We encourage healthy lifestyles at Westfield House, through a variety of activities. Firstly, through healthy eating; we grow much of what we eat on site. There is a vegetable garden on site and the children have the opportunity to plant, grow and eat their own vegetables. The cook prepares a diverse range of two course meals on a daily basis, with influences from around the world. All of the meals offered are high in nutritional value and low in salts, saturated fats and exceedingly sugary products. We welcome suggestions and the weekly menus are available on notice boards around the school.
In class time, teachers will talk with their children about hygiene, self care and other such matters e.g. brushing your teeth, washing and eating a healthy breakfast. There are board games, card games and role play equipment that pertain to these subjects too.
Another way in which we promote healthy living is by taking advantage of the marvelous grounds available to us. Come rain, shine or snow, we play outside whenever possible. There are an array of bikes, balls, climbing frames and such apparatus available to the children, to maximise their enjoyment whilst challenging them physically and mentally. As always the emphasis is on fun and happiness, with development in the key areas of learning and growth a by-product of these activities. As well as these toys and equipment, there is also a sensory garden, to stimulate touch, site and smell and many natural features of the landscape to wander and wonder within, such as hills, bushes and trees.
A fully qualified and experienced music teacher comes in four days a week. In these music sessions, whilst there is no pressure to participate, every individual is allowed the time and space to sing with gusto, bang, shake or tap their instrument excitedly, to get up and dance and move with either control or abandon and to balance, discover new ways of moving and devlop their coordination.
The oldest group of children, The Robins, have a dance class on a Tuesday morning. This is provided by Miss Webb, co-principal at the Jill Stew School of Dance, who are based in Witney. Miss Webb, who has been dancing for nearly thirty years, has experience in all major genres of dance and has established herself as a key figure locally in professional dance, dance training and musical theatre. There is no pressure to participate, but the children do look forward to her visits. The emphasis is again on fun and about revelling in movement, discovering different ways in which their bodies can move and developing balance.