Covid-19: Community Update

Westminster School has today informed staff, pupils and parents that it will cease usual operation with immediate effect and for the remainder of term, moving instead to a largely online method of delivering teaching and learning.

The School has endeavoured to follow Government advice with regard to COVID-19 in remaining open as long as possible. However, the Head Master and Senior Management, in liaison with the School’s Governors, have today decided that usual operations are no longer possible in the short term.

The Head Master, Patrick Derham, has said the following:

“Given the paramount importance of safeguarding the wellbeing and health of the school community and with the already considerable impact on both staff and pupils of the latest measures for self-isolation, usual operations remain unsustainable.

“We are in a unique position as a boarding school in central London and that brings with it a duty of care. This means that, under current measures, should a boarding pupil develop symptoms, the impact upon the whole school community would be very significant.

“The School is deeply aware of the need to continue to provide the best possible education for its pupils and support for those preparing for public examinations. Robust platforms are in place for the delivery of remote teaching and learning, many of which are already used daily in the School, and pupils and staff are well equipped to tackle the challenges these circumstances  bring. These will include online access to all course notes and materials, portals for the submission, marking and return of written work and access to video conferencing for group teaching and individual support.

“These are extremely challenging times and Westminster School remains determined to do all it can to continue to deliver an excellent education, while ensuring that the safety, health and wellbeing of its whole community remain paramount.”

The School will continue to deliver its usual high standards of education, albeit remotely, throughout this closure. The Head Master and Senior Management will be available throughout to support this and to keep members of the school community regularly updated as the situation develops.

Detailed information for parents and guardians of current pupils will continue to be made available via the School’s Parent Portal.