Westminster is renowned for inspiring and stretching teaching, which encourages each pupil to reach their potential and learn at their highest possible level. Equally, we are all aware of the privilege such an education provides and the importance of sharing what we have is more critical today than ever. Platform is an educational initiative which works closely with as many as 35 inner city primary schools, some of them local and a number further afield, for example, Bromley and Lewisham, to identify bright children in Year 5 interested in an academic challenge.

Once links are established with primary schools many children are eager to attend the monthly Saturday morning enrichment teaching sessions where they are taught by a range of Under School teachers who are keen to be support the programme. We are fortunate to have received significant funding from the Worshipful Company of Drapers and ongoing support from the Westminster School Development Office. Attendance is very high amongst the 40 children who are taught in two classes of 20.

Each month the children have core lessons in Maths and English and then the world truly is their oyster, with lessons from Drama to Latin and everything in between on offer! The children quickly establish firm friendships and are always excited to attend early on a Saturday morning, often rushing in with their homework! Perhaps the best way to measure what the sessions mean to families is this quote from a parent of a pupil in the inaugural 2017 cohort: