Our IB graduates compete on a world stage.
Our IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) students consistently achieve above world average results. In 2024 our average IBDP score was 33 points (global average = 30)
40 fact tour around Westminster Academy
International perspective, national achievements, community spirit
Arrow
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WA students achieve academic outcomes that prepare them for post-16 study.
The number of Year 11 students achieving grades 9-4 in English & Maths is consistently above the national average.
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Westminster Academy students are passionate about making a difference.
In 2023-2024 WA students raised over £9000 for the charities chosen by students.
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Westminster Academy keeps parents informed of their child's progress.
Westminster Academy holds Parents' Evenings and provides regular academic and pastoral reports. All parents and carers have a login to Arbor to view attendance and reports.
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Westminster Academy has smaller class sizes.
Our class sizes enable increased support and personalised learning for students at all levels.
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Westminster Academy shares good practice with educational establishments all over the world.
The Academy was the first UK state school to become a member of the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS) and regularly hosts or collaborates with local and international education professionals.
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Westminster Academy retains strong links and offers opportunities to ex-students.
WA has a growing alumni network with Future First and has offered former students job opportunities and internships, providing former students with valuable experience and providing younger students with successful role models.
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Westminster Academy celebrates diversity.
We hold a Pride in Inclusion Silver Award and work with Educate and Celebrate to become an LGBTQ+ inclusive school, to understand one anotherâs identities and celebrate our differences.
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Westminster Academy values Careers Information and Guidance, providing personalised services to support students in planning their futures.
Specialist staff offer bespoke higher educational and work-related advice and guidance throughout students' time at the Academy.
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Westminster Academy has a thriving army Combined Cadets Force
Our popular CCF is an opportunity for students to be trained in military drill and presentation, field craft and soldiering. It gives students a sense of pride, duty, camaraderie, determination and discipline.
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Westminster Academy students care about the community.
WA students are involved in the Westbourne Forum, Rotary Interact Club and various other community initiatives, as well as regularly fundraising for local, national and international charities.
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Westminster Academy has international business partners.
Westminster Academy works with an array of business partners including Bain, Sidley Austin and British Land, whose workshops and one to one mentoring programmes with students provide valuable career-related education.
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Westminster Academy's community links offer opportunities for collaboration.
Westminster Academy's partnerships enable students to work alongside other young people in the community and develop skills together. These include participating in the SHINE programme and Young Power with the American School in London.
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Westminster Academy students make memories on residential visits.
The Year 7 residential is an opportunity for the new cohort to develop friendships and work collaboratively to improve skills in communication, teamwork, resilience and risk-taking. Students challenge themselves on Outward Bound visits in the Lake District and Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions. Our partnership with the British Exploring Society has provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities in the Amazon and the Yukon.
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Westminster Academy is an International School.
WA is proud of its international community and was the first UK state school to join the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (www.ecis.org)
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Westminster Academy collaborates with the University of Oxford.
As a London Centre for Languages and Cultures and OxNet hub school, Westminster Academy's with Pembroke College gives students the opportunity to participate in access weeks, taster days and academic opportunities with the University of Oxford.
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WA students have an understanding of their rights, responsibilities and political freedoms.
Our Global Citizenship curriculum also gives students the opportunity to study issues that affect communities around the world such as Black Lives Matter and climate change. Our students led the development of our Anti-Racism Policy
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Westminster Academy students receive world-class science opportunities.
Thanks to our sponsor family, WA students experience exciting practical sessions at Imperial College's Reach Out Lab and attend lectures by some of the most distinguished figures in science at the Royal Society of Medicine.
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Westminster Academy has an award-winning building and world class sports facilities.
Our learning environment provides aspirational learning spaces for all our students both in and out of lessons. Despite our central London location, we have three 5-a-side football pitches, basketball courts, a beach volleyball court and a large sports centre.
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Sixth Formers achieve academic outcomes that give them choices.
100% of our Sixth Form graduates gain university offers, but some opt to take gap years, begin apprenticeships, or go directly into careers
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Westminster Academy listens to the views of students and parents.
Student voice is heard at WA (see the website page). Regular parent evenings and informal coffee mornings ensure that parents and carers have opportunities to provide insight into their experience and contribute to the development of the Academy.
