Principal’s Message

Dear Parents, Staff, Students and Friends of WIS,

In this last week of term, the school has been buzzing as ever with energetic learning.

I have been proud to witness a number of superb moments of learning and development. The Year 9 Personal Project took place in the auditorium yesterday and was a wonderful showcase of thinking skills and research focus. The process towards the Personal Project builds skills for later in the school as students learn referencing and ways to find material which is reliable for their research question. These skills are invaluable and will be most used during their Extended Essay in Upper School. The ideas generated by the students for research were fascinating ranging from Hot Rod racing to the behaviour of bees. A wide range of interests demonstrating yet again: strength from diversity.

I was also able to attend the Year 11 GCSE Drama showcase where student pieces were performed for an audience of parents. Ms Rochester’s inspiration and training were very much in evidence as the students pieces were polished, dramatically challenging and engaging. A very high level of expertise under her guidance was in evidence.

Today, we host our annual Awards Ceremony which I inaugurated as Vice Principal in 2002, and which will be my last at West Island School. Looking through the programme, I can see clearly that students with a real “growth mindset” and the belief that they can do well is in evidence throughout. Students earn these rewards from effort and dedication. I am thankful to their teachers and parents who support them so well. Awards are given for academic excellence and for embodying our values through CAS or student leadership.

As we head into the Easter holiday and the promise of Spring, I would like to thank you for the support you have given the school this year and wish you a good family holiday.

Yours,
Jane