Dear Mr Ward
Mr Ward has been writing to our former Year 8 pupils from the past two years, checking in and asking how they were getting on. The replies have started to come back, and we’ve absolutely loved reading them – we thought you would too!
Dear Mr. Ward,
Thank you so much for your letter. I’m having an amazing time here at Shrewsbury and have settled in really well. Boarding has been a brilliant experience and I’ve been lucky enough to find an incredibly supportive group of friends.
Since joining, I’ve taken up Cross Country running (called “The Hunt” here) as I finished in the top 5% of new girls in the start-of-year race. In my second week, I was selected to be part of a pupil panel, alongside two other Third Formers, speaking on a stage to prospective pupils joining the school the following year, and I received a Floreat Award for participating. I have also recently been selected for the House Debating team, something which I started in Year 7 at West Hill Park.
I don’t think any of my success to date would have been possible without West Hill Park, and I often wish I could go back for a day! West Hill Park supported and prepared me for senior school in so many ways, and I genuinely believe I would not be here, full-boarding with a range of interests, without the kindness, encouragement, and care I received from everyone there. West Hill Park surrounded me with a nurturing and inspiring environment, and weekly boarding in January 2025 prepared me perfectly for senior school, giving me resilience, confidence, and independence.
In my final year, West Hill Park stopped feeling like just a school and became a home. I loved every moment I spent there and nearly refused to leave!
West Hill Park has shaped me into the person I am today, and for that I will always be deeply grateful.
Kind regards,
M
Dear Mr Ward,
I hope yourself and the teaching staff at West Hill Park are really well. I would just like to say, how staying at West Hill for Year 7 and Year 8 was an amazing experience and one I would recommend for anyone.
Year 7 was great as I was introduced to senior school life and had the opportunity to build my confidence. I was able to take part in exciting aspects of the school and take the opportunity to represent West Hill Park in a Debating Competition. Participating in this competition enhanced my public speaking skills, among many others.
Year 8 was fantastic as I received a huge amount of support and preparation leading up to my entrance exams for King Edward VI School. This included a numerous amount of incredibly helpful practice exam papers, as well as that Mr Ward went through some brilliant practice interviews with me.
Without all of this amazing help from West Hill Park I would not have been awarded an Academic Scholarship from King Edward VI. I am thoroughly enjoying my time here at Kes but however great it is Maddy’s lunches will never be topped!
Hope to see you all soon!
Best Wishes, G
Dear Mr Ward,
Thank you very much for your letter. It was really nice to hear from West Hill again.
I settled into PGS, the transition felt much easier because of the preparation and support I received while I was at West Hill. Starting at a new school can be challenging, but I felt confident and ready.
West Hill helped me in many ways. The support from teachers and the learning environment at West Hill helped me get ahead academically at PGS, and I felt well prepared for the level of work and expectations. Things are going well, and I am enjoying my subjects and settling into school life.
One thing West Hill really helped me with was Geography and Maths. The support and teaching I got in these subjects meant I felt confident and a bit ahead when I started at PGS. It made settling in much easier because I already understood some of the work, and it gave me a good base to build on. I’m really grateful for the help I had at West Hill.
Something that could help pupils even more is giving them a bit more insight into what secondary school lessons are like. Spending a bit more time on the style of work and expectations, especially in core subjects.
Sincerely, W
