‘Teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea...’
Strategy 2024-2030
WIMBLEDON HIGH SCHOOL GDST
• The Three Pillars
• Stepping in, Striding out: Our Girls First Ethos
• Securing the future
• Leading with innovation
• Leading on well-being
The Three Pillars 2024-2030
This document lays out the next strategic phase in Wimbledon High School’s development as we approach our 150th birthday in 2030.
We look back with pride to our history, and the legacy left to us by our GDST founders; but we also recognise that no school can remain static, and the new strategic pillars allow us the flexibility we require to makes changes which will secure our future, whilst also fiercely guarding the culture and ethos which have been handed down over the generations, and of which we are the current custodians.
The three pillars of our strategy - Securing our Future, Leading with Innovation, and Leading on Well-Being – address our school as a centre for educational excellence for girls aged 4-18, as a thriving commercial enterprise, and as a school which considers the well-being of all of its stakeholders as being business-critical.
Already established in our role in our wider local community, we aim to embed WHS as a hub for social good; and ensure each individual in our own community feels seen and valued.
The strategy, while led by the Senior Management and Leadership Teams, supported by GDST and Governors, allows each member of staff to play a crucial part in the fulfillment of the vision. We work best at Wimbledon High when we work together, and this strategic vision is no different.
‘Teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea...’
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry The Little Prince
Securing our
future
Leading with innovation
The Three Pillars
Wimbledon High School GDST Strategy 2024-2030
Stepping in, Striding out: Our Girls First Ethos
The mission of our founders – to reach as many girls as possible, and to provide a challenging and rewarding education for capable, curious girls and young women – remains at the heart of all that we do.
Our commitment to nurturing our girls who step into the school – whether at 4, 11 or 16 – remains steadfast, and our pastoral care under the GROW programme centres around bespoke, individual approaches to supporting each of our students according to their needs and unique development. This approach inculcates self-confidence, a sense of agency, and an awareness of the needs of others, and our young women leave our school ready to face the challenges the world will bring to them.
Connected with this is our Futures-focused approach which encourages our students to develop the realworld applicable skills they will need as they stride out of our school, and allowing them to make meaningful and impactful contributions to our society, in whatever guise that comes. Their pathway towards their future will be a bespoke one, and is unlikely to be linear, and we will look to offer them all the support and experience they need as they find their own, unique way.
The rich, varied co-curricular offering will allow girls to forge friendships for life with others who share their interests, try out new things, hone high-level skills and talents, and find out more about themselves out of the classroom. We are proud of the breadth and depth of our programme, from the most elite international athletes and musicians through to the youngest netball team: there is something for absolutely everyone.
Most of all, though, we aim every day to inspire and challenge the great minds of our girls and young women, as they embrace our approach of Playful Scholarship and develop their passions for ideas and for learning. Our deep commitment to innovative teaching and learning, independent approaches to study, and super-curricular opportunities, cater to each and every student as they forge their own academic passions and strengths, and uncover lifelong intellectual joys.
Every student will
Pillar One
Have the resources, environment and opportunities needed to thrive Pillar Two
Have access to the most innovative, stimulating and enriching educational experience, every day Pillar Three
Be part of a community which has well-being at its core, allowing for the development of her own, unique and authentic sense of self
Securing the future priorities
Financial sustainability
Maximising the excellent new facilities and associated lettings opportunities
Balancing the impact of VAT on fees with the need to maintain an excellent offering
Examining possibilities of technological advances such as AI to assist with backroom processes
Benefiting from the GDST family with procurement deals and shared provision as expedient
Site development
Enhancing sporting facilities, including astroturf, resurfacing of courts, floodlighting updates, new gym space in main school site, potential boathouse acquisition
Enhancing Main Reception and corridor spaces
Refurbishing classrooms not developed in the build project
Developing a neurodiversity space which is modern and fit-for-purpose
Looking for further opportunities to expand and enhance our site as and when they arise
Philanthropy & fundraising
Looking for further opportunities to expand and enhance our site as and when they arise
Establishing 1880 Society and bursary provision funding
Enhancing connections with alumnae to assist with bursary fundraising
Fundraising for Steinway piano, possible rowing enhancements and other projects
Ensuring Wimbledon High remains committed to a full partnerships programme, supported by parents and alumnae
Ensuring charitable giving remains a key part of the student experience
Eco-sustainability
Greening the site with on-going landscaping and environmental programme of work
Delivering a trackable environmental sustainability plan
Boiler replacement programme, LED lighting and swimming pool cover
Working to continue to reduce food waste and improve provenance
Building eco-sustainability into the academic and pastoral curricula
Leading with innovation priorities
Innovative Learning
Establishing a culture and approach of Play and Playful Scholarship from 4 to 18
Creating sector-leading neurodiversity programme and facilities
Designing and delivering a Curriculum Review, reforming sixth form teaching approaches
Developing rigorous and robust teacher training processes to increase consistency of excellent classroom provision
Tech Solutions
Cementing position as sector leader in EdTech and AI development
Continuing to harness tech solutions to improve reporting on student progress to parents
Continuing to harness AI to streamline and enhance administration and processes
Planning and delivering new website
4-18 all girls’ educational experts
Delivering outstanding PSHE and RSE programmes
Creating exciting new Futures programme
Promoting the Charter and other student voice and leadership opportunities
Working with partners such as ICGS, GDST, GSA to focus on all-girls’ excellence
Hosting leading conferences and CPD opportunities developing all-girls’ expertise
Student recruitment and retention
Inspiring communications and community engagement
Building regular bursary fund by 2030: the 1880 Society
Scrutinising our transition provision at 4+, 11+ and 16+
Enhancing scholarship processes and programmes to recruit and retain the most able and talented students
Leading on well-being priorities
Leadership and thought hub for girls and women
Sharing exciting digital and print content with stakeholders
Hosting innovative, forward-thinking conferences and events for students, educators and the wider community
Developing staff and student voice opportunities on our website and through media outlets and streams
Developing alumnae relationships and associated marketing opportunities
Staff recruitment, retention and development
Redeveloping a meaningful, stretching and enriching internal training programme
Continuing to provide access to excellent external programmes and to connect with other colleagues from across the UK
Working with partners such as ICGS to provide global opportunities for experience and development
Partnerships
and Community
Maintaining and building on the meaningful relationships already established with our local partner schools
Building partnerships into the curriculum for all year groups, Reception to Year 13, by 2030
Ensuring our lettings programme is balanced with pro bono usage of our facilities
Furthering the relationships with SHINE families to allow us to recruit excellent bursary students at 11+
Diversity and Inclusion
Creating sector-leading neurodiversity programme and facilities
Staff Diversity and Inclusion training to promote awareness, understanding and skills necessary to build an inclusive community
Student welfare - building on our pastoral care such that we are paying further attention to the experiences of students with protected characteristics
Promoting bursaries and increase numbers applying at 11+ and building a reputation as a local hub for families and those in need
In summary, we strive for education as the practice of freedom
In that field of possibility we have the opportunity to labour for freedom, to demand of ourselves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine ways to move beyond boundaries, to transgress. This is education as the practice of freedom bell hooks