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Westminster Academy students benefit from their own Chromebooks.
As part of the Academy's commitment to sustainability and to ensuring students are equipped with the tools needed to succeed in the future, each student is given a Chromebook for use at home and in school. Chromebooks and the Google Education suite encourage independent learning as well as collaboration over pieces of work, and enable a seamless transition to remote learning.
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Westminster Academy provides opportunities for students to work collaboratively and independently during and after lessons and experience learning outside of the classroom.
Hundreds of educational visits and internal events and activities take place every year to encourage learning beyond the classroom.
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Westminster Academy Sixth Form graduates progress to top universities.
Westminster Academy students have been accepted into Russell Group Universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, UCL, LSE, Durham University, Queen Mary University, the University of Manchester and King's College London.
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Westminster Academy values enrichment.
Westminster Academy students can participate in challenging and stimulating activities every day such as art, chess, choir, Young Enterprise, STEM, educational visits, university visits and a wide variety of sports.
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Westminster Academy has experienced, skilful and dedicated staff.
Our highly qualified staff body works hard to ensure every student enjoys their experience at WA and achieves their potential. Staff are passionate about their own professional growth and collaborate through professional learning communities across department.
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Westminster Academy students are leaders
There are many opportunities for student leadership and taking on extra responsibility at Westminster Academy, such as through the RAF Combined Cadet Force, the Academy Council, Duke of Edinburgh and becoming a Student Ambassador.
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WA students listen and learn from the experiences of others.
In 2020-2021 WA was a UCL Beacon School in Holocaust Education. Students also benefit from events with organisations such as Solutions Not Sides and the Imperial War Museum to ensure they champion diversity and promote a balanced, open-minded approach.
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WA students are inspired by higher level research and thought at university style lectures.
Our weekly 'Dare to Know' lectures invite students to hear and discuss exciting topics delivered by academics from leading universities and institutions.
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Westminster Academy is serious about sport and healthy eating.
Westminster Academy was the first secondary school in Westminster to be awarded a Healthy Schools Gold award and in 2023 it was awarded the Bronze School Games Award.
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Westminster Academy is inclusive.
We offer a broad, balanced curriculum for all students, which is differentiated to meet the needs of individuals. Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) receive additional in-class support and have equality of opportunity within the full range of the Academyâs curricular and extra-curricular provision.
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Westminster Academy encourages students to discuss mental health.
We are supported by our partnership with Hammersmith and Fulham Mind. We have three school counsellors and our Student Mental Health Ambassadors help us to promote positive mental health.
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Westminster Academy students benefit from personal tutoring.
Westminster Academy students have regular 1:1 meetings with their personal tutor to review their progress and overall welfare.
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Westminster Academy delivers a curriculum rich in breadth, depth and challenge.
Students work to develop their thinking, social, communication, self-management and research skills through teaching and learning activities which focus on conceptual development, relevance, collaboration, differentiation and student-driven inquiry.
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Westminster Academy provides opportunities for parents and carers.
We seek and promote community opportunities - such as ESOL classes - for parents and carers, working alongside organisations such as Paddington Development Trust, Westbourne Community Champions and Grand Junction. The Principal invites parents and carers to connect at regular coffee mornings or events.
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Sixth Form IBCP students have the opportunity to join Career Ready,
This provides them with a 1:1 mentor, insight and skills events, plus a two-week paid internship during the summer break.
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Westminster Academy offers the International Baccalaureate.
Westminster Academy is the only non fee-paying school in London to offer both the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma and International Baccalaureate Career-related Programmes. These courses help students to ask challenging questions, think critically, learn across disciplines and develop research skills; all of which helps them to succeed in higher education and the workplace as life-long learners.
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Westminster Academy is a trauma-informed school
The Academy holds a Silver 'Think Trauma' Award in recognition of our work to implement a trauma-informed approach to improve student wellbeing and teacher-student relationships.Â
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Westminster Academy students celebrate a rich cultural identity.
With over 60 languages spoken among students, WA students benefit from being exposed to a wide range of backgrounds, and celebrate them at international and inter-faith events.
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In 2021 WA was awarded the Music Mark.
The Music Mark is a national accreditation by the UK Association for Music, which reflects our commitment to a broad curriculum and the value that we place on Music.