Wetherby Senior Prospectus Re-fresh

Headmaster’s Welcome

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The School

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Academic Curriculum

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Lower School

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Middle School

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The Sixth Form

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Sporting Life

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Pastoral Care and Wellbeing

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Co-Curricular Activities

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Creativity and The Arts

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Looking to the Future

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Next Steps

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Transport Links

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HEADMASTER’S WELCOME I am delighted to welcome you to Wetherby Senior School. In its short history, our School has built a vibrant, diverse and caring community with strong shared values. Our objective is simple – we want our pupils to experience an outstanding, well-rounded and progressive education that will prepare them to face the challenges of modern life with a strong sense of responsibility and compassion towards others. A rigorous academic curriculum complemented by a broad range of co-curricular activities enables the boys to develop their passions and strengthens their courage to pursue new ones.

Our dynamic and experienced teaching staff provides an environment which inspires, encourages, and above all, cares for boys as individuals. The breadth of the academic offering is designed to help them grow into young adults who are resilient, adaptable, creative and motivated to continue learning throughout their lives.

Our recent alumni have gone on to study a broad range of courses including medicine, law, engineering and economics at some of the most prestigious universities in the UK, USA and Europe. Our location in the heart of London affords the boys access to a diverse and cosmopolitan community on the doorstep of some of London’s finest cultural amenities, including the Wallace Collection, Wigmore Hall and Regent’s Park.

I would be delighted to welcome you and your son to Wetherby Senior, to learn more about our school and to experience our unique atmosphere. I would encourage you to attend our Open Day or one of our Visitor Mornings to meet with me, my colleagues and especially our pupils.

Joe Silvester 4

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THE SCHOOL Wetherby Senior School is an independent day school for boys aged 11-18 years and is a member of the well-established Wetherby family. Boys enter at Year 7 or Year 9, progressing all the way through to Sixth Form, before they transition to the top universities in the UK and abroad.

We celebrate success in all fields of endeavour at the same time as recognising that excellence is achieved by increments and is the result of persistent effort. We value curiosity and independence of mind while striving to instill the attributes of respect, responsibility and resilience in our boys.

Our vision at Wetherby Senior School is to provide an outstanding, progressive all-round education, supporting our pupils to achieve academically and to develop as people. Each of our boys is valued and encouraged, our aim to fully prepare them to meet the challenges of being a young man in the 21st Century and contribute to the communities in which they live.

Located in the heart of London, we have access to everything the city has to offer in terms of the arts, culture, business, science and technology and enjoy the use of superb sports grounds at Ealing Trailfinders.

We place great value on friendship and kindness and aim to build a supportive community based on trusting relationships. As a diverse community, we respect and celebrate difference. We endeavour to ensure that all of our interactions are conducted with politeness and good humour.

“A marvellous education for the modern teenage boy.”

The Good Schools Guide, 2019

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ACADEMIC CURRICULUM Academic excellence is central to Wetherby Senior, complemented by our aim to nurture a genuine enjoyment of learning and intellectual curiosity. Small class sizes and daily tutor meetings along with numerous opportunities for academic enrichment ensures each pupil is motivated and well supported in his learning.

As well as offering the full range of traditional academic and creative subjects, we have also embedded Philosophy as part of the core curriculum for all boys up to the age of 16 to foster independent and critical thinking. They are taught how to think, not what to think and this greater capacity for questioning enables our pupils to see the world from various perspectives. By helping our boys to develop self-awareness and self-challenge, we inspire them to be the very best they can be in all aspects of their academic and cultural lives at the School.

Each year there is a full programme of educational visits, as well as a termly field day.

Local destinations have included Kew Gardens, the Globe Theatre and Bletchley Park.

“It is an excellent school. The calibre of teaching is very high across the board…

The leadership is geared toward the success of each child regardless of his academic abilities.”

Wetherby Senior School parent 9

LOWER SCHOOL Boys enter the Lower School in Year 7 (11+) and are welcomed into a safe, nurturing environment which fosters their growing confidence and academic development.

A form tutor is assigned to each class for Year 7 and 8 to ensure continuity of care during their early years at Wetherby, but subjects are taught by subject specialists in each department. In the Lower School, the boys follow a well-rounded and broad curriculum.

All pupils are encouraged to participate in the wide range of co-curricular clubs and activities on offer throughout the school week. It is compulsory to attend an activity during Friday lunchtime although most boys take advantage of the rich programme of clubs to develop existing and new interests. Supervised prep sessions are available to the Lower School pupils, encouraging them to develop more independent learning styles and help them on their journey to future academic success.

