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A brand new cohort of primary school children from across London have been welcomed to Westminster, as they get set for their year-long Platform experience.

The 44 children, aged nine and ten and from more than 20 primary schools, were given their introduction to Platform in December 2021, ahead of a programme which will see them attend ten day sessions, a summer school, and 11+ entry preparation sessions throughout 2022.

Westminster Platform is a programme for Year 5 pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds with intellectual ambition and academic potential. Across a number of sessions children enjoy a rigorous, challenging and eye-opening educational experience – a preparation for future opportunities and success.

The introductory session, attended by the children and their parents, as well as teachers from some of the partner schools, gave the new participants the opportunity to meet the Platform Team, as well as Westminster School Head Master, Gary Savage, and Westminster Under School Master, Kate Jefferson.

Rob Morgan, Director of Platform and Widening Access at Westminster, said: “This meet and greet was a fantastic way to launch what is now Platform’s sixth year. The children were each given their Platform bags and t-shirts, a new book to read, and a notebook and pen which they will use a lot across the next year. We managed to answer a lot of questions — many of the children were amazed at the time their teachers had taken to write their applications to get them nominated to be selected for the programme! We are really excited to begin the new Platform session in mid-January and to see all the children again then.”

The aim of Platform is to give children a boost as they finish their primary education. At the end of each year boys and girls may choose to sit the entrance examinations of selective state schools, academies or independent schools where full bursary provision is available. The most recent Platform graduates included nine who were encouraged to apply to Westminster, as well as 27 who were supported to apply to other independent and selective grammar schools.

Another year of Westminster School’s Platform programme has ended, with children from 22 different primary schools set for their move to secondary education.

The final session of 2021’s Platform saw the children come together for a Saturday of learning and fun at Westminster Under School in November, with English, maths, drama activities and science experiments all on the timetable for the day. To mark the end of the year-long programme, all children were then received a certificate at a special celebration ceremony to mark the occasion.

Platform is a programme for Year 5 pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds with intellectual ambition and academic potential. Across a number of sessions children enjoy a rigorous, challenging and eye-opening educational experience – a preparation for future opportunities and success. At the end of each year boys and girls may choose to sit the entrance examinations of selective state schools, academies or independent schools where full bursary provision is available.

The latest Platform graduates include nine who have now been encouraged to apply to Westminster, as well as 27 who have been supported to apply to other independent and selective grammar schools.

Westminster Under School’s Director of Platform, Danielle Jones, said: “It was fantastic to see another group of children come through Platform with such positive experiences and new chances ahead of them. The final day was great for everyone with football, table tennis and the chance to keep chatting and getting to know each other better. It was lovely to see many of the children exchanging details and numbers so that they could keep in touch in the future. Many also asked if they could come back to Platform next year!

“We have reached out to our partnership primary schools and are now looking to them for nominations for next year’s cohort, who will start in December.”

For English:

1. Atom Learning Tasks
2. Please read Cole’s Kingdom

You can access the online resource library here.

For Maths:

1. Read the 10 page overview, including the two articles ‘Sir,whyarewelearningthis?’ & ‘LoveMaths’
2. Atom (Jan Maths Homework Number 1)
3. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4Ol-epe4PcPl

You can access the online resource library here.

For Art:

1. Have a look at the two slides on Portraits in the online resource library (look under Session 2 – Art)
2. Please try to have with you, on Saturday
   • a pencil (HB is ideal)
   • a pen – fineliner or biro
   • a felt tip pen, preferably a dark colour
   • A4 drawing (plain) paper