How often do you offer Mass, Benediction, etc, and where? Do pupils attend Confession?
Mass for the whole school takes place on Wednesday morning in the School Chapel. Boarders’ Mass takes place once a week at St Aldhelms in Sherborne (we have moved this because we want to create a sense of comm-unity with the parish). We offer Confession for pupils with our local parish priest.
Do you offer any interesting or unusual subjects?
We offer a wide range of different subjects beyond the traditional curriculum. Pupils take Home Economics up to Year 9 and then as an option at GCSE. Sixth Formers can study for their Leiths Certificate. Pupils can also study Ancient Greek, Italian, German, Polish and Russian. All Sixth Formers take a general RS course in Catholic Values and Ethics.
What sort of pastoral care do you offer?
Leweston is known for its pastoral care which is focused on individual approach with layers of engagement with tutors and heads of year, a deputy head pastoral, counsellors, coaches and Sixth Form mentors as well as the care expected from boarding and our Well-Being Centre. From September we have introduced a new role of Pastoral Lead, a non-teaching position. In addition to this our Chaplain is pastoral leader in her own right.
How many pupils are at the school and what percentage is Catholic?
Leweston is a through school from 3 months to 18 years. The nursery has 90 children, prep school 171 and the senior school 363. Approximately 25 per cent of the pupils are Catholic but all pupils participate in religious life. Many parents choose Leweston because of our strong sense of values and community even though they are not Catholic.
Are you selective or non-selective? What kind of pupil thrives at Leweston?
At Leweston we celebrate individual achievement which means that while we have to be selective due to the limit- ed number of places available, this selectivity is not wholly based on academic performance. The type of pupil that thrives here is one that is willing to take advantage of the many opportunities on offer, they think on their feet, take chances and put others before themselves. We are very conscious of having a broad socio-economic community within the school and our fee model is designed to embrace as wide a group as possible whilst offering excellent value. In the recent Telegraph Money League table, we were the only school in Dorset to achieve a “good” rating for pupil performance versus fees.
How do you prepare students for life after school?
We employ a dedicated Careers Adviser who works with children as young as Year 5 on interests and skills development. She works with older pupils supporting applications to universities, degree apprenticeships and jobs. Our Oxbridge and medical school applicants have a specific programme they can access which provides interview practice, individualised action plans and one-to-one advice on personal statements. We also provide pupils with skills to help them navigate everything from car maintenance to cooking, using a credit card to working in a team. Most importantly we instil in our pupils an appreciation of responsibility they will hold to others, by embedding Catholic social teaching through our schemes of work.
What are the school’s strengths – particular subject areas and extracurricular?
Leweston has occupied a top 10 position for value-added for many years and is known for helping its pupils to achieve their best whether that be academic-ally or outside of the classroom. The school has a strong reputation for science and the creative arts. Its sporting achievements are impressive. Leweston is one of only nine Pentathlon GB training hubs in the country with pupils who compete for Team GB including some current World Champions. The school’s equestrian team has won the NSEA Regional Points League for six years running gaining the most points of any competing school in the country for the past two.
Do pupils get involved in any charitable ventures/ community service or participate in any pilgrimages?
The four houses organise and run their own charitable activities throughout the year and the Sixth Form lead a dedicated student-led charities week. We also work with a school in Nepal where we have contributed towards new buildings, educational equipment and scholarships for local children. The Sixth Form Leweston Enrichment and Development programme is designed to develop Sixth Formers as the senior student leaders of our community. This can involve membership of a committee, house or council, supporting a younger tutor group, being a prefect, subject ambassador, peer mentor or guardian as well as visiting members of the Sherborne Parish, and taking their individual talents into local old people’s homes or children’s groups. Pre-Covid, pupils used to travel to Rome and/or Lourdes, something we are hoping to restart next year.
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