She attended Queen Anne's School in Caversham, Berkshire, from 1894 to 1900 having received a scholarship, before studying medieval and modern languages at Newnham College, Cambridge, from 1900 to 1903.

[1] In Sydney she taught private students (Helen Simpson was among her pupils) and studied painting with Julian Ashton.

[1] West spent two years from 1910 in England teaching at Harrogate Ladies' College, returning with a belief in a rural educational setting.

She established friendships with educationists, artists and musicians including John Moore, Sybil Thorndike, Ernest Llewellyn and Keith Hancock.

[1] In 1953 West was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her work in child welfare and with ex-servicemen,[3] and received her honour from Queen Elizabeth II during the 1954 royal visit.