Westminster School is an independent day and boarding school for boys aged 13-18 and girls aged 16-18, with a long history, a distinctive ethos, and a unique sense of place in the very heart of London.
About the School. Westminster is a leading academic school in the centre of London. Pupils achieve exceptional examination results and entrance to some of the top universities in the world. It is a busy, passionate and purposeful place where independent and deep thinking is enjoyed, encouraged and respected by all, and where holistic excellence is nurtured and valued. At the heart of London, adjacent to Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, the School’s origins can be traced to a charity school established by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of St Peter. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, King Henry VIII personally ensured the School’s survival. His daughter, Queen Elizabeth I confirmed royal patronage in 1560 and is celebrated as the School’s Foundress. For several hundred years the School continued to be joined with Westminster Abbey, forming one collegiate foundation, until the 1868 Public Schools Act established the School as an independent body.
Academic. Westminster is one of the foremost centres of academic excellence in the country. However, our commitment to academic life does not manifest itself in an educative style that revolves around the passing of examinations. Our pupils’ success in public examinations and in gaining entry to leading universities is a result of their enjoyment of academic enquiry and debate, as well as their curiosity and passion for subjects well beyond the content of the published syllabuses. The aim of the School is to instil in our pupils a deep love of learning and respect for the tradition of scholarship, as well as an openness to fresh ideas and innovative ways of thinking. Pupils are taught to appreciate and learn from the knowledge of those who came before them, yet we also ensure that they have ample opportunity to engage with current political, cultural and academic developments.
When pupils first arrive at the school, aged 13, they follow a common yet comprehensive programme of study. This includes English, Mathematics, the Sciences, Geography, History, Theology and Philosophy, French, Classics, Art, Drama, Music, Computer Science and RSHE. In the co-ed Sixth Form, pupils usually study four A Levels, which are supplemented by Cultural Perspectives and Options courses of their choosing. In addition, pupils are encouraged to take part in Mathematics, Science and Linguistics Olympiads and many other academic competitions too.
Admissions. The two main points of admission at Westminster School are 13+ for boys and 16+ for boys and girls.
About 125 to 130 boys join each year at 13+, both boarding and day pupils. About half come from Westminster Under School with others from a wide range of schools, mainly in London. Entry for 13+ begins with visiting the School for the first time in Year 5. In Year 6, boys take ISEB Common Pre-tests in Mathematics, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Interviews follow, as well as further tests in Mathematics and English, and a report from the boy’s current school. Unconditional offers are then made for entry into Year 9 aged 13. The system described above is for boys who can remain at their prep schools until they are 13. Boys who attend primary schools, finishing in Year 6, should be registered for 11+ entry to Westminster Under School. Candidates who are not offered an unconditional place may be placed on a waiting list.
Registration for 16+ entry opens in the summer a year before entry. Entry is by competitive examination and interview. Candidates choose four entry examination subjects, usually the four subjects they plan to take for A Level. The offer of a place is conditional on a candidate achieving a minimum of eight (I)GCSE passes at A/7 grade, of which at least four are at A*/8-9, preferably in the subjects to be studied at A Level.
Boarding. Boarding has been central to life at Westminster since the School was founded. Between a quarter and a third of pupils choose to board and many members of staff live within the precincts to enable a flourishing boarding life. This means that activities continue into the evening, with a full programme of society meetings, lectures, school plays and concerts, and cultural trips to London events. There are six residential boarding houses, including one which is a co-educational house for day pupils, but only has girl boarders.
Bursaries and Scholarships. Since its foundation, Westminster School has made it possible for academically able and musically-gifted pupils to attend the School, who would not otherwise have been able to do so without financial support. Bursaries of up to 100% are available and are awarded to pupils according to individual need, at both 13+ and 16+.
King’s Scholarships are the School’s much-coveted academic scholarships. There are 48 King’s Scholars, with 12 chosen every year: eight boys at 13 and four girls at 16. King’s Scholars board at the School and all belong to College, one of the six boarding houses. An examination entitled ‘The Challenge’ is held annually to determine which pupils are elected as King’s Scholars for entry at 13+. The Challenge consists of papers in Mathematics, English, French, Science, Latin, History, Geography and an optional Greek paper. For King’s Scholarships awarded to girls entering at 16+, selection is based on the overall performance in the Sixth Form Entrance Exam papers and interviews. The School also awards up to eight Music Awards annually for 13+ entry and up to four Music Scholarships for 16+ entry. The Henry Purcell Organ Scholarship is awarded biennially to a pupil in the Sixth Form.
Co-Curricular and Sport. To balance the academic pursuits of our pupils, Westminster offers a wide variety of activities to complement our curriculum. These provide pupils with new and different opportunities to engage with less familiar concepts, with one another and with the world around them.
The School is renowned for its culture of music and theatre, and pupils are encouraged to take music lessons, to join orchestras and choirs and to take part in musicals, plays, concerts and other projects.
Each week, pupils in Years 9 and 10 take part in Lower School Activities, after School on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with options such as bookbinding, debating, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and robotics. Pupils in the sixth form often lead lunchtime and after-school societies, focused on subjects that are important to them, which are overseen by a member of teaching staff and to which all members of the school community are invited. The School also runs many expeditions in the UK and overseas.
