A new independent school is opening in St Clears this January. Westward House School is for children at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4 and has a focus on small class sizes and individually tailored teaching.
As well as teaching full time pupils, the school will offer part time classes for home educated children who need specialist tuition to help them achieve exams, or simply want to build confidence, make friends and learn new skills.
Located in the completely refurbished Old Library, Pentre Road, St Clears, Westward House School will open on January 5. The headteacher is Michelle Dunne a highly experienced teacher and school leader with additional specialist qualifications in assessment. Michelle most recently worked as the ALNCo and on the senior management team of an independent school for children aged 3-16.
The school’s ethos places an emphasis on each pupil’s individuality, adapting the school experience to meet their needs. For some children, the aim will be to gain academic qualifications and progress to further education; for others, the first priorities might be to build social skills and confidence.
Part of the school’s mission is to provide a welcome and supportive environment for any child who does not find mainstream education a good fit – maybe because they were not stretched, they experienced social problems, or they have special educational needs – in which case, Westward House has experts who can assist in getting a special educational needs assessment. The school can then create a specially tailored educational and support program to suit those needs.
For children who are home educated, Westward House can provide a part-time programme of lessons in the subjects they need in order to achieve a well-rounded education. These are delivered in the school using a mixture of online specialist tuition and in-class tutors.
Headteacher Michelle Dunne said,
“In education one size doesn’t fit all and at Westward House School we create a learning environment for individuals, rather than making individuals fit into a system designed for the majority. For us, it’s all about individuals working at their own pace at a level that is right for them.
“By offering a variety of opportunities, we ensure every pupil has success. Our curriculum is broad and adaptive to needs and with specialist support for those who need it. We have Outdoor School, a cookery school and creative studio. Learning needs to come to life in a variety of settings and with a variety of approaches. At the forefront of our ethos is creating a very supportive and caring school where everyone is respected and appreciated for who they are. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our first pupils in January.”
