Westonbirt School is a co-educational independent day and

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. They have existed for many centuries, and now extend acr ...

for boys and girls aged 11 to 18 located near

Tetbury Tetbury is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish inside the Cotswold (district), Cotswold district in Gloucestershire, England. It lies on the site of an ancient hill fort, on which an Anglo-Saxons, Anglo-Saxon monastery was found ...

in Gloucestershire in

South West England South West England, or the South West of England, is one of the nine official regions of England, regions of England in the United Kingdom. Additionally, it is one of four regions that altogether make up Southern England. South West England con ...

. Founded in 1928. The historical

Westonbirt House Westonbirt House is a country house in Gloucestershire, England, about southwest of the town of Tetbury. It belonged to the Holford family from 1665 until 1926. The first house on the site was an Elizabethan era, Elizabethan manor house. The H ...

is part of the school. Westonbirt Prep School is located within the 210 acre grounds of Westonbirt School.

History

Westonbirt School was founded by the Martyrs' Memorial and Church of England Trust (now known as the Allied Schools), which had acquired

and converted it into a school. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the premises were used by the

Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the ...

and pupils and staff were evacuated to

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

due to

the Blitz The Blitz (English: "flash") was a Nazi Germany, German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, for eight months, from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941, during the Second World War. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940, a co ...

. Six former pupils died during the war and a memorial scholarship was set up in their memory; children of British military personnel are entitled to discounts. In 2002, Westonbirt acquired Querns School to become its preparatory department. Seven years later it absorbed Rose Hill School to form the prep school Rose Hill Westonbirt. In September 2013 Rose Hill Westonbirt School was renamed Westonbirt Prep School. Wishford Education, a provider of independent education in the UK, acquired Westonbirt School in 2018. As of September 2019, Westonbirt became co-educational and accepted boys into year 7, and in years 8,9 and 12 from September 2020.

Houses

Pupils are approximately one-third boarders and two-thirds day girls and boys. All boarders are members of one of the following houses: Dorchester, named after

Dorchester House Dorchester House was a mansion in Park Lane, Westminster, London, which had many different forms over time. The last version used as a private residence was that built in 1853 by Robert Stayner Holford. It was demolished in 1929 to make way for ...

in London, owned by Robert Stayner Holford, also owner of

, which served as the American Embassy from 1905 and 1912 and was demolished in 1929 to be replaced by

the Dorchester The Dorchester is a five-star hotel located on Park Lane and Deanery Street in London, to the east of Hyde Park. It is one of the world's most prestigious hotels. The Dorchester opened on 18 April 1931, and it still retains its 1930s furnis ...

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, named after

Badminton House Badminton House is a large country house and Grade I Listed Building in Badminton, Gloucestershire, England, which has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house, which has given its name to the spor ...

with dormitories located in the west wing of the house on the second floor. Beaufort, named after Beaufort Polo Club. Gloucester, which houses Year 12 girls. Dormitories are located around the courtyard, on the first floor. Holford, named after Robert Holford. This boarding house is exclusively for Year 13 students and is located several miles away in Tetbury. The building was formerly Ilsom House, a residential care home and was acquired in 2022. A new Junior boarding house, Sedgwick, is in development onsite for pupils from Years 6-8. This will be open in early 2024.

Buildings and grounds

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. In September 2012 the Marriott Music Centre was opened. Named after former chairman of governors this was designed by Bath-based architects DKA and built by Steele Davis between April and August 2012. It contains three learning spaces: The Technology Room, named The Friends' Room in appreciation of a substantial donation by The Friends of Westonbirt. The Greenwood Scott Studio and the Ensemble Room, known as the Harborne Room, again in recognition of a substantial donation. This new centre complements the Camelia Building, a small practice area for music pupils, originally a greenhouse. The main school building is centred on the reception and the great hall, which has a marble fireplace and large organ overlooked by a balcony. In 2005 a new sports hall was opened by the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

and

Duchess of Cornwall The Duchess of Cornwall is a title held by the wife of the heir apparent to the British throne. The Duchess of Cornwall is usually also the Princess of Wales, and she uses that title. The current title-holder is Catherine, Princess of Wales, Ca ...

. It features 25m swimming pool, courts and a gym, which is open to members of the public. The grounds include a lake, amphitheatre, grotto, fountains and a set of

Italianate The Italianate style was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. Like Palladianism and Neoclassicism, the Italianate style combined its inspiration from the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century It ...

gardens. 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 pupils themselves. The school now owns the church, St. Catherine's, which is located within the grounds and which was originally the local parish church; Westonbirt pupils attend the church regularly. The school library, made up of a separate ante-library and larger non-fiction library, was recently renovated using funding from an anonymous donor. The school has a large conservatory known as the Orangery which includes a stage and balcony used for school ceremonies and drama productions. A basement contains the costume wardrobe where dramatic costumes and props are kept, originally the house's bomb shelter during World War II. In 2022-23, eight new Walled Garden Classrooms were opened; these were designed and built to be in keeping with greenhouses which were formerly located there. A new Sports Zone also opened, which includes an Astroturf, cricket pitches and tennis and netball courts. Work on a new Prep School building is scheduled to commence in autumn 2023.

