| Westonbirt School | |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Bono malum superate" (Overcome evil with good) |
| Established | 1928 |
| Founder | Houison Craufurd |
| Headmistress | Mary Henderson |
| Location | Gloucestershire, England |
Westonbirt School is an independent day and boarding school for girls located in Gloucestershire in South West England. Founded in 1928, it is a member of the Allied Schools organisation. The historical Westonbirt House is part of the school.
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Students are approximately two-thirds boarders and one-third day girls, all of whom are members of one of the following houses:
Holford, named after Robert Stayner Holford, owner of Westonbirt House before it was a school. Holford dormitories occupy the most elaborately decorated part of the house and are located around the balcony overlooking the great hall.
Dorchester, named after Dorchester House owned by Robert Holford in London, which served as the American Embassy from 1905-12 and was demolished in 1929 to be replaced by The Dorchester luxury hotel. Dorchester dormitories are located in the old servants quarters at the top of the house, including the school's central tower, currently part of the Dorchester House Mistress' rooms.
Badminton, with dormitories located in the west wing of the house on the second floor.
Beaufort, named after Beaufort Polo Club, located near the school. This house is occupied completely by first year girls who are then sorted into one of the other three houses when they enter their second year.
The Sixth Form acts as a fifth house.
The majority of the classrooms at the school are located in the courtyard, an area that was stables during the buildings' life as a stately home. Half of the sixth form dormitories are built above these classrooms. The new sixth form block was completed in 2008 and is located between the Science Block (opened in 1993 which contains the Art department, D.T workshops, Science laboratories and the main I.T suite) and the courtyard classrooms.
The school is currently launching an initiative to raise funds for a new music building after the success of the renovated Camelia Building, a small practise area for music students, originally a greenhouse.
In 2005 a new sports hall was opened by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. It features an olympic size swimming pool, courts and a gym, which is open to members of the public. The school also makes regular use of outside tennis/netball courts, the extensive lacrosse pitch occupying the front of the school and the golf course by Westonbirt Village.
The impressive grounds include a lake, amphitheatre, grotto, fountains and a set of Italian gardens. The school also owns two peacocks that live in the grounds. Many of the fields around the school are rented out to farmers for cattle grazing or are used to keep horses either belonging to the local stables or to the students themselves. The school now owns the St. Catherine's church on its grounds, originally property of the local parish, where the students attend church regularly.
The main school building is centered around the reception-a marble hall, and the great hall, which boasts a marble fireplace and large organ overlooked by a balcony. The school library, made up of a separate ante-library and larger non-fiction library was recently renovated using funding from an anonymous donor, rumoured to be the Prince of Wales who has made donations to the school before due to its proximity to Highgrove House.
The school has a large conservatory known as The Orangery which includes a stage and balcony used for school ceremonies and drama productions. The school also possesses an interesting basement, located there is the Costume Cupboard where dramatic costumes and props are kept, originally the house's bomb shelter during the war.