Westminster School is a co-educational, independent day and boarding school in London for pupils aged 13–18
In the very heart of London, it is a place of intellectual ambition — where enquiry, debate and independent thought sit at the centre of school life. Academic success is not the goal but the outcome: a result of curiosity, rigorous teaching and a culture in which pupils are expected to question, challenge and think beyond the limits of any syllabus.
Outside the classroom, pupils lead busy and creative lives — founding societies, producing plays, making music, competing in sport and shaping the rhythm of the school themselves. This is matched by a strong and thoughtful pastoral framework, ensuring each pupil is known, supported and able to flourish.
Westminster is mature and collegiate, distinctive among independent schools in London as an inherently grown-up place of secondary education at the centre of the world’s foremost liberal and progressive city — a global superpower of political, cultural, scientific, sporting, economic and diplomatic influence. Renowned museums, galleries, libraries, theatres and churches are just a short walk away. It is within this setting that our community of individuals, who share a love of learning, come together to engage with and change the world around them.
Dr Gary Savage
“Westminster is a truly remarkable place. It is a School like no other, in the heart of one of the world’s most extraordinary cities. The education we provide is grounded in what our founder, Queen Elizabeth I, herself demanded: liberal instruction in good books across the full range of academic disciplines. A properly liberal education seeks to cultivate curiosity, critical thinking and creativity, rooted in rigour and respect. It places a premium on the co-curriculum, including sport, music, drama and expeditions.
Pupils develop both their capacity to absorb knowledge and skills, and the confidence to question, reshape, and use what they have learned to engage meaningfully with the world. Above all, that confidence comes from being cared for and nurtured by our highly qualified and compassionate teachers in the classroom, the day or boarding House, and across the whole school community. It sets our pupils up for a life of learning, reward and achievement – and the ability and willingness to make positive a difference in the world. I hope this is a vision you find appealing: it is one to which everyone at Westminster is committed.”
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Westminster School FAQs
Is Westminster School a secondary school?
The term secondary school generally refers to schools that educate pupils aged 11 to 18 (Years 7 to 13). Westminster School admits pupils from age 13 (Year 9) through to age 18 (Year 13), and is therefore not technically a secondary school. Westminster Under School provides education for younger pupils, up until age 13 (Year 8). For more information about the five entry points across our two schools, please visit our admissions pages.
Westminster School’s secondary education from Years 9 to 13 identifies it as a traditional public school.