There is a further intake in Year 9 (13+) and our experienced team of form tutors help them settle in and become part of the Wetherby community. On completion of their time at the Lower School, our boys have a strong sense of the ethos of Wetherby Senior School and are ready to embrace the challenges of the Middle School.

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MIDDLE SCHOOL As our boys move into the Middle School, they enter a period of growing maturity and academic development culminating in the taking of their GCSEs. During their time in Middle School they learn the importance of managing their time and workload and develop their study skills which positions them for successful entry to the Sixth Form.

In Year 10 and 11 all of our boys study the core GCSE subjects of English Literature, English Language, Mathematics and the Sciences and make four additional subject choices from the wide variety of subjects on offer: History, Geography, Latin, Classical Civilisation, French, Spanish, German, Computer Science, Graphic Design, Art, PE, Drama and Music. One of these subject choices must be a modern foreign language.

The boys are also encouraged to broaden their subject interests and knowledge base and to gain a perspective on the world outside the classroom. Consistent with our ethos of promoting a wider view of the world and their future careers, the boys are encouraged to participate in service based learning opportunities and are also expected to complete a week of work experience after their GCSE exams.

In addition to the PSHE curriculum, we regularly host outside speakers who deliver talks to the Middle School pupils and their parents on a wide range of subjects designed to highlight the alternative professional and career routes available to them.

“My son has been inspired by his teachers to try and do things outside his comfort zone.”

Wetherby Senior School parent

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THE SIXTH FORM The Sixth Form is an exciting and rewarding stage for students. In their final two years, they have the opportunity to focus on the subjects that interest them the most as well as taking on positions of responsibility and leading the student body. Our aim is to ensure that they leave us ready for the next stage in their life - confident, self-disciplined, independent and curious but with a sense of personal and social responsibility.

Sixth Formers follow a course of three A Levels as well as the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). Some boys choose to study a fourth A Level, for example Further Maths. Small class sizes, dedicated teaching staff and excellent pastoral care, with each boy having a tutor to support and guide them through their final two years in School, ensures that our Sixth Form pupils maintain momentum both in and out of the classroom. This close-knit, supportive community gives them the academic foundation to succeed on their chosen course at top universities in the UK, USA and Europe.

An awareness of both local and global issues is fostered by the Sixth Form enrichment programme featuring thought provoking talks delivered by teachers, guest speakers and the students themselves. Links with local girls’ schools also allow the Sixth Formers the chance to co-operate on enrichment and co-curricular activities.

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SPORTING LIFE Sport is an integral part of the boys’ development and wellbeing and is a compulsory activity for all boys at Wetherby Senior School. We firmly believe in the positive role that sport plays in developing character, building friendships and staying healthy - both physically and mentally.

The games programme covers a wide range of sports including rugby, football, cricket, athletics and tennis and benefits from the excellent facilities at Ealing Trailfinders. Our pupils also have access to the fully equipped gym and weights room and spinning studio in Marylebone.

The sports programme is inclusive yet challenging and competitive fixtures take place in each sport throughout the year. All pupils benefit from the excellent coaching provided by our dedicated and very well-regarded sports department.

“Boys we met and spoke to were refreshingly individual and polite. They look you in the eye, are confident but not arrogant. This is far from a macho culture. Boys here can be of any kind of peg and will still fit the hole.”

The Good Schools Guide, 2019

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PASTOR AL CARE AND WELLBEING At Wetherby Senior School we aim to foster the academic, social and moral growth of the boys. We want to give them the tools necessary to deal with the challenges of teenage life while helping them to become individuals who will make a positive contribution to society.

The pastoral system underpins everyday life at Wetherby and is overseen by the Heads of Section with support from a network of tutors. Wetherby tutors stay in close contact with parents regarding their son’s progress and are the first point of contact for parents who have questions about any aspect of their son’s life at School. We believe this system forges a true sense of community for staff, parents and pupils.

Wetherby pastoral groups are known as Tributaries, or Tribs for short, and have each been named for one of London’s hidden rivers. Our Tribs of Effra, Fleet, Ravensbourne, Tyburn and Walbrook are a nod to the ancient history of our city and encourage a healthy rivalry with inter-Trib competitions in sport, debating and other activities.

The Tribs also serve to build vertical links throughout the school and provide further opportunities for pupil leadership.

Wetherby has a dedicated Wellbeing Team in place with counselling and coaching available to all pupils. The Wellbeing Team, led by a highly qualified School Coach, Counsellor and Psychotherapist, provides coaching and counselling that is focused on nurturing the confidence, wellbeing and personal development of all of our boys.

