ALL ABOUT BOARDING FOR BOYS AND GIRLS 3

Where everyone feels at home is the only ancient Seven Superb Family Prep to occupy its original site and reasons to pastoral care atmosphere Structured time for prep every evening board at The Housemaster and Each House has a strong “Because of how the has a long history as a . between 7.15pm and a team of live-in tutors sense of community, Westminster 9.00pm helps pupils to School encourages Welcoming both day and boarding pupils, are always on hand allowing long-standing complete their academic to support pupils, friendships to flourish. diversity and it is a happy, busy and purposeful place work in a quiet, studious helping them to and mutually supportive with a lively boarding community of almost become happy, fulfilled praises independent atmosphere. 200 boys and girls. and independent. thought, it feels like a very safe place to Living within the School’s premises has many learn and to form benefits. It allows pupils to take full advantage Evening Good food Friends No commute opinions and ideas.” of the extended evening programme of activities Breakfast, lunch, tea It’s relaxed and fun Mornings and evenings and supper are prepared and you spend a lot of are less stressful when There is a wide variety concerts, plays, sport and lectures, as well and served at the time with your friends. you don’t have to travel. of organised evening Hall, Purcell’s and You can also see your There’s more time to as the many supervised trips to academic activities in the School Grant’s Dining Rooms. family at weekends and socialise, to study and it’s Sports and Music Centres and cultural events held around London. There is plenty of choice you can go home for easier to be organised. with concerts, plays, to suit all tastes! special occasions. lectures and trips out. 4 5

“Nothing is more important than my House’s family atmosphere. It’s like Where Friendships Form my second family.” Boarding allows pupils to make the most of all the activities Westminster has to offer, while enjoying more leisure time with their friends and getting to know boys and girls from outside their classes and year groups.

The boarding Houses provide Rigaud’s is a boys-only boarding and Matron. Members of the comfortable rooms and relaxed House and Purcell’s is girls-only; House tutorial team are on duty social spaces. Younger boarders College, Grant’s, Busby’s and Liddell’s in the evenings. share a large room with two or three have both boy and girl boarders. others. Pupils in the Sixth Form Apart from College, our Scholars’ Boarding is in term-time only and Remove have their own rooms. House, all Houses have day pupils and most of our boarders also go There is a strong sense of community too – boys and girls. All year groups home at weekends, although some between the Houses as well as are represented in each House. of our over-16 pupils choose to within each House, because all the remain at the School and make the boarding buildings are situated Like the Day Houses, each most of all that London has to offer around Little Dean’s Yard – with Boarding House has a Housemaster, on a Saturday and Sunday. the exception of Purcell’s just responsible for the pupils’ welfare, a minute’s walk away. and, in addition, a Resident Tutor Home from Home A pupil’s House becomes like an extended family. It is the space in which pupils spend “I was surprised much of their leisure time and provides the by the amount of basis for many friendships. freedom your Housemaster gives Every Westminster pupil belongs to you and the extent to one of the eleven Houses, named “Pupils express after people historically connected which they engage to the School. Boys join us at 13+ delight in how and both girls and boys can join the with and respect co-educational Sixth Form at 16+. the School has you as an adult. It’s encouraged them Six of the Houses have a mix of not about having boarding and day pupils, whereas to explore beyond five are for day pupils only. someone to look In addition to the activities of the the boundaries of after you, it’s about wider school, every House has its what they might own community life. Either the House having people to as a whole or smaller groups from have thought they within it can work together to stage look out for you, concerts, put on plays and musicals, could do.” compete in sporting competitions, or and there’s a world organise social outings and events. ISI Inspection Report November 2016 of difference.” 7

“Kindness is a key A Place of Wellbeing characteristic of the School’s ethos.” Boarding Houses have a dedicated Matron and all pupils have access to our welcoming ISI Inspection Report November 2016 Health Centre, run by an experienced Nursing Sister, visited regularly by the School GP and with the full-time support of the School Counsellor and independent listeners.

In addition to comfortable bedrooms, and wider school community is boarding pupils enjoy their own invaluable in helping them not only leisure spaces, study areas and to make the most of their time at dedicated places to relax, socialise Westminster but to develop and and study. The combined support of flourish as individuals. a pupil’s Housemaster, Tutor, House

Girls at Westminster, “Pupils develop very high levels of self- confidence, self-reliance and resilience.” where equality is essential ISI Inspection Report November 2016 Girls have been valued members of the community since the early 1970s. Now approximately 70 girls join the Sixth Form each year, about a third living in as boarders.