Notable former pupils

Maxine Audley Maxine Audley (29 April 1923 – 23 July 1992) was an English theatre and film actress. She made her professional stage debut in July 1940 at the Open Air Theatre. Audley performed with the Old Vic company and the Royal Shakespeare Company many ...

, actress *

Georgia Byng Lady Georgia Mary Caroline Byng (born 6 September 1965) is a British children's writer, educator, illustrator, actress and film producer. Since 1995, she has published thirteen children's books, and co-written and co-produced one film. Byng has ...

, children's author * Pamela Carruthers (1916–2009), showjumping course designer *

Betty Clay Betty St Clair Clay (née Baden-Powell; 16 April 1917 – 24 April 2004) was the younger daughter of Olave Baden-Powell, the first Chief Guide, and Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting. Career Clay enrolled in t ...

(née Baden-Powell), scout and guides leader * Lady Emily Compton, fashion model, stylist, and magazine editor * Sheila Denning, painter *

Angela Flowers Angela Mary Flowers (; 19 December 1932 – 11 August 2023) was a British Art dealer, gallerist who founded Flowers Gallery, a commercial art gallery that today operates in London, New York City, and Hong Kong. A director of the gallery, she wa ...

, art gallerist * Baroness Garden, politician & Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords * Anne Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster (née Sullivan), race-horse owner, in particular the steeplechaser Arkle *

Anna Hornby Anna Hornby, (6 April 1914 – 1996) was an English painter, calligrapher and member of the New English Art Club.Who's Who in Art (Twenty-Second Edition, Art Trade Press 1986) Life and work Anna Hornby was educated at the independent Westonbi ...

, artist * June Jacobs, peace activist and campaigner for Soviet Jews * Chitpas Kridakorn, Member of the Thai House of Representatives * Diana Lamplugh, Charity founder and campaigner (1936-2011) *

Patricia Llewellyn Patricia Llewellyn (7 February 1962 – 22 October 2017) was a British television producer and managing director of the television production company, Optomen, which in 2010 became part of the All3Media group. Llewellyn was born in Carmarthen, ...

, television producer, businesswomanWestonbirt School
. www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2012. *

Aileen McCorkell Aileen Allen McCorkell, Lady McCorkell OBE ( Booth; 18 September 1921 – 25 December 2010) was the founder and first President of the British Red Cross branch in Derry. In 1972, she and her husband, Colonel Sir Michael McCorkell, hosted secr ...

, the founder and first president of the British Red Cross branch in Derry *

Mercia MacDermott Mercia MacDermott ( Adshead; ; 7 April 1927 – 28 March 2023) was an English writer and historian. She was known for her books on Bulgarian history. Early life Mercia was born on 7 April 1927 in Plymouth, Devon, United Kingdom. Her father wa ...

, historian, writer * Natasha Rufus Isaacs, socialite, co-founder of Beulah London * Honor Salmon (née Pitman) (1912-1943),

Air Transport Auxiliary The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) was a British civilian organisation set up at the start of the Second World War with headquarters at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire. The ATA ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between fac ...

Pilot * (Susan) Pamela Rose (née Gibson),

Bletchley Park Bletchley Park is an English country house and Bletchley Park estate, estate in Bletchley, Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire), that became the principal centre of Allies of World War II, Allied World War II cryptography, code-breaking during the S ...

translator, actress, teacher &

NSPCC The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a British child protection charity founded as the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (LSPCC) by Thomas Agnew on 19 April 1883. The NSPCC lobbies t ...

vice-president. Sister of Lord Gibson, married to Jim Rose *

Julia Quinn Julie Pottinger (née Cotler; born January 12, 1970), better known by her pen name, Julia Quinn, is an American author. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages and have appeared on The New York Times Bestseller List, ''The New York Times ...

, romance author of Bridgerton series * Jane Sinclair, priest * Salma Sobhan, Bangladeshi barrister, human rights activist *

Patsy Toh Patsy Toh (; born 1940) is a Chinese-born pianist living in London, England. She has taught at the Royal Academy of Music since 1975, and became a Fellow in 1995. Early life Toh was born in Shanghai, China, in 1940 of a family from Xiamen, the ...

, Chinese pianist * Ruth Watson, hotelier, food critic, broadcaster

References

External links