The wonderful thing about community involvement is that it provides positive experiences on all sides – our boys often get as much out of it as the recipients. A number of our boys regularly volunteer at a local primary school, reading or maths with younger children where English is, for many of them, their second or even third language. Additionally, once a week we play bingo and other activities with the elderly residents of Norton House Care Home: it is often the highlight of the week for both the residents and the boys.

We also hold an annual book festival. We donate 200 hundred carefully selected second-hand books to a local primary school, and our boys read these to the younger children, for many of whom English is an additional language. These children take the book home with them and it is often the first English book in their household and as the child has started the book, they are more likely to open it at home.

We are also fortunate to enjoy an incredibly high standard of facilities, in particular our playing fields and Sports Centre, so we are committed to making sure that less well-equipped schools also have the chance to access and benefit from our resources. We partner with a number of local primary schools and nursery groups who use our sporting facilities for play and outside activities throughout the year and three primary schools hold their annual sports day on our playing fields each summer.

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. Run across Westminster Under School and Westminster School, Westminster Platform is an educational initiative that works closely with as many as 37 state schools in and around London, to identify bright children who are interested in an academic challenge. Platform Pups, for pupils in Year 2, and Platform, for pupils in Year 5, take place at Westminster Under School, while the Platform+ programme for Year 10 pupils takes place at Westminster School.

Once links are established with schools many children are eager to attend the monthly Saturday morning enrichment teaching sessions where they are taught by a range of teachers who are keen to be support the programme. Open to both boys and girls, the sessions are designed to expand their minds and also provide an experience of being taught alongside other capable and enthusiastic children. Reading widely is hugely encouraged and, thanks to financial donations, we were able to set up a high quality library, lending books to the children each month.

On top of the purpose to enrich the pupils, we also want to show them, and their parents, the plethora of selective educational opportunities available to them at the various entry points. Forward thinking independent schools look to provide bursaries, for pupils who might not otherwise be able to attend, and Westminster hopes to be leading the way in this area.