In the sixth form, our Options programme enables boys and girls to study an additional language such as Arabic or Japanese, learn a new skill such as electronics or computer programming, or complement their studies in a particular area of interest such as an Introduction to Political Philosophy or studying British Sign Language. A more intensive volunteering option also exists, where pupils can not only give their time to local projects but also take specific courses to equip them for their chosen community outreach.
Two entire afternoons each week are dedicated to sport, known as ‘Station’ at Westminster, and pupils compete in fixtures against opposing teams in and around London, with cricket, football, netball and rowing being the School’s major competitive sports. We have the unusual feature that all pupils have a free choice as to which Station option they participate in. We are extremely fortunate, in the centre of London, to have a great deal of outdoor space for Station: pupils have a shooting gallery and several Fives courts, in addition to our playing fields at Vincent Square; which together with the School’s Victorian sports pavilion has just been renovated and reopened. We also have a Sports Centre that offers over 6,000m² of indoor space, housing a multi-use movement studio, a rowing training suite, fencing pistes, indoor cricket nets, a fully-equipped gym, two climbing walls, a dojo and a table tennis area and courts for basketball, netball, five-a-side football, volleyball, hockey and badminton.
Pastoral care. All pupils at Westminster have a weekly timetabled RSHE and Wellbeing lesson, delivered by trained and resourced staff, to help guide them and to help them make constructive choices in their lives. Topics are designed to be engaging and age-appropriate, with depth, substance and relevance to the daily lives of today’s young people. Pupils themselves have had input into the curriculum design and will continue to do so.
The well-established community of houses enables a strong, well-integrated system of pastoral care, to ensure the needs of each individual pupil are addressed, and that all pupils – whatever their age, background or gender – enjoy their time at School. When issues occur, they are communicated swiftly to the Housemaster, who talks with the pupil’s parents, teachers and Tutor, to devise the best way forward.
All houses have a Matron and all pupils have access to our state-of-the-art Health Centre, run by an experienced Nursing Sister and visited regularly by the school GPs. We have the full-time support of School Counsellors, and the Chaplaincy also plays an important role in ensuring the welfare of the community. Senior pupils from each house are trained as Peer Supporters to provide additional support and advice.
Community, Partnerships and Charity. At Westminster we are fortunate to enjoy some of the highest quality teaching and facilities in the country, so we are committed to making sure that others have the chance to access and benefit from our resources. There are a number of established schemes in place to help children outside Westminster School. Platform is an academic programme created and provided by Westminster School and Westminster Under School that inspires Year 5 pupils from state schools who show exceptional academic potential and energy for learning. School headteachers nominate participants every year, and the pupils then participate in a free one-year programme of Saturday morning sessions and a two-day course, to fuel their ambition and to allow their academic potential to flourish. Alongside the Platform programme, we introduced Platform Plus, a tailored programme, specifically designed for intellectually inquisitive Year 10 students who have an all-round curiosity and passion for either STEM or Liberal Arts subjects. Our most recent addition is Platform Pups, which is the programme for Year 2 pupils whose teachers think would greatly benefit from the extra opportunity to develop and stretch their fundamental English and mathematical skills.
Westminster pupils enjoy a wide variety of volunteering opportunities and there is an emphasis on pupil-led fundraising to help to ensure that contributing to society in holistic and generous ways forms a key part of our pupils’ educational experience.
We also maintain a close relationship with nearby Harris Westminster Sixth Form (HWSF), which was created in partnership with not-for-profit organisation The Harris Federation in 2014 to offer an outstanding education to students from all backgrounds and neighbourhoods in London. HWSF combines the Federation’s experience of establishing outstanding academies in and around London with Westminster School’s ability to teach and develop exceptional pupils.
Preparatory Department. Westminster Under School is Westminster School’s preparatory equivalent. The Under School admits day boys only and currently has 286 pupils in attendance. Entry to the Under School is at 7+, 8+ and 11+. For further information, please see Westminster Under School’s entry. Charitable status. St Peter’s College (otherwise known as Westminster School) is a Registered Charity, number 312728.
Governors & Staff:
Visitor:
His Majesty The King
Governing Body:
Mr Mark Batten [OW] (Chair)
Ex Officio and Nominated:
The Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, MBE (Ex Officio Member)
Ms Emily Reid [OW] (Nominated Common Room Governor)
The Reverend Canon David Stanton (Nominated Abbey Governor)
Appointed Members:
Mr Basi Akpabio [OW]
Dr Sarah Anderson
Mr Nabeel Bhanji [OW]
Mr Edward Cartwright [OW]
Ms Jessica Cecil
Mr John Colenutt (Deputy Chair)
Professor Maggie Dallman OBE
Dr Tristram Hunt
Dr Dominic Luckett
Mr Richard Neville-Rolfe [OW]
Mrs Claire Oulton
Ms Joanna Reesby
Ms Grace Yu
Clerk to the Governing Body: Mrs Diana Robinson
[OW] Old Westminster
Senior Management Committee:
Head Master: Dr Gary Savage, PhD
Under Master: Mr James Kazi, MA
Bursar: Mrs Amanda Oakley Smith, FCA
Deputy Head (Academic): Ms Clare Leech, MA
Deputy Head (Co-curricular, Events and Planning): Dr Vivienne Horsfield, EdD
Deputy Head (Boarding, Diversity and Inclusion, Partnerships): Mr Jeremy Kemball, BSc
Director of Upper School: Dr Tasos Aidonis, PhD
Director of Teaching and Learning: Ms Abigail Farr, MA