Founded in 1947 Westbrook House is a small friendly boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 3-13 close to the centre of Folkestone, the M20 motorway, the Channel Tunnel, the ports of Dover and Folkestone, and Ashford International Railway Station. Our first-class facilities include a safe enclosed playing field, a theatre/school hall, a new modern Information Technology Room and Art Centre.
At Westbrook House we have considerable experience and expertise in looking after children whose homes and families are overseas. Because of our experience we know that keeping in close touch with parents is vital in ensuring that the children quickly settle-in at the start of each term.
As part of this approach we offer the following:
* A high resident staff/pupil ratio of 1:4. All teaching staff are involved in looking after the boarders.
* Girls and boys are organised in Separate Houses in one Family Unit.
* A Settling-in Report about each Boarder is sent to Parents shortly after the start of each term.
* There are conveniently timetabled Parents' Meetings specifically for Boarders' Parents/Guardians.
* Flexibility: Parents or Guardians who are unexpectedly in Folkestone are welcome to see/take out their children and/or discuss progress with staff. Also, Day Children are encouraged to take out Boarders.
* Regular telephone contact: all Parents have the telephone numbers of the Boarding Houses (and the home telephone number of the Headmaster) so that they can speak to their children or the Resident Staff.
* Travel arrangements: we make all arrangements to escort children to/from any of London's Airports; an accompanied train party goes to and from London Charing Cross at the beginning and end of terms, as well as at half-term, and in 1997 we expect to start a similar service from Brussels. The School Secretary personally overseas all these arrangements.
For pupils our recently refurbished boarding accommodation provides:
* Small, comfortable dormitories with individual lockers and bedside lights.
* Modern washrooms offering pupils a choice of baths or showers.
