College West

Among the iconic gargoyles and gothic arches of the College building lies the warm and welcoming College West Boarding House.

Happy and homely

College West houses girls from the Third Form to Lower Sixth and all girls remain firm ‘Westies’ when they move to Craigleith. Westies form strong friendships within their year group and throughout the house. They are well known for being friendly and fun as well as driven and competitive. The atmosphere in House is a happy and homely one and no visitor can fail to notice our strong sense of house spirit.

'West is Best'

The House motto is ‘West is Best!’ and each girl strives to give her best in everything she does, be it academic, sporting or creative. Visiting College West at the end of a busy day you are likely to see a House Prefect helping a younger girl with her work, the House hockey team heading out for a friendly game or a group of friends snuggling down to watch a movie in the Common Room.

An extended family

Playing the role of ‘Mum’ to all the Boarders, I am responsible for College West and live in the House with my husband, Ali, and two children, Jamie and Rosie. I aim to extend the family ethos of the College into the Boarding House and am responsible for the girls’ academic and pastoral welfare.

Encouraging achievements

As a former Head of Girls’ Games at the College, I also take an active role in encouraging the girls in their impressive achievements on and off the sports pitches.

Good communication

Good communication and trust between a Housemistress and her girls is a fundamental part of any good Boarding House and anyone walking up the stairs to College West might see a gaggle of girls gathered in my office, eager to share news of the days’ events, playing with my children or looking forward to one of my hot chocolate evenings and a time to relax.