16+ PROSPECTUS 2022 3 Head Master’s welcome 3 A Westminster education 4 Our unique location 5 Boarding and day 6 Our co-educational community 7 A day at Westminster 8 A place of wellbeing 10 Welcome Academic life 11 The Sixth Form curriculum 12 Before you decide 13 The co-educational Sixth Form at Beyond the subject choices 16 Westminster offers a safe, stimulating The broader curriculum 18 Adventures and Expeditions 19 and supportive environment for learning. Music 20 The Art School 21 The School’s reputation as one of the or debate. There is never a dull moment Once you have read this prospectus Drama 22 foremost centres of academic excellence and always plenty to get involved with, and explored the website, I warmly Sport for life – and to win 23 in the country is built upon our pupils’ whatever the individual pupil’s interests. encourage you to join us at an Open Day Westminster and the community 24 genuine enjoyment of open-minded before the formal process of interviews enquiry, rigorous discussion and the In recent years, we have opened a and assessments gets under way. It is After Westminster 25 search for explanation well beyond House for girl boarders and day boys, always best to gain a first-hand glimpse The admissions procedure 26 any examination syllabus. It is this and an indoor sports centre adjacent to of what lies ahead, to put some faces Scholarships and Bursaries 28 atmosphere – where it is cool to be the School’s playing fields at Vincent to names and experience the buzz and Frequently asked questions 29 clever and where scholarly mastery is Square. Both have significantly enhanced energy of this remarkable School for Information for prized by pupils and teachers alike – the facilities for pupils joining us in the yourselves. I look forward to meeting overseas candidates 30 that supports our pupils’ progress. Sixth Form. In September 2017, girls were you in person, showing you the School Choosing your It helps them to achieve superb elected as Queen’s Scholars for the first and introducing you to the heads of the Sixth Form subjects 31 examination results and admission time, and a new series of classrooms and academic departments, who will be able to some of the world’s top universities. an observatory have recently opened in to answer any questions you may have. Everyone is welcome, and all are our refurbished Science building. Course information section valued and nurtured at the School. I know that applying to a new school Art 35 The A-level specifications followed by can sometimes seem daunting for pupils Art History 36 Westminster pupils enhance their Westminster pupils allow for the deep (and, often, their parents); but I hope that, Classics: Latin and Ancient Greek 37 intellectual, physical, spiritual and social specialisation on which the pupils really in applying for Westminster, feelings of Economics 38 development by taking full advantage of thrive, while the principle of choice fits excitement will rapidly eclipse any natural English Literature 39 the many opportunities in sport, music, well with the School’s liberal tradition anxiety. Our hope is that by providing drama, community service and other of drawing out and nurturing individual as much information about the School Geography 40 forms of civic engagement. Together, talents across the full range of academic as possible at this stage, and seeking as History 41 these opportunities help our pupils to disciplines. Pupils study four subjects much information as possible about you, Mathematics 42 prepare themselves for a life well lived as that provide both breadth and depth the decisions that we eventually make Modern Languages informed and committed global citizens. throughout the two years of the Sixth will be the right ones. One thing I can say and Linguistics 43 Form (Years 12 and 13). We find that the with certainty: the new pupils who join French 44 You will read about all of this and much sheer intellectual enjoyment that this us in the Sixth Form each year settle in German 45 more in the following pages. bespoke, individual approach brings quickly and happily and make a terrific Russian 46 to their learning ensures that our pupils success of their time here. Historically, Westminster has been go on to win places at some of the Spanish 47 a boarding school in the heart of world’s very best universities. Our most recent ISI inspection report Music 48 London and approximately one quarter describes Westminster as nurturing A BRIEF HISTORY Philosophy and Theology 49 of Sixth Form pupils board. Some come Academic departments are free to follow “…a pupil body liberated from dogma, from far afield, but most are Londoners the specification they feel will enable prejudice or unthinking conformity...” Westminster is a long-established school Sciences 50 who prefer to avoid the daily grind of pupils most effectively to realise their We cherish this distinctiveness. If it on an ancient site. Its origins can be traced Biology 51 