Is westminster school woke or traditional in its teachings?

[Overlyconcernedmum]

I am looking at various independent schools for my DS and was wondering if Westminster school would be a good fit. I was hoping parents whose children are in Westminster school or recently left the school can tell me their view on trans and if it’s taught in PSHE and at what age? Is the school still traditional in its values or has that long gone?

I would like my DS to simply enjoy school and not have to worry about what is being taught behind closed doors.

thank you in advance!

Are you trying to suggest that being empathetic, socially aware, and caring about other people is a bad thing for a school to be ?

Not at all, but as a parent I want to make sure that something is not forced on them because it’s ‘trendy’.
It is a very academic school so I hope they wouldn’t jeopardise that image simply to ‘fit in’.

That’s exactly what she’s suggesting! If you value academic rigor and a compassionate, forward-thinking community, it’s a strong fit. "Woke" elements aren’t about ideology but equipping students to thrive in a complex world! Something every parent should want.

I'm sure the school publishes all its policies on their website, or you can ask for a copy to be emailed to you.

Respectfully, every parent wants their child to thrive but most parents don’t want their children going into school one day thinking they’re a boy and the next day questioning their identity because of what’s being pushed onto them or encouraged…I have no problem with adults doing what they want with their bodies or lives but when it comes to our kids I’d like this to be left out and to simply enjoy their childhood. Is that too much to ask?

OP, I agree with you.
You should definitely check out Westminster's policies and curriculum information on their official website.
You mentioned wanting your child to enjoy their childhood, but I don't think Westminster will offer that unless your idea of childhood revolves around rigorous academics. The balance of challenging academics, play, fun, and the chance to grow at their own pace doesn't seem to match what this school provides.

Let's also consider other pertinent issue. Independent schools should have more freedom from political ideologies, internet trends and influencers.

Westminster is traditional but modern within reason. It's very much part of the establishment. It moves like the ship of state. It's definitely not radical. Definitely not woke. I'm a parent so I pick up comments from my ds here and there. Like all boys, they consider PSHE an opportunity to put their feet up, have a laugh or a massive eye roll. My DS listens, keeps his mouth shut and moves on. I would not worry about it. He is an alpha male type. A lot of boys are not, he says 75% are geeks(the word is neeks, I believe). But that doesn't make either group more sympathetic to transgenderism. They all have been taught to be tolerant of differences in sexual preference from a young age but most probably have never met someone who is gay. They know the protocol. Im not sure trans ideology has a large or even small part their PSHE up to this point. If W had moved a small direction that way, I feel like it would be the first to study the recent legal outcomes and stick to them like glue.

To the contrary, I read OP as being concerned that her son is taught to be empathetic to women and to care about their privacy, dignity and safety.

Rather than having highly contested, anti-scientific, misogynistic and lesbophobic ideology shoved down his throat, an ideology that centres men’s fetishes special feelings above the needs of, ya know, 50% of the population.

HTH.

This reads like you’re distilling school choice (and a very expensive one at that) down to a policy on trans inclusion? Even for Mumsnet that is a stunning lack of perspective. (And I say that as a terf!)

Stumbled on to this old post, curious if your DS ever went to WUS. The school is at a cross road, they did a big report on diversity, inclusion, and more importantly how the boys were viewing society and the opposite gender. The school has embarked on a 4+ journey and becoming a co-ed in a few years. What has prompted this exceution strategy is also the lack of expansion into China. No, the school isn't very woke but there are elements such as the reading lists and a few other things that try and promote things which can be labelled wake. The main problem that WUS and a couple of other leading private schools try and deal with is to make the children feel less entitled. Given the transition to include more girls, there is confusion amongst both applicants and current parents, parents with siblings of both gender are the most optimistic with the prospect of their children going to the same school.
At the end of the day, it's a great school, with a fabulous track record, woke or not. And no, I haven't seen any WUS or St Pauls or other leading schools boys exhibit a pattern against women, I don't know if they have strong views about trans.

Absolute lol at them being at a large boys' school and "have most probably never met someone who is gay".

Indeed . That’s not how Louis Theroux describes Westminster back in the day. ‘Situational sex’ is what he referred to I believe.

I mean it depends on whether you think having a diverse curriculum is good or bad. Are you just talking about PSHE or other subjects? Do you think it's woke to have books written by people of colour and stories centered on women and people of colour. Do you think its woke to teach about the middle east in history and the empires of Africa, would you mind if he learnt a variety of political theories obviously the basics but then multiculturalism, feminism, ecologism. What about learning about the history of disability rights or civil rights? Learning about the wrongs and rights of Western foreign policy. The economic dominance of the west and how that keeps other countries poor by exploiting resources? What about doing sociology and looking at how the education system, healthcare, crime etc are full of inequality.

“ I was hoping parents whose children are in Westminster school or recently left the school can tell me their view on trans and if it’s taught in PSHE and at what age?”

I think OP was pretty clear that she has a specific concern.

Absolutely agree with you!

OP please ignore all these woke virtue signalling replies crawling out of the woodwork. You have every right to ask that question and it’s a very good one. Unfortunately many of the , specifically London schools have a lot of wore teaching in their PSHE lessons. I think it would be very hard to avoid other than to make sure you keep speaking to your DS about what you as a family believe and what you think is right - I think that’s the most important thing as unfortunately if you looked at the PSHe curriculum in most schools, you probably wouldn’t be left with many that weren’t “woke “ It really is shocking.

Some of you parents are crazy paranoid and should stop reading the Daily Fail.

It made me smile too!

You really think 11-12-13 year old boys know boys who participate in gay relationships? I really don’t think that’s particularly common.