Our Vision for world-class education in the early years
Westminster offers high-quality education, with all its community schools ranking either Good or Outstanding on their Ofsted evaluations.
However, schools all over the UK are facing significant challenges, including post-pandemic attendance issues, the cost-of-living challenges, changing demographics, an overall decrease in birth rates, and the steep increase in demand for special educational needs.
To address such challenges, 14 community schools in Westminster, which include eight primary schools, four nurseries – two of them connected to Family Hubs, and two special schools serving nearly 3,000 children and their families, forged a new partnership through which they commit to share knowledge and expertise, problem-solve together, and work towards a common vision for world-class education.
The Westminster Community Schools Partnership gathers the expertise of leading educational and health professionals in Westminster to develop innovative solutions that will allow the borough to continue offering the best and most inclusive education to children despite current or future challenges in the sector.
Read the vision set by the Westminster Community Schools:
A holistic approach in education with wrap-around support for families
The vision articulates how schools are working to deliver high-quality education to children and invites council departments and businesses to join efforts, as community schools are true hubs for children and family services.
A group of headteachers have described their challenge statement during their workshops:
We must engage in ambitious change to achieve our vision for a world-class education for our children. This must be done in collaboration with families, teachers, students, and the community to generate the energy and excitement to move collectively to a shared vision. We must act radically to tackle the challenges we face with new and innovative approaches, partnerships – including with businesses - and resources so that our schools are places that attract and retain talented teachers and staff, energize parents and community, and meet each child’s unique needs to help them each achieve their fullest potential.
Watch the video from the Partnership launch event held on Monday 29 April 2024.
Video here
With the help of pro bono consultants from Bloomberg Associates, schools found the core values that bring them together and decided to advance seven priority pillars outlined in detail in the vision document:
- Motivational and inclusive school culture
- Prepared for a global future
- Innovative brand with reputational excellence
- Inclusive curriculum
- Contextualized to Westminster
- Highly skilled, trained, motivated and rewarded workforce
- Holistic development
An outcomes-focused partnership
Schools have divided themselves into three workgroups to start advancing such priorities. A Steering Committee formed of the headteachers of all 14 schools will meet frequently to check on their progress and report it back to their governing boards.
At the end of each year, the partnership will issue an impact report to assess the results of working together. In 2024, the initial focus of the workgroups will be:
- staff recruitment and retention
- professional development and peer review
- sustainable finances in the context of falling rolls
In addition to the focus of the workgroups, leaders from different schools has started to share and support each other based on their individual strengths and needs, with a focus on SEND, inclusive curriculum and integration with Family Hubs services.
Our other policies
The Westminster Community Schools Partnership is fully endorsed by the council and aligned with its existing plans and policies to advance children in their early years, including: