Westholme's Infant and Junior departments are on two sites. While retaining a traditional atmosphere, both buildings have been extensively modernised to provide generous teaching and resource spaces along with specialised accommodation for the nursery, information technology and libraries.
Forty children are admitted into two classes in the new purpose-built Nursery department in the September following their third birthday. Thereafter there are two forms of 26 in each year group with more children being admitted into the Kindergarten in the September following their third birthday. At the age of seven, boys proceed to an independent or maintained school of their choice. The girls progress through the Junior Department and at eleven move to the Senior School, details of which are given in a separate entry.
From the beginning, children are encouraged to develop their talents. A well-structured programme of learning is based on an enhanced National Curriculum with all children participating in the National Tests (SATS) at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. At all stages positive attitudes to learning are promoted. There is firm foundation building in English, Mathematics and Science but the emphasis is placed upon the developing of imaginative and enquiring minds. The generous staffing ratio ensures that children are given the fullest possible attention and specialist help to achieve their potential.
Music and sport are at the centre of the busy extra curricular programme. The Junior School has its own choir and orchestra and its recently completed hall is an excellent venue for performances. Additional practice rooms are provided for individual instrumental lessons.
The use of Senior School facilities such as the sports field and swimming pool by both Infant and Junior departments allows for an extensive programme in sport. Teams in netball, rounders, cross-country, athletics and swimming have achieved considerable success. There is specialist teaching here and in computing where the children are taught word processing, design and control technology.
The Infant department at Billinge House and Junior department at Beardwood Bank are small, self-contained units. The friendly, caring atmosphere, in which all pupils are known personally by all staff, gives children the security and happiness in which the highest academic standards can be achieved.
