Beyond the classroom
Academia is just one aspect of a broad, balanced and opportunity rich approach to learning.
We don’t tend to use the term ‘extra-curricular’ because we consider sport, music and the arts to be just as integral as studies in the classroom to the overall education and development of our pupils.
We run a wide range of activities designed to appeal to every interest and encourage all of our pupils to try something new. Indeed, most of our pupils are involved in additional music, creative or sporting activities by the time they reach Year 3.
They’re spoilt for choice with the options of chess, drama, art, various sports cookery and board games. For cricket enthusiasts, we regularly team up with Harborne Cricket Club to offer our pupils professional cricket coaching. The vast majority of after-school clubs and activities are run by the school’s own teaching staff, at no additional cost.
For those that want to try their hand at music, we have a number of bands and choirs that rehearse during school hours, with anyone welcome to join. Our more senior musicians join the school orchestra and senior chorale which rehearse every week in preparation for concerts throughout the year.
Music
The standard and scale of music at West House is exceptional, involving all the pupils, due to the energetic and engaging style of our two permanent music teachers and large team of visiting specialist instrumental teachers. Our philosophy is that every pupil should have the opportunity to sing and play instruments on a regular basis.
Class music is taught to all boys from Year 1 to Year 6 and the course is designed to be progressive, rewarding and enjoyable to boys of all musical abilities. The curriculum is topic-based as well as developing ongoing skills, and boys are encouraged to sing, play instruments, and use music technology to develop their skills and an appreciation of all kinds of music.
Performance opportunities arise through whole-school and class singing, chamber choirs, instrument bands, the school orchestra, class music topic work, recorder ensemble playing, music assemblies, Teatime Concerts, larger-scale Prep, Pre-Prep and EYFS concerts, our Christmas carol service in Birmingham Cathedral, the spring celebration and the Inter-House Music Competitions, as well as a comprehensive offer of individual music tuition – it never stops!
As a testament to their prowess, we regularly have West House boys who are offered music scholarships at leading regional independent secondary schools, become cathedral choristers or who take part in ensembles outside school.
Drama
The teaching of the Performing Arts at West House helps pupils develop their self-expression and confidence. It also aims to encourage a love of learning through dynamic and fun interactive educational workshops. Overall, we hope that these opportunities provide additional enrichment in helping to develop social and listening skills. Additionally, projects focusing on voice work, performance poetry, improvisation and character studies enable the boys to develop a rich array of transferable creative skills. As the pupils journey through the Preparatory Department, boys demonstrate increased confidence every year and even the most diffident blossom.
For many boys, a highlight of their time at West House School is the now legendary Year 6 drama production, which makes full use of our multi functional sports hall and allows boys to demonstrate all that they have learnt over the years. The show is not to be missed. Plans to build a state of the art drama studio underline the importance of the subject in the West House journey.
Sport
Our comprehensive programme of physical and creative activities encourages all boys to try something new, whilst developing their talents alongside a desire to pursue sport throughout life. We put sport at the heart of life at West House and know from years of experience how much sport and physical activity contributes to the overall well-being and happiness of our pupils.
Our aim is for all children to enjoy Physical Education and Games by developing their self-esteem in both individual and team sports, as well as in the swimming pool. Boys in the Prep Department engage in two full afternoons of sport every week. Sports Day, Swimming Galas and Dance performances are held throughout the year, and boys are invited to take part at various levels of competition.
An impressive fixtures list sees the boys regularly representing the school in competitive matches against local schools as well as participating at national events such as the competitive Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) and English Schools Swimming Association Championships. Additionally, out inter house-school competition and C, D and E team matches encourage participation for all. The school is proud to have been the starting point in the journey towards professional and international sporting honours for a number of former pupils.
Art
Our aim is to encourage a love and appreciation of Art that will endure throughout the lives of our boys. We work hard to create an environment in which ideas and the use of imagination are encouraged, through engaging and ambitious projects.
During their Art lessons, children are offered the opportunity to explore and investigate a wide range of ideas, techniques, and processes – all while exploring the contributions made by artists, craftspeople and designers from a variety of cultures.
We hope that every boy will develop a sense of pride, achievement, self-awareness, and fulfilment in the creation of their artwork but, most of all, we want them to have fun whilst doing so. We know that many of the projects that the boys build-up to in Year 6 provide some of their abiding West House memories, such as the design of a t-shirt for the end of year fashion show. It has been commented upon regularly that the artwork produced by senior boys defies their age.
Nature Reserve
We’re lucky to have our very own nature reserve which provides all the boys with a great opportunity to learn in a hands-on and exciting way. We take pupils of all ages on woodland walks and encourage them to fully explore all of their senses; they study pond life and go on hunts for mini-beasts, taking advantage of the ‘bug observatory’, the bird watching station and the live camera feeds strategically placed throughout the reserve.
As the children get older, the reserve is increasingly used to support the science curriculum as the boys start to understand how vertebrate animals are classified and how different types of plants can be identified.
