Westminster School

Westminster School is one of England’s oldest and most academically distinguished independent schools, with origins traceable to approximately 1179 in connection with the Benedictine Abbey of Westminster. The school’s location — adjacent to Westminster Abbey, opposite the Houses of Parliament, and in the heart of the political and cultural capital of the United Kingdom — is unique among English schools, and gives Westminster students a daily reminder of the nation’s history and ongoing public life. Westminster educates approximately 750 students aged 13 to 18, with boys joining from age 13 and girls admitted to the sixth form from 16. The school operates on a co-educational basis across the sixth form and is one of England’s most academically selective schools at every entry point. The school campus is intimate and urban — a series of historic buildings, courtyards, and cloisters around the Abbey — creating an atmosphere that is unlike any other school in the country. Westminster’s academic record is extraordinary: the school consistently achieves among the highest rates of Oxford and Cambridge offers of any school in the United Kingdom, and its graduates are equally well represented at the most selective universities in the United States. The school is approximately 40 minutes from Heathrow Airport and is served by multiple central London transport links.

Academic Excellence

Westminster follows the GCSE and A-Level curriculum, delivered across a full range of academic departments with a faculty that is among the most academically distinguished of any school in England. From the first year, all students follow a broad programme encompassing English, mathematics, sciences, humanities, modern and classical languages, and the arts. In the upper school, students typically select ten GCSE subjects before focusing on three or four A-Level disciplines in the sixth form — a period during which the school’s exceptional access to London’s cultural, intellectual, and professional life enriches the formal curriculum immeasurably. Class sizes are small, enabling the intense intellectual dialogue and close teacher-student relationships that characterise a Westminster education. The school’s tutorial system provides individual academic guidance and pastoral support throughout every student’s time at the school. Boarding provision is available for approximately 190 boys and girls in well-appointed boarding houses with resident staff. Westminster’s university placement outcomes are consistently exceptional, with a very high proportion of leavers gaining places at Oxford, Cambridge, and the most selective universities internationally each year.

Rich Campus Life

Westminster’s co-curricular life is shaped by its extraordinary central London location. Drama and debating are particularly strong traditions — the school’s drama and debate programme is among the most celebrated of any school in the country, and Westminster students compete and perform at the highest levels nationally. Music is prominent, with choirs, orchestras, and chamber ensembles of genuine quality. Sport is actively pursued through weekly programmes in football, cricket, rowing, fives, and many other disciplines, making use of facilities both on and near the school campus. The Combined Cadet Force, community service, and a wide range of voluntary activities round out the co-curricular offer. Westminster’s position at the heart of London means that students have unparalleled access to the city’s museums, galleries, theatres, political institutions, and intellectual life as an integral part of their education.