There is a healthy and enthusiastic air of competition between the Houses which organise assemblies, raise money for charity and arrange performing arts festivals as well as competing in a wide range of sporting activities.

Upper Four visit to Fellside

Upper Four spend a week in Cumbria in the Autumn Term, staying in an Outdoor Pursuits Centre near Caldbeck. The week has a cross-curricular theme which includes English and Drama as well as personal development through outdoor and adventurous activities and teamwork. It also helps the Upper Four Form Tutors to get to know the girls very well! New entrants to Westfield at this age quickly settle in and make new friends.

This year we asked each individual girl to set themselves realistic targets in every activity they undertook. This could be in working with their group to complete the washing up, overcoming fears of heights when abseiling (or even walking to the edge of the cliff and looking over!), improving their climbing skills, listening carefully to instructions and getting to activities on time.

On Tuesday and Wednesday we undertook studies of Wordsworth's poems including a group reading of 'Lucy Gray' and small group work on a dramatic presentation of the final verses. On Wednesday we visited Dove Cottage to participate in workshops and be shown around the cottage and the museum. This was followed by a guided walk along the Coffin Trail to Rydal Mount where we were given a quiz to help us find out about the house and gardens. On our return to Fellside we wrote poems individually or in small groups, basing our ideas on those things which had inspired Wordsworth such as the beautiful Lake District scenery.

The outdoor activities were led by qualified instructors from Cumbria Outdoors. They included Canoe Rafting, Abseiling, Indoor and Outdoor Climbing, Archery, Problem Solving, Ghyll Scrambling and Orienteering. These were greatly enjoyed by staff as well as girls!

On the last evening we had a barbecue followed by Jessye's birthday cake and then entertainment provided by the girls themselves, which was great fun. Although exhausted, we were sad to leave on Friday lunchtime as we had had a wonderful week.

Societies
Everyone is expected to play a full and active part in a busy programme of extracurricular activities ranging from trampolining and fencing to Amnesty International, Passport for Life and environmental groups.