Years 7 & 8
Years 7 & 8 are the culmination of a pupil’s time at Westbrook Hay. These two years are filled with opportunities to become Prefects, captains of sports, to be influential in the School Council and the Charities Committee, to audition for lead roles in the school play, to take on leadership roles in music including the choir and orchestra and a host of other challenges which gives every pupil the opportunity to develop.
Our pupils start Year 7 as children but we hope they all leave Year 8 as young adults who have developed in and out of the classroom by taking on challenges and responsibility.
Most prep sessions are undertaken during the school day, and children also have the opportunity to attend supervised evening homework sessions at school. There continues to be a full programme of class and year-group outings, events and visits for both enjoyment and to consolidate your children’s learning, including: historical, geographical, scientific and religious visits and experiences,theatre and museum trips, plus orienteering and camping.
School trips
There are two major school trips for Year 7 and 8. In October, Year 7 complete a 5 day residential trip to Barmouth in North Wales. We stay in a traditional seaside hotel overlooking the beach. The highlight of the trip is the ascent of Cadir Idris with the motto of ‘we are as strong as our weakest walker’ central to this collective effort. There is a heavy emphasis on geography with a river study, an ascent following the path of a glacier and a study of the formation of a spit. We also focus on history with a visit to Harlech Castle and a trip down a slate mine where we follow the path of a Victorian 12 year old as he starts full time work.
In Year 8 the culmination of the year is a PGL trip Shrewsbury in mid June. This is a welcome way to celebrate the end of exams.
Moving onto next schools
Choosing the next school for the pupils at Westbrook Hay is a priority for the school. Initially we have a meeting with parents to discuss this which is frequently followed up with a meeting with pupils and their parents.
Some schools have their main exams in January of Year 8. However, more frequently senior schools have their exams at different times. We tailor our curriculum to prepare the pupils for exams whenever they are in the academic year. Our experienced staff have a comprehensive knowledge of the style of papers different schools set and this is taken into consideration in preparing children for their entrance exams.
Interviews for senior schools can happen at any time during a pupil’s time in Year 7 & 8. We give practice interviews to all our pupils.
Scholarship Preparation
Our pupils enjoy much success at achieving entrance awards and scholarships to their next schools. We recognise able and talented children and work with them to prepare for their scholarship exams and assessments.