The final two years of secondary education provide the springboard for the next step in young people’s lives, and preparation for leaving home, university, and the workplace beyond. Westminster School’s 16+ entry point offers ambitious and motivated pupils the opportunity to join a sixth form environment shaped by academic depth and intellectual independence, as they focus on chosen subjects, explore new interests, and begin shaping university and career aspirations.
Westminster School’s sixth form has been co-educational for more than 50 years, and whilst both boys and girls will now be moving up through the School, we expect 16+ to remain a popular entry point for those from outside Westminster seeking a new and academically rigorous challenge after GCSEs. Sixth Form pupils consistently achieve exceptional exam results and go on to secure places at some of the world’s most prestigious universities. This success along with the School’s extensive co-curricular offering and house system makes Westminster one of the best Sixth Forms both in London and the UK. 16+ entry is, therefore, highly sought after by prospective pupils and parents seeking an outstanding independent sixth form for girls and boys.
The application process outlined below follows a similar pattern every year, with registration and open day dates for the following year’s entry being published in February of the year before, so please check back at the end of February 2027 for details for 2028 entry and so on.
Please read all the information below carefully and use our registration age checker to find out when you are able to apply for your child to join the School at 16+ entry, and to view the registration timeline.
16+ Entry Steps
Registration
- Online registration for Sixth Form begins the year before entry. Registration for Sixth Form entry in September 2027 opens on 1 June 2026 and closes on 30 September 2026; the bursary application deadline is Wednesday 23 September 2026 – for further information about bursaries and how to apply, please refer to the Bursaries and Scholarships page.
- As part of the application process and as outlined in School Fees, parents are asked to pay a registration fee, followed by an entrance fee and an acceptance deposit if their child is offered a place. Any parent who is applying for a bursary to Westminster for their child, and feels unable to pay one or more of these fees, may also qualify for a waiver when being considered for a bursary.
How many candidates apply for Sixth Form entry each year?
Around 600 to 650 candidates apply and sit the entrance exams each year. Approximately 190 candidates are invited to interview and we offer between 75 and 85 places, with a waiting list.How many girls apply compared with boys?
The great majority of candidates are girls, but we have a significant number of boy applicants. All applications are treated in exactly the same way.Is it easier to gain entry by applying for a boarding or a day place?
Selection is based entirely upon academic criteria regardless of whether a candidate wishes to board.
School Visit
To get a sense of what being a pupil in Westminster’s Sixth Form is like, you and your child can join us for one of two open days, with introductory talks and tours of the School. We hold an open day in June and September every year, with online booking opening on 1 April.
The next two open days for 2027 entry take place on Saturday 13 June and Monday 7 September 2026. For more information and to arrange a 16+ visit, please complete the booking form.
If I am unable to make an open day, how else can I visit the School?
If you are unable to attend either of the open day events, there will be some 13+ tour dates offered in September for Sixth Form candidates, however we do not know the availability until the beginning of term in September. These tours also get booked up weeks in advance so do come to the Open Day in June or September if you can. The School does not run 16+ tours. Please email the Admissions Department for further information.
Entrance Examination
- To help the School select pupils for the next 16+ intake, applicants are required to take an examination in November of the year before they join the School. As part of the registration process, each candidate is asked to select the four subjects they wish to study at A Level, in which they will be asked to sit an entrance examination. Please refer to our Sixth Form subject choices page for more information and guidance about subject blocks.
- For 2027 entry, examinations will take place on Saturday 7 November 2026, from 9.00am until 2.00pm at Westminster School.
- Candidates sit a 45-minute exam in each of the four subjects selected. There is information about the examination requirements for each subject within our department pages.
Are past papers available and how are exams set?
Some subjects have offered sample papers while others have provided information on what to expect from each. On the Sixth Form subject choices page, you can click on subjects for specific details, including entrance requirements and exam information, giving you an idea of what to expect from each.I live overseas. Can I sit the entrance exams in my country?
Overseas candidates have the option to sit their entrance exams at their local British Council.
Interviews
Pupils who have performed most strongly in the examinations will be invited for interviews at Westminster in late November; candidates not being invited for interviews will be notified in writing, via email, at the same time. The interview day for 2027 entry will be Saturday 28 November 2026, from 9.00am until 2.00pm. All candidates who are invited, including those from overseas, will need to attend the interviews in person on that day. Candidates invited to interview will complete the following:
- 15-minute interviews in each of their four examination subjects
- 15-minute general interview
- 45-minute Interview Day Assessment
Before the interviews, we will write to the Head of the candidate’s current school for a reference to support our selection process.
Can I sit my interviews online?
All candidates invited, including those from overseas, must attend the interviews in person.
Offer of a place
Offers of places will be sent out in December. Some candidates will be placed on a waiting list, and will be contacted if they are going to be offered a place. 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 in the subjects to be studied at A Level.
If an overseas applicant is studying for alternative qualifications to GCSE/IGCSE, this offer is conditional on satisfactory academic progress and we should receive copies of any further public examination results.
For September 2027 entry, offer holders will be invited to spend a day at the School in March 2027. By this time, they will have been allocated to houses, so this will be an opportunity to get to know the other pupils going into the same house and also to meet existing pupils. They will also meet their housemasters for the first time. There will be another opportunity to meet with housemasters after (I)GCSE examinations and before the summer holidays.
Further Information
How do I choose between day and boarding?
The decision about whether to apply for a boarding or day place will need to be decided before 16+ registration.
Prospective pupils and parents can choose to visit a boarding house as part of their tour of the School during a Sixth Form Open Day, to see if it is for them. While we will always aim to respect any boarding house preferences, we cannot guarantee that a candidate will be allocated the house they have requested. All our houses offer the same high standard of pastoral care, and when assigning boys and girls, we aim to ensure each house has a balanced mix of talents and backgrounds. If a child is awarded a King’s Scholarship at 16+, they are required to board in College.
Boarding is weekly, term-time only, with Saturday morning school. Some Sixth Form boarders stay at School at weekends, but the site is typically quiet on Saturday nights.
Overseas Applicants
The School welcomes international boarders at 16+ entry: candidates from overseas should refer to the Overseas Applicants page for further details about applying to the School and for information on being an international boarder in the Sixth Form.
Study Skills
The School should be informed of any particular needs, including details of exam concessions and copies of relevant diagnostic reports via the online registration form. It should be noted that exam concessions previously agreed will not automatically transfer; regulations state that a new application must be made post-(I)GCSE. For more details, see Westminster School’s Protocol for Exam Concessions, available within the online registration.
For those pupils who do go on to study at Westminster, there is an experienced Learning Development Team to offer guidance and support for pupils who might benefit from specialist input.
How do I apply for bursaries and scholarships?
We offer a range of bursaries and scholarships at Westminster. For further information and how to apply, please refer to the Bursaries and Scholarships page.
