here are happy and supported to become the best versions of themselves. Life at Westonbirt is a magical experience and we hope you have the chance to see for yourself. ...Read more
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Other features
All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.
Sports
Polo
Equestrian centre or equestrian team - school has own equestrian centre or an equestrian team.
What The Good Schools Guide says
Headmistress
Since 2013, Natasha Dangerfield BA, QTS. After gaining a degree in PE and English from the University of Brighton, she started her career in some illustrious independent schools, first teaching games at girls’ schools (Downe House and North Foreland Lodge) before whisking up to Scotland to become director of pastoral care at Gordonstoun. She subsequently became deputy head at Harrogate Ladies’ College before taking the headship at Westonbirt.
Mrs Dangerfield is part granddame with her palatial office in the school’s Grade I listed mansion (think high stucco ceiling, enormous sash windows, mahogany furniture and roaring open fire) and penchant for lacrosse, and part kindly relative with her Kit Kat catch ups and warm demeanour. Pupils and parents all speak fondly of her. Sixth formers talk about how she helps to ‘guide...
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Overall school performance (for comparison or review only)
Results by exam and subject
Subject results
Entry/Exit
Special Education Needs
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Might cover/be referred to as;
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), PDA , Social skills, Sensory processing disorder |
Y |
| HI - Hearing Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Hearing Impairment, HI - Hearing Impairment |
|
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Learning needs, MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty |
|
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment, Sensory processing |
|
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic , OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability, Tics, Tourettes |
|
| PD - Physical Disability
Might cover/be referred to as;
PD - Physical Disability |
|
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay, PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty |
|
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
Might cover/be referred to as;
Anxiety , Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health, SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Trauma |
|
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication
Might cover/be referred to as;
DLD - Developmental Language Disorder, Selective mutism, SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication |
|
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
Complex needs, SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty, Cerebral Palsy (CP) |
|
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
Might cover/be referred to as;
ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auditory Processing, DCD, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting, Other specific learning difficulty, SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) |
Y |
| VI - Visual Impairment
Might cover/be referred to as;
Special facilities for Visually Impaired, VI - Visual Impairment |
Who came from where
| School | Year | Places | Scholarships | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heywood Prep | 2024 | 5 | ||
| Monkton Prep School | 2024 | 1 | ||
| Pinewood | 2024 | 1 | 1 | 1 Drama Scholarship |
| The Elms School | 2024 | 1 |
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