West House was founded as a day and boarding preparatory school for boys in 1895. Whilst termly boarding ceased in the mid 1960s, weekly boarding was maintained until the early 1990s. Until recently the majority of boys were prepared for the Common Entrance and Scholarship examinations to senior independent schools at 13+. However, increasing parental demand for places at local secondary day schools, with transfer at 11+, led to the phasing out of Years 7 and 8 at the end of the 1990s. The vast majority of boys currently transfer to Birmingham's Foundation Grammar Schools and local leading independent schools such as King Edward’s and Solihull.

In 1999 an opportunity arose to amalgamate with a well established local nursery school which was seeking alternative accommodation. The staff and children moved onto the West House campus and West House Nursery was opened. The Nursery now provides most of the intake for the Reception year. Girls currently transfer to local independent and state schools by the start of Reception, with a strong link with Edgbaston High School for Girls firmly established.

Archive photos of West House can be found in the gallery section of the website. Take a look at how the school has changed over the years.