commuting. Thanks to this ancient academic potential, evidenced in part by strikes a chord with you, then we are back to 1179, when the Benedictine monks Chemistry 52 boarding tradition, unique location and examination results: Westminster pupils the right school to be applying to for of Westminster Abbey were asked by Pope Physics 53 distinctive ethos, Westminster is very routinely achieve more than 50% of their your sixth-form studies. Good luck with Alexander III to provide a small charity Electronics AS Level 54 different from a conventional school A-level grades at A* or equivalent; indeed all that lies ahead. school. The School’s continuous existence Drama and Theatre Studies 55 for our day pupils too. Many choose to Westminster is the only school to have is certain from the early 14th century. remain on-site long after the teaching achieved this outstanding feat every year Dr Gary Savage Following the dissolution of the monasteries day has finished, perhaps to work in the since the A* grade was introduced – a by- Head Master in 1540, Henry VIII personally ensured the How to find your way around 56 library, take part in extra sport, rehearse product of its long-standing commitment School’s survival by statute and Elizabeth I Timeline 58 for a play or concert, or attend a lecture to intellectual rigour and liberal enquiry. confirmed royal patronage in 1560. 4 5 A Westminster education Central to Westminster’s ethos is the rapport between teachers and their pupils. This inspires passion for the subject, While academic and cultural encourages confidence in learning, attainments are highly prized, the conveys knowledge and develops skills School is fully committed to nurturing of rational, independent thought. Our each pupil’s spiritual, moral, emotional pupils’ academic success comes from and physical wellbeing. We seek their enjoyment of intellectual enquiry, to develop individual talent wherever debate and search for explanation, it lies – and to prepare young people reaching well beyond published syllabi. for fulfilled private and public lives. They delight in a huge range of opportunities to develop initiatives and to discuss their ideas. We are a happy, “Pupils express delight busy and purposeful community. A ‘halfway-house’ between in how the School school and university The broader ethos of the School has encouraged them resides in the enduring values reflected The Westminster Sixth Form is to explore beyond the in the 1560 Charter of Westminster’s often regarded as a ‘halfway-house’ Some of our buildings date back to the Situated between Parliament, boundaries of what Elizabethan foundation, where it is between school and university. 11th century and, while the community The Supreme Court and Westminster stated that: ‘the youth which is growing As such, it aims to provide a safe, Our comprises pupils and teachers of many Abbey, the School’s inspirational they might have thought to manhood, as tender shoots in the stable and enriching community, in different faiths, we retain close links location has always been of significant they could do.” wood of our state, shall be liberally which pupils are encouraged to learn unique with Westminster Abbey: the Dean is influence. Politics and the law are instructed in good books to the greater about the world around them in order a member of the Governing Body and abiding interests among the pupil ISI Report November 2016 honour of the state.’ to engage actively with it and lead the Abbey is the School’s chapel. body and the importance of spiritual a fulfilling life beyond Westminster. location and moral reflection is also deeply With an enviable programme of Westminster School now extends embedded. Minutes away is the best outside speakers and an ever-increasing beyond Dean’s Yard and into the of everything metropolitan: museums, range of academic, artistic, sporting When other surrounding quiet streets, having, in galleries, concert halls, theatres and cultural expeditions, Westminster’s schools moved to recent years, expanded to include: and the energy of a great city – global dimension provides pupils all of which enrich our curricular with every opportunity to develop the suburbs in the • the Weston Building and co-curricular programmes. their cultural capital and understanding. late 19th century, for the Humanities; Alongside this, the School coordinates • state-of-the-art laboratories a popular and thriving civic engagement Westminster School and an observatory in the recently programme, which encourages remained on its refurbished Robert Hooke Sixth Form pupils to engage with the Science Centre; local community in a meaningful way, original site at the • the Sports Centre near thus developing social understanding very heart of London. Vincent Square; and responsibility. • the Manoukian Music Centre; • an inspiring new location for Purcell’s boarding house; • the Millicent Fawcett Hall Theatre; • the recently opened Sir Adrian Boult Building, a new events space.