Head of School Welcome

A Welcome from The Head of School

Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to The Westwood Academy.  Choosing a school for your child’s education is one of the most important decisions a parent will make.  Here at Westwood we pride ourselves in ensuring that we fulfil the expectation of every parent and child that chooses us.  Our aim is to provide every opportunity to feed a passion for learning and to provide opportunities in and out of the classroom that will help our pupils discover their place in the world.  Our goal is exceptional academic performance whatever your child’s ability.

I joined the Westwood Academy 10 years ago and was appointed as Head of school in 2019 because I have absolute faith in the education this school offers. Our exam results at post 16 are amongst the best in the area year on year, and in 2022 The Westwood Academy topped the city league tables for the percentage of students gaining A* grades at A level. Our GCSE results also compare very favourably amongst our local schools across the whole spectrum of abilities as well as for our most able students. Our 2023 progress eight score was the highest in the area but we are always working to improve outcomes for our students.  We place the utmost importance on good attendance and work with our families to support them to ensure our pupils attend school regularly.  This year we were recognised as being in the top 20% of similar schools nationally for attendance.

We have the most dedicated, experienced and talented teaching staff that I have ever had the pleasure of working alongside.  They are more than ably supported by an excellent team of support staff who are fully involved in your child’s learning journey.  Outside of the classroom there are an enormous number of opportunities for our pupils to engage in, for example, sports clubs, the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, The Arts and science, maths and technology clubs. We also run a host of curriculum related trips to Europe and within the UK so that we give children an opportunity to expand their minds with new experiences. All of these elements result in our children leaving school with the knowledge, experience and skills that are personal to them in preparing them for the next stage of their journey. Alongside our curriculum we have a leading careers provision recognised nationally through the Prospects Quality in Careers award at Gold Standard.  Our quality careers provision ensures our pupils all leave school, either at 16 or 18, with positive destinations; be that in further education colleges, apprenticeships, university or the world of work.

“I have seen a great improvement in the education and self well-being of my son who feels calm, confident and happy whilst being at the school.”                                                                                          Parent 

Our expectation of our pupil’s behaviour is high.  We build a culture based on our pupils understanding why we all share the same values.  Our values are simple: Be Ready, Respectful & Safe. These values allow us to offer a nurturing and intensely supportive environment in which to learn and grow both academically and socially. Our student leadership team are actively engaged in how we run the school and how we support all of the pupils. As a consequence, we have a wonderfully inclusive and cohesive ethos and atmosphere which would be hard to replicate. 

“We’re so pleased with how our son is progressing academically, but also what really struck us was how friendly, warm and approachable every member of staff is. They all know our son and all his quirks and how to help him be the best that he can be, whilst feeling calm and empowered to try and challenge himself.”

Year 8 parent 

The Westwood Academy is one of the founder members of the Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust (KMAT) which was formed in 2019. Our partnership with Kenilworth school offers many exciting opportunities for our pupils and allows us to offer an exceptionally wide sixth form provision. It allows for collaborative work between staff to share good practice as well as working on common priorities for schools. Thanks to our location we also have powerful working relationships with the University of Warwick that also benefit all of our pupils.

Our amazing and unique achievements rely on a special relationship between our parents, our staff and our pupils. A truly successful education can only be achieved if we get this right. We welcome visitors into school and I extend an open invitation to all to come into school and see for yourselves our school at work.

Ms H T Lawrence
Head of School