Age Groups

   CLASS 6:       11-12 Years

   CLASS 7:        12-13 Years

   CLASS 8:        13-14 Years

Curriculum

Our curriculum at Westminster encompasses a rigorous academic foundation, ensuring that students are well-prepared and equipped for success in a diverse range of subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, IT, PE, Music, Drama, Technology, and Art and Design. Beyond the traditional subjects, students are engaged in a variety of enrichment activities that broaden their knowledge and deepen their experiences.

Aligned with our core values, our curriculum is designed to achieve three overarching aims:

• Fostering successful learners who not only enjoy the process of learning but also consistently make progress and achieve their academic goals.
• Cultivating confident individuals who possess the skills and knowledge to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives, equipped with the confidence to navigate life’s challenges.
• Nurturing responsible citizens who actively contribute to society in positive ways, demonstrating empathy, integrity and a commitment to making a difference.

Through a holistic approach to education, we strive to empower students to excel academically, thrive personally and make meaningful contributions to their communities.

The Core Areas Of Study Are:

Communication and Languages

In the vibrant middle years at Westminster, communication and languages take center stage, laying the foundation for students’ academic and personal growth. Throughout this transformative period, students explore the complexities of language, from dissecting literature to analyzing media texts. They develop a deep understanding of language mechanics, enabling them to articulate ideas effectively in various contexts. Westminster’s dynamic approach equips students with the skills to navigate a rapidly changing world, fostering adaptability and preparing them for success in both academic and real-world settings.”
Communication and language skills are pivotal in fostering students’ capacity for imagination, critical thinking, and creativity, serving as essential tools for their development as successful learners. These skills form the backbone of children’s academic achievements across various subjects and prepare them for active engagement in cultural, societal, and professional realms, as well as in lifelong learning endeavors. In the middle years, students are encouraged to cultivate a passion for reading and analyzing diverse literary and media texts, equipping them with the ability to discern patterns, structures, and origins of language. Armed with this understanding, students can effectively tailor their communication to suit different contexts and situations, empowering them to thrive academically and beyond.

Mathematical Development

Mathematics introduces children to concepts, skills and thinking strategies that are essential in everyday life and support learning across the curriculum. Mathematics equips pupils with a uniquely powerful set of tools to understand and change the world. These tools include logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and the ability to think in abstract ways. Mathematics is important in everyday life, many forms of employment, science and technology, medicine, the economy, the environment and development, and in public decision making. Mathematics is a creative discipline. It can stimulate moments of pleasure and wonder when a pupil solves a problem for the first time, discovers a more elegant solution to that problem, or suddenly sees hidden connections.

Historical, Geographical & Social Understanding

Historical, geographical and social understanding fires children’s curiosity and imagination about who we are, where we have come from, where we live and where we might be going next. It connects the past with the present and the future, helps children make sense of our place in the world and is central to their development as informed, active and responsible citizens. This area of learning encourages children to investigate the world around them, from the local to the global. It provokes and answers questions about the natural and human worlds, using different scales of enquiry to view them from different perspectives. It develops knowledge of places and environments throughout the world, an understanding of maps, and a range of investigative and problem-solving skills both inside and outside the classroom.

History fires pupils’ curiosity about the past world. They consider how the past influences the present, what past societies were like, how these societies organised their politics, and what beliefs and cultures influenced people’s actions. As they do this, pupils develop a chronological framework for their knowledge of significant events and people.

Expressive Arts

The arts are a source of inspiration, enjoyment and fulfilment. They provide contexts in which children learn to express their thoughts and emotions, use their imaginations, experiment and develop creativity.

This area of learning makes a key contribution to children’s personal, social and emotional development and to their growth as confident individuals. It enables them to participate in and respond to the creative and cultural life of their communities. Working as artists and designers they are encouraged to develop their own voice and to actively collaborate in order to communicate with different audiences through a variety of media and contexts. Participating in a range of art forms – including art and design, drama, music and movement – helps children become responsive, critical and appreciative.

It enables pupils to:

• Experience the inspiration and power of the arts.
• Recognise and nurture their creative and aesthetic talents.
• Deepen the understanding of culture.

Physical Development

This area deals with the physical competence and confidence, and students’ ability to use these to perform in a range of activities. It promotes physical skilfulness, development and a knowledge of the body in action. Physical education provides opportunities for pupils to be creative, competitive and to face up to different challenges as individuals and in groups and teams. To enjoy healthy, active and fulfilling lives, children must learn to respond positively to challenges, be enterprising and handle risk and to develop self-confidence and physical capabilities. This area of learning lays the foundations for long-term well-being and contributes to children’s mental, social, emotional, economic and physical development. It is central to their development as confident individuals.

Scientific & Technological Understanding

Children today live in an era marked by rapid advancements in science and technology. This area of learning is crucial for exploring, understanding and influencing both the natural and constructed environments in which we reside. It offers a wealth of experiences and ideas that foster children’s natural curiosity and creativity, inspiring awe and wonder.
Science and technology are deeply interconnected; scientific knowledge supports the development of new technologies, and technological advances lead to new scientific discoveries. These advancements shape how we live safe and healthy lives in our rapidly changing society. The scientific method, which involves developing and evaluating explanations through experimental evidence and modelling, stimulates both critical and creative thinking.
The growing use of technology in all aspects of society makes the confident, creative and productive use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) an essential life skill. ICT capability includes not only the mastery of technical skills and techniques but also the understanding of how to apply these skills purposefully, safely and responsibly in learning, everyday life and employment. Proficiency in ICT is fundamental to active participation and engagement in modern society.

Citizenship And Religious Education

Education for citizenship equips young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding to play an effective role in public life. Citizenship encourages them to take an interest in topical and controversial issues and to engage in discussion and debate. Pupils learn about their rights, responsibilities, duties and freedoms and about laws, justice and democracy.

Religious education deals with the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, belief in God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong and what it means to be human. It offers opportunities for personal reflection and spiritual development and enhances awareness and understanding of religion and beliefs, teachings, practices and forms of expression.

Assessment

We aim to develop children by providing a broad and rich curriculum, so that they are stretched and challenged as far as possible in the context of a happy learning environment. We strive to be highly effective in this regard and we aim to ensure that our children are consistently exceeding standards and expectations for children their age.

Tests and assessments will vary according to the age of the pupils. They will develop from mostly observational assessment to a wider range that includes formal examination as pupils progress up through the school.

Our goal is to inspire each child to think and to learn, and to give life to learning. Assessment and evaluation at Westminster reflects a partnership between families and school in which parents and teachers work hand in hand with children to help them make continuous progress towards their fullest potential academically, socially, culturally, emotionally and physically.

To regularly monitor progress, students are assessed frequently through an effective system of monthly, mid-year and end of school year tests and examinations.