Dear Colleagues,

Welcome back to school after the mid-term break:

We have several reasons to celebrate!
Congratulations and big thanks to all
the teachers, students, parents and admin-support
across the School - from FS Yr.13
for the tremendous effort by each and every one of
you by initiating and facilitating the process
of Creating Learning Communities
to set the School on track from prompt Assemblies,
Arrivals, Dispersals and Break Duties,
to the most successful of
Teacher, Parent and Emirati Conferences
the first ever!
The teacher-student initiatives of
The Digital Hub and evolution of weekly Newsletters,
Curriculum Leadership from across the school with
equal passion, creatively culminating in
Celebrating Leadership Ceremonies -
The first ever!
The School Vision has begun to take root
Small changes Significant impact!
resulting in our mission of creating:
One Team, One Vision, One Mission.

We have begun the Academic Year with a focus on teaching
and learning going forward during the coming weeks, we
will continue with the same intensity but with a focus on
attainment and progress from every Year group perspective.
Whereas from we will focus on Leadership and Management
from the whole school perspective!
THE CURRENT EMPHASIS IS ON TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT!






.School Vision

Small changes Significant impact!

EDUCATIONAL VISION IN MOTION
2013-14







One Team
One Vision
One Mission



THE WESTMINSTER INSIGHT




October 20
th
2013, Term 1. issue.2




THE WESTMINSTER INSIGHT



October 21
st
2013, Term 1. issue.2



HOW DOES THE GEMS CORE VALUES
PERMEATE OUR SCHOOL LIFE ?
EDUCATIONAL VISION IN MOTION:
The Westminster School is dedicated to
making that difference in Education as the
GEMS core values permeates every aspect
of School life.
We believe in GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP by
celebrating diversity and building
communities;
We believe that GROWING BY LEARNING
and continuous learning is the fuel for
continual growth;
We believe that by PERSUING
EXCELLENCE great isnt just good enough;
We believe that LEADING THROUGH
INNOVATION requires bold thinking, fresh
ideas and brave leadership!
Our Mission:
One Team One Vision One Mission

!

Our School Vision:
Small changes Significant impact!

Our vision is of creating learning
communities, a place where students,
parents, teachers, and administrators
are all empowered to change
education for the better:
a place where the school
provides the right climate for
academic, social-emotional
learning, and foster the spirit of
enquiry, encouraging equally
creative and critical thinking;
a place where imagination in art
and innovation in team building
is not the exception;
a place where learners develop
21st-century skills, especially
those of communication,
collaboration, critical thinking
and creativity :
we provide not just the vision for
this new world of learning but
the real-world information and
community connections to make
it a reality.
The Westminster School has a
successful academic track record
with a Global Alumni in
universities all over the world.








Objective of this Newsletter and expected
Outcome :

The Curriculum:
Are the National Standards reflected?

Teachers more in-depth understanding of
the strengths and weaknesses in pupils
learning will give them the confidence to
plan and adapt schemes of work so that
they build on pupils prior experiences.
This creates a curriculum that is more
flexible and responsive to pupils needs.
For example, material can be added to
meet the needs of higher attaining pupils
and those with special educational needs
and/or disabilities.
In such cases, the curriculum can be
modified to fill specific gaps in pupils
learning, or increase the level of
challenge, rather than offering work that
simply consolidated learning regardless of
which pupils required this.
Teachers can map assessment
opportunities across the curriculum in a
coherent way.
This can have the effect of enhancing
creativity in the curriculum because
teachers will be confident that pupils
learning experiences are strongly linked
to a clear framework for assessment.


Learning and progress: Measurable and
sustainable!
A number of features defined the
difference between good and satisfactory
progress and between good and
satisfactory assessment. They are the
extent to which teachers:
share information and talk with
pupils about learning objectives,
learning outcomes and success
criteria, hence also clarifying
expectations about progression and
pace
develop pupils understanding of
subject-specific language as part of
the sharing of learning objectives
and success criteria
direct open-ended questioning and
whole-class discussion to check,
probe and develop pupils
understanding
explain and model to clarify
progression in key concepts and
skills



THE WESTMINSTER INSIGHT


October 21
st
2013, Term 1. issue.2



Learning and progress: Measurable and sustainable!
A number of features defined the difference between good and satisfactory progress and between
good and satisfactory assessment. They are the extent to which teachers:
explain and model to clarify progression in key concepts and skills
give oral and written feedback to support the evaluation of progress,
noted levels of attainment and identify next steps in learning
use well-planned group discussions, peer and self-assessment to help pupils develop
as independent learners
The importance of employing a range of methods to evaluate and support pupils learning in
lessons cannot be underestimated.
A variety of activities in lessons can strengthen pupils participation. Common strategies can include:
holding up traffic light flashcards to indicate their level of understanding (green equaled secure
understanding, amber partial and red limited)
showing answers and working out on mini-whiteboards
giving and assessing presentations in relation to success criteria
answering questions in a particular role
chairing class and group discussions
designing questions to test each others learning.

The impact on provision: Can it be verified? Teaching: methodology- are they progressive?

Join us in reinventing the learning process!















THE WESTMINSTER INSIGHT


October 21
st
2013, Term 1. issue.2



Make use of whatever strategies for Innovation and
Reform in Teaching and Assessment!

The Westminster is dedicated to transforming the
learning process by helping the educators who
implement them and are empowering students to
think critically,
access and analyze information,
creatively problem solve,
work collaboratively,
and communicate with clarity and impact.

Discover the resources, research, experts, students
and teachers who are changing our school and join
with them; it becomes effortless when we have
created together that one team with one vision and
one mission!



Kingston Gilbert
Principal / CEO
The Westminster School
Dubai