GEMS Westminster School Sharjah

The school defines wellbeing as the holistic interplay of physical, mental, emotional and social health, and it promotes happiness, a sense of belonging, healthy lifestyle choices, positive relationships, and access to mental health support. SEL is supported through the Wellbeing program and access to a School Counselor, with counselors available via voluntary attendance or teacher referrals and confidentiality maintained. The counselor process includes referral, discussion, observation, counseling interviews, and progress reviews, with records kept in the student's portfolio. The Inclusion policy recognises Students of Determination, Gifted & Talented, and English Language Learners, and uses adjustments and tailored teaching strategies to support social and emotional as well as academic development. The SEN policy explicitly aims to promote mental and emotional health and a safe environment across the school.

The school is described as an inclusive school, delivering SEN support within a mainstream environment rather than as a specialist SEN institution. The WSS SEN Policy aims to promote strategies for being physically healthy, promoting mental and emotional health, staying safe, and providing a safe environment to enable all learners to achieve their potential. The SENCO oversees the day-to-day operation of the school's SEN policy, coordinates provision for students with SEN, and liaises with parents, support staff and other teachers. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is used to underpin SEN intervention, is SMART, and is developed with the student, the parents and any external agencies, then shared in a child-friendly format. A graduated response matches student need with interventions and progress is tracked through termly reviews, class screens, and formal records, with confidential handling of SEN documentation; the policy also covers Gifted & Talented (G&T) provision.

English Language Learners are recognised as a learner category within inclusion, with staff educating all students in a common learning environment and using adjustments and teaching strategies to meet the needs of diverse learners, including ELL. Parents are asked to share details of any EAL needs, IEPs and external specialist reports to inform assessment and resourcing. Movement up through the ELL steps/stages is tracked as part of the school's monitoring within the SEN framework. Public materials identify ELL as a category but do not describe a dedicated EAL program or staff.

Wellbeing at WSS is defined as the holistic health of students, including physical, mental, emotional and social dimensions, with a focus on happiness, belonging, healthy living and mental health support. The school provides mental wellbeing support through a School Counselor and wellbeing resources, including digital safety guidance and wellbeing-related materials for families. The Counselor's role includes voluntary or referral-based meetings, confidential records, and regular progress reviews, with documented Follow-up and SAR reports for parents. The SEN Policy also emphasizes mental and emotional health as core aims, ensuring a supportive environment for wellbeing. Public wellbeing resources and articles (eg, WSS Wellbeing materials) are available to support wellbeing education and activities.

The GEMS Safeguarding Policy POLCSG001V5 (POLCSG001V5) governs safeguarding and child protection across GEMS, effective August 1, 2025 through August 1, 2026. The policy aligns with UAE Wadeema's Law (Federal Law No. 3 of 2016) and UAE MOE safeguarding guidance, and outlines safeguarding roles and responsibilities, including a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and safeguarding team. It sets out safeguarding procedures, including logging concerns on the Guard safeguarding case management platform and prompt recording and reporting of concerns. The policy covers disclosures, allegations against adults, whistleblowing, complaints, and safer recruitment, with safeguarding implementation overseen by MOE inspections.