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CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Wetherby Senior School offers a rich co-curricular programme, the primary purpose of which is to develop confidence, team work and leadership skills – key elements of the boys’ character and an important support to their academic learning.

We offer an extensive range of activities, from yoga, boxercise and basketball to ceramics, orchestra and coding enabling the boys to develop their interests and ideas. There is also an opportunity for boys to gain a greater perspective on important social, political and cultural issues through a range of talks, clubs and societies.

Service based learning opportunities take the form of assisting local schools, charities or local projects allowing the boys to make a positive contribution to society. The boys are also encouraged to take part in other community-based activities including the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.

The boys enjoy expeditions and adventures in England and abroad and all take part in an annual residential trip. Throughout the year each of our departments also run a variety of optional academic and co-curricular excursions for the boys.

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CREATIVITY AND THE ARTS Wetherby provides a rich array of opportunities for students to express themselves, both within and beyond the formal curriculum. Music, Drama, Art and Debating are all vibrant dimensions of school life and the boys are encouraged to develop their individual talents and interests.

The Music department offers tuition in a wide range of instruments as well as running ensembles of all sizes, including orchestra, brass groups, wind ensemble, choir and rock school with performances and recital evenings held throughout the school year.

The Drama department also affords many opportunities for the boys to get involved, whether it be performing on stage or behind-the-scenes. The department produces three large scale productions each year - an Upper School production, Lower School production and Trib drama event. These productions involve collaborating with professional set designers, lighting designers and costumer designers and are staged in our drama studio or external theatres including RADA. Many pupils also take part in LAMDA lessons.

The Art department produces extensive creative work across different media, including sculpture, silk screen and graphic design. Many art exhibitions are hosted throughout the course of the academic year and in the past has included our boys showing their work at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

“The head of music is an inspiration say the boys.”

The Good Schools Guide, 2019

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LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Wetherby Senior School is a close-knit community in which deep friendships are forged.

By the time our boys depart Wetherby, we hope they leave as happy, well-adjusted young men, ready to face the challenges of modern life and make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live.

Our aim is that the Wetherby community will continue to support them along their next steps in further education and throughout their working life.

“One message we received very clearly from parents is that the care taken by all the staff and their sensitive approach to the boys’ welfare is remarkable.”

The Good Schools Guide, 2019

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NEXT STEPS We hope the information in this prospectus has given you a sense of what we believe makes Wetherby Senior School so special.

We are an academically selective school and our usual points of entry are at 11+ and 13+ with occasional places at all ages. Selection is based upon academic merit, which is assessed through an entry examination, references from the candidate’s previous school and interview. Our selection process is designed to identify pupils who are likely to benefit from our balanced and well-rounded education and to make a positive contribution towards the life of the school.

The 11+ assessments will be held in the Autumn of Year 6 through the ISEB Common Pre-Test followed by interview.

The 13+ assessments will be held in the Autumn of Year 6 through the ISEB Common Pre-Test followed by interview.

For 16+ entry, candidates are interviewed and examined in the subjects they wish to study for A Level and offers are conditional on GCSE results.

The key dates for the entry process for the current year are published on our website and all registered parents are informed by letter at the start of the Autumn Term. We will usually offer places to candidates from our waiting list after the closing date for acceptances.

Bursary-assisted scholarships are available. Please contact the School for further details.

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TR ANSPORT LINKS

Hampstead

West Hampstead

Thanks to Wetherby Senior’s location in the heart of London, the school is very accessible using London’s public transport links. Just a ten minute walk from Baker Street, Bond Street and Oxford Circus Tube stations, the Bakerloo, Central, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee and Metropolitan lines provide a fantastic travel network. There are also numerous public bus routes that are convenient for reaching the school.

Belsize Park

Swiss Cottage

Maida Vale

Highbury & Islington

Camden Town

St. John’s Wood Westbourne Park

King’s Cross St. Pancras

Euston

Paddington BAKER STREET

Warren Street Liverpool Street

Tottenham Court Road

Ealing Broadway Holland Park

Notting Hill Gate

BOND STREET

Holborn

Leicester Square

OXFORD CIRCUS Piccadilly Circus

Green Park Waterloo

London Bridge

Knightsbridge Victoria Acton Town

Hammersmith

Richmond

Earl’s Court

South Kensington

Putney Bridge Stockwell

Wimbledon

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Clapham South

100 Marylebone Lane London W1U 2QU 020 7535 3530 admin@wetherbysenior.co.uk

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13103/09/2021

www.wetherbysenior.co.uk