WELCOME TO OUR SCHOOL!!!

West Buckland School is an independent day and boarding school for girls and boys aged 3 to 18. There are currently about 480 pupils aged 11-18, over 190 aged 5-11 and a Nursery with more than 20 boys and girls. Over 100 pupils are boarders.

Over the years the school has developed a strong sense of community and there is much emphasis on everyone participating in the life of the school. A sound general education is provided and examination results are excellent.

Children entering the Nursery are in a safe, secure and homely atmosphere. Not only a classroom, it has a book corner, a music corner, a home corner and an area set aside for sand, water and painting. There is access to a large garden with a play house, sandpit and outdoor play equipment. Also, the Nursery utilises its unique location by using the Preparatory School library, music room and Senior School swimming pool.

To ensure your child receives a well-balanced education aimed at their own level, the Nursery follows the early learning goals, which are goals to aid and promote all areas of learning. They emphasise the importance of literacy, numeracy and the development of personal and social skills. Your child’s progress will be observed and assessed regularly, enabling staff to develop, enrich and extend his/her learning needs.

West Buckland has a thriving co-educational Preparatory School with its own separate identity and its own special character. It is independent of the Senior School with its own teaching staff and Headmaster. However, it does enjoy a close relationship with its senior partner and the pupils are able to use the excellent facilities available on its 92 acre country estate. We have an indoor, heated 25 metre swimming pool, numerous football, rugby and hockey pitches, several spacious hardcourt areas for tennis and netball, a fully equipped gymnasium and a beautiful outlook onto Exmoor. There are also boarding places available for boys and girls in homely, bright and modern houses.

STAGES:

• Nursery (3-4 year olds)
• 'The Early Years' (4-7 year olds)
• Key Stage Two (7-11 year olds)

In order to ensure that academic, sporting and other talents are nurtured, and in order that those benefits are extended to as wide an audience as possible the school has set up the West Buckland School Foundation.

The purpose of the Foundation is two-fold. To raise money for bursaries. This will enable more talented or disadvantaged young people to benefit from a West Buckland education that their parents could not otherwise afford.

Additionally, the West Buckland School Foundation raises funds to help finance the school’s capital development plans and so enhance academic, cultural and sporting facilities. This enables the Governors to continue to improve upon the rounded education that has always been a hallmark of West Buckland School. As we do so, we also wish to share the school’s facilities and successes with the local community of North Devon.

Boarding is popular with boys and girls of all ages. Up to the age of sixteen boarders live in two modern purpose-built houses, Boyer and Bamfylde. The houses are attractive as well as homely and students are cared for by houseparents. For pupils throughout the school a period of boarding can be a valuable experience as they learn to live in a larger community.