Like all pupils, each girl belongs academic and co-curricular life – to a House: this provides her with from daily lessons, weekly societies a supportive and stable community and evening concerts, to termly for the duration of her time at sporting events and annual plays. Westminster and allows her to get to know pupils of different ages, genders and backgrounds. In addition to the support of their “I feel like we have a strong voice at Housemaster and Tutors, girls also benefit from the guidance of the Westminster; the School is a very inclusive Head of , a senior and welcoming environment. And I think female member of staff, part of whose responsibility it is to look the boys really like having girls around, after the interests of girls at the School. In this way, girls are especially the younger ones – it’s like having encouraged and enabled to play whole lot of big sisters!” a full, vibrant part and equal part in 8

A Boarder’s Frequently typical timetable asked questions

From 7.50am 6.00pm Q. Can I come on a tour Q. Can I board during the of a boarding House? School holidays? A. Yes, we are happy to arrange A. No, unfortunately this is a tour led by the Housemaster. not possible. There are regular tours of the boarding Houses and many families Q. Can I stay at School choose to visit more than one House. at weekends? Please note, it is not always possible A. All boarders in the Lower to arrange a boarding House tour School up to the age of 16 go on the same day as a general tour home every weekend. Some Sixth of the School. Form boarders stay at School at weekends, but the School is very Q. Can I try boarding? quiet on Saturday nights. A. We have boarding taster evenings during the year so that Q. Can I board at Breakfast is served for boarders Supper in College Hall is served boys can experience a typical Westminster if my parents in the medieval College Hall – for boarders and also for day pupils evening in a boarding house. live abroad? originally the dining room of the who have an evening activity such A. Westminster is not a suitable Abbot of Westminster. as a play, concert or lecture. Q. Do I have to decide boarding school for pupils below whether or not to apply the age of 16 whose parents live for a boarding place at the 4.15pm 7.15pm 9.00pm 10.00pm overseas. However, we welcome time of registration? overseas boarders in the Sixth Form A. If you are a 13+ applicant the but they must have guardians answer is no. In fact, it is not with whom they can stay at ‘ unusual for the final decision to weekends’ or when they are unwell. be delayed until a boy is in his final year at preparatory school. It is also possible for a boy to switch to boarding having started at Westminster as a day boy – and “I love the sense of the reverse is also possible. having an extended 16+ (Sixth Form) applicants must notify us whether they wish to apply family, with whom for a day place or boarding place when registering for entry. you share a Tea is available for boarders and For boarders, study time or “Prep” Prep ends, after which pupils may Pupils return to their Houses huge number of day pupils in College Hall or Grant’s commences in their Houses or the meet and talk, play Snooker or Table unless they have permission to Q. Can I express a Dining Room. Between tea and Library. It is a structured session of Tennis, or continue their academic attend a family celebration or to go, preference for a particular experiences suppertime Lower School Activities independent learning, every evening, work. A programme of activities is with a group organised by a member boarding house? regardless of how take place and meetings of School with the support of Housemasters arranged every evening in the School of staff, to a play or concert. Bed A. Yes, we will always aim to respect societies are arranged. Every pupil in and Tutors. Music Centre and Sports Centre. For times vary according to the age of any preferences indicated. However, different you may Years 9 and 10 is expected to do at many boarders the end of formal prep the pupils. we cannot guarantee a candidate will least two Lower School Activities is not the end of study for the day. be intellectually, be allocated the House requested. every week. Options available physically, or in include Bookbinding, Bridge, Drama, the Duke of Edinburgh Award terms of interests.” Scheme, and Robotics. A day in photographs How do I apply?

Boarding is popular and pupils are strongly encouraged to board from the start of their time at the School. If you did not indicate a boarding preference on your registration form, just let the Admissions Department know by letter or email that you would like your child to board.

For more information or to arrange a tour, please contact the Admissions Department on 020 7963 1003, or email [email protected]

THE REGISTRAR WESTMINSTER SCHOOL LITTLE DEAN’S YARD LONDON SW1P 3PF

+44 (0)20 7963 1003 [email protected]

@wschool

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