Leading academic school wins the ISA Award for Innovation in Independent Education 2024

Penarth’s Westbourne School is celebrating after being crowned the most innovative independent school in the UK in the Independent Schools Association National Awards 2024.

The ISA Award for Innovation in Independent Education is one of the most prestigious accolades in the independent schools sector- recognising Westbourne’s pioneering, forward-thinking approach to enriching learning and improving outcomes for all students aged 2-18.

Paul Forsythe, Principal at Westbourne School, said today: “We are so proud to be recognised at the very top national level for the work we are doing to transform the learning experience for every one of our students, from nursery to Sixth Form. Our innovative use of technology, including AI-assisted learning and virtual reality, consistently strengthens the way our students learn, giving them the tools to research deeper and think more broadly.

“Uniquely, they are part of an exciting network of like-minded Westbourne students spanning our global schools on three continents. Through cutting-edge technology, we are continually creating meaningful opportunities for our Penarth students to collaborate, debate and share learnings with their peers across the world- making new contacts, exploring new viewpoints in STEM, business and other key future-focused fields, and developing an academic network that will grow with them at university and beyond.

“And this focus on global collaboration through the latest technology also applies to our teaching professionals. Our vision is the seamless global transmission of knowledge, where teachers working across all of our schools work as one, supporting each other and developing best practices to give our students the best possible education.”

Westbourne’s Global Classroom

Westbourne’s smaller size, with small group teaching and personalised attention, has long been a hallmark of its academic success. The school’s Penarth students are closely guided and mentored by highly qualified, inspirational teachers to realise their personal ambitions and fullest academic potential.

The launch of Westbourne’s pioneering “global classroom”- including real-time virtual link-ups connecting students and teachers across the globe, as well as lessons led by holographic teachers who appear in the room- is unique, transforming day-to-day learning and further enhancing the school’s exceptional teaching.

This latest technology now supports Westbourne students in Penarth to access not only first-class teaching on-site in the UK campus, but also across the whole group of Westbourne schools- offering unprecedented opportunities to tap into the very best subject specialists, no matter their location or time zone.

Nurturing the leaders and digital innovators of the future

An exciting research collaboration with Cardiff University’s School of Neuroscience has supported Westbourne to develop a more innovative approach to improving and developing assessment and feedback for students. The use of a research-backed AI learning platform supports students to advance their learning independently at home, promoting a more secure understanding of their learning journey, as well as a sense of empowerment in everyday study.

Ranked #4 in the UK for results in 2024, Westbourne’s innovative approach continues to strengthen outcomes at GCSE and in the IB Diploma, offered in place of A Levels for the edge it gives the students in university admissions. With a century-long history of facilitating student access to world-leading universities, Westbourne graduates consistently rank in the top 1-2% worldwide. 2024 saw students in Penarth secure places to study law, medicine, engineering and other highly competitive degree courses at universities including the University of Cambridge, UCL and King’s.

Mr Forsythe continued: “Innovation is the very fabric of Westbourne School. Our students are more alert than ever to the power of technology to transform their educational experience. We want them to play an integral part in a pioneering new way of learning and information transmission, preparing them to be the innovators and digital leaders of the future.”