CORE VALUES & ETHOS
CORE VALUES & ETHOS
CORE VALUES & ETHOS
Working within a safe, happy and stimulating environment, which embraces diversity and promotes respect, and tolerance, we encourage students to dream the impossible, believe in their potential, achieve excellence and in the process become thinking, questioning and caring members of society. We provide a structured environment that is tolerant yet disciplined and promotes the joy of learning. We are recognised as a school that assimilates academic rigour and traditional values within a modern progressive framework, adapting quickly to new ways of learning. We strive to know each student’s strengths and weaknesses so that through our small classes and individual attention we may ensure that excellence is achieved.
VALUES & ETHOS
We expect the very best from our students at the academic and personal level. Our delivery of a dynamic curriculum is intended to drive students to think for themselves, to investigate, apply knowledge and acquire skills both individually and as part of a team that will enable them to become active citizens and the leaders of tomorrow. At Westminster, we believe that it is essential to promote the joy of knowledge and learning, whilst simultaneously maintaining the sharpest possible focus on the demands of the examination. By providing a positive, safe and caring environment, we ensure that each student is able to reach his/her full potential..
AT WESTMINSTER, WE:
- Recognize that an atmosphere of trust enables children to question, to take risks, to collaborate, to assume responsibility for independent work and to pursue individual interests.
- Encourage respect and acceptance of self and others
- Promote learning at an individual and team level
- Recognize that each student learns differently
- Develop student leadership skills through creative tasks and responsibilities
- Explore, as much as possible, all the cultures that this world has to offer and at the same time not only investigate our differences but also realize our common oneness.
- Advocate, teach and respect a diverse student body from cultures throughout the world, fostering peace, justice and global understanding.
- Facilitate students in making informed decisions about their lives and when tackling social, moral and ethical issues
- Uphold a healthy lifestyle at school and at home
- Believe that quality education is provided through building bridges of trust, communication and common goals between the home and school.
- Encourage students to become technologically sound in a world where IT is a part of their everyday lives.
- Provide students opportunity to excel as individuals and work as members of a team.
- Give priority to the development of an outstanding teaching staff
OUR APPROACH
- We vigorously strive to achieve excellence in education within the limits of available resources.
- We accept primary responsibility for attending to the intellectual and academic needs of each student.
- We promote the desire for life-long learning in our students.
- We give priority to the development of an outstanding teaching staff, well-balanced program and a safe and efficient learning environment to ensure student success.
- We encourage self-expression within the limit of our school standards of personal conduct.
- All members of the community are expected to respect the rights of others and to acknowledge responsibility for their own actions.
- We strive to develop a global perspective and promote international understanding.
ACADEMIC RIGOUR
Our educational ethos is based on inquiry learning where teachers thoughtfully prepare open ended or discovery type activities based on given topics. Students are immersed about the world around them, stimulating their natural curiosity and relishing the chance to learn and apply both knowledge and skills.
Students are assessed internally and externally.
We conduct regular audits of examination board requirements to ensure that students and tutors are following the current examination specifications and options. We place great emphasis on the successful time-management of our courses; it is essential that the teacher covers everything in the specification.
We use exam-based teaching methods featuring written homework and timed tests. By testing students regularly, we ensure full understanding of their subjects and build confidence for the final examinations. Our teaching integrates content with study skills, revision testing, note-taking, critical thinking, speed reading, memory skills and time management.
INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION
The small class sizes and intensive tuition mean that all students are given personal attention. Where additional tuition is necessary, it is available on a one-to-one basis.
PASTORAL SUPPORT
Students’ progress and attendance can be monitored by parents/guardians on the school management system. Parents are able to access the latest reports, marks and attendance records for their son or daughter through the Parent-Portal.
GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS
Scholarships are available for students able to demonstrate special ability.
CORE EDUCATIONAL VALUES
At Westminster, commitment to the core educational values of world citizenship, universal values, leadership qualities and forward thinking is aimed at helping realize student’s full, all-round potential.
- World Citizenship
Students at Westminster learn about the world and the people in it from an early age, developing an awareness of different cultures and countries. By exploring the world they become socially, culturally, economically and environmentally aware and learn about their responsibilities as world citizens. They learn to adopt a global perspective and understand how they can make a difference in the global community.
- Universal Values
Our programme helps students develop the values, principles and ethics that are respected, admired and accepted in all cultures around the world. Students are taught healthy social attitudes and a spirit of humanity, providing them with the ethical foundation and solid social skills to guide them through life. A variety of activities and experiences based on the understanding of universal values teach students to make positive contributions to others, their schools and the community.
- Leadership Qualities
From an early age, our education programmes encourage students to explore and question,
to seek solutions, make informed decisions and solve problems. They learn to demonstrate tenacity and to express themselves confidently. Through the development of these skills and others, the programme aims at developing each student’s own individual potential for leadership – either as a motivator of others or of themselves, discovering and excelling in their own specialist area.
- Forward Thinking
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is underscored in our educational programmes. ICT is taught not only as a stand-alone subject, but it integrated throughout the curriculum both as a teaching and learning tool. Emphasized as an essential skill, students learn to become proficient in the use of Information and Technology and its application right from the time they start school.