Our History

History of Westonbirt as a Private Boarding & Day School for Girls

Westonbirt School has a long and proud history as a private boarding and day school for girls.  Westonbirt House, the former stately home and private house of the Holford family, was acquired by the The Martyrs' Memorial and Church of England Trust (now known as The Allied Schools) in 1926 for conversion into a private boarding school for girls.  It retained the architectural splendour and family atmosphere of the original house but over time we have added many boarding school facilities, such as a modern specialist classrooms and a Sports Centre.
But back to the beginning... The founding headmistress was Mrs Houison Craufurd, who chose the school's colours of maroon and grey.The school flower was designated the Amaryllis, as it was Sir George Holford's favourite flower, and this is how our termly school newsletter came to be called "The Amaryllian". The school motto was taken from St Paul's Epistle to the Romans, in the Latin of the Vulgate: "Bono malum superate" , which means Overcome evil with good.

During the Second World War, this private school was commandeered by the Government for the Air Ministry, and the girls were evacuated to two houses in Wiltshire: Bowood and Corsham Court. The girls were able to return in 1944, but aeroplanes continued to be concealed beneath trees until the end of the war! Six of the school's former pupils gave their lives in the war. In their memory a scholarship fund was set up which still runs today.  After the war, the curriculum began to be expanded to prepare girls for university entry and careers. New facilities and equipment continued to be added to this private school for girls.

In the Spring of 1961 the school was granted a coat of arms, combining the greyhound (part of the armorial bearings of the Holford family), the amaryllis, the cedar (to represent the Arboretum), the Catherine wheel (representing the patron saint of the parish church), and, symbolising the aspirations of the school, the book inscribed "Te Deum Laudamus" and the school motto.

This private school for girls has flourished throughout its history, latterly becoming popular also as a girls' day school while retaining a large majority of boarders and all the facilities associated with the best boarding schools.  In its early days, its provision was for a genteel education for young ladies who were not expected to pursue a career. While it has remained true to its founding spirit, its end product has changed substantially! By 1997, the school's standards and aims had so advanced that is was the first independent school in Gloucestershire to be accredited as an Investor in Careers. This national award is given only for the highest quality of careers advice and guidance. Thus in its lifetime – the span of the average woman, in fact - long history, this girls' boarding and day school has matured into a provider of a first-class preparation for girls for the world of work and for a rewarding and fulfilling adult life.

Since Autumn 2002, the Westonbirt campus has also been home to younger girls and boys, following Westonbirt School's acquisition of the former Querns School, the preparatory and pre-preparatory day school in Cirencester. When the school moved to Westonbirt, it changed its name to Querns Westonbirt School to reflect the many advantages it would gain from the move. In August 2008, it was agreed to merge Querns Westonbirt with another highly respected local prep day school, Rose Hill of Alderley and to raise the leaving age to 13. The new prep school is now called Rose Hill Westonbirt (click here to visit its website.) However, it is important to point out that the senior school will remain all-girls!

2003 saw the launch of the Westonbirt School Foundation, designed to provide a permanent fund for bursaries and for new educational resources at Westonbirt, and the first of its projects, the Copland Sports Centre, was soon completed. In April 2008, a new sixth form accommodation block was opened, in response to growing demand for girls' boarding. Next on the agenda is a new music school, now under development.