West London Free School

The West London Free School is one of the country's pioneering free schools, renowned for academic excellence, high standards of behaviour and a wide choice of co-curricular clubs. Since our foundation in 2011, we have provided all children with a rigorous, knowledge-rich education irrespective of their background. We believe that knowledge is a good in and of itself, empowering pupils to understand and take an interest in the world around them. The education we offer is not just a preparation for work, but a preparation for life. As such, we value the knowledge of our teachers, and the passion for their subject that they bring to the classroom.

Outcomes

We offer a challenging curriculum, with a supportive environment, underpinned by fantastic teachers. Through this combination, pupils at the West London Free School excel. In 2023:

• A-level: 48% of entries were graded A* to A, and 77% were graded A* to B.
• GCSE: 48% of entries were graded 9 to 7, and 86% were graded 9 to 4. Progress 8 was 0.69, and Attainment 8 was 6.1, placing us in the top 2% of comprehensive schools in the country.
• WLFS students went on to study at some of the best universities in the UK and abroad, with seven students accepted to courses at Oxford or Cambridge in both 2022 and 2023.

Staff experience

At the West London Free School, we aim to build a culture of sustainable success. We have a stable body of staff who feel supported and fulfilled.

• We have clear, evidence-informed, pragmatic approaches to teaching and learning, as summarised in our Seven Principles of a WLFS Lesson (see here).
• Workload is closely monitored throughout the school year, and systems are refined to be as efficient and hassle free, so that teachers can spend as much time as possible focusing on the core component of their job: teaching.
• Paperwork and form-filling is kept to an absolute minimum.
• Senior leaders see it as their responsibility to ensure all teachers can teach without disruption. School rules are non-negotiable, and poor behaviour is met by escalating sanctions.
• Our annual survey is conducted by EdSRS, and in 2023 revealed that 100% of teaching staff would recommend the WLFS to other teachers as a good place to work (84% nationally); 100% of staff responded that behaviour management of pupils is good (75% nationally); and 87% responded that the SLT are highly visible and approachable (71% nationally).

Co-curricular

As well as a knowledge rich education, the WLFS runs an extensive co-curricular programme that encourages children to develop outside the classroom. The school specialises in music and offers a range of sporting opportunities as well as general interest clubs. All staff are encouraged to share their co-curricular enthusiasm by committing one hour a week to running a school club.