- Tucked inside the centre of Westminster, one of the world’s most famous schools has been educating boys since the 14th century and formally since 1540, and girls, in the sixth form, since 1973. It plans to introduce girls into year 9 in 2028 and to become fully coeducational by 2030.
- The school has strong academic expectations and equal cultural and extracurricular opportunities. Pupils are encouraged to take music lessons and join ensembles, musicals, plays, concerts and exhibitions. Year 9 and 10 pupils can join in with activities as varied as bookbinding, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme and robotics.
- Sixth formers lead lunchtime and after-school societies, following their passions, while Westminster has links with the Brent Centre for Young People, a mental health charity that offers therapeutic support to pupils.
- Means-tested bursaries of up to 100 per cent fee remission are available, and a dozen King’s Scholars are chosen each year to board at the day fee rate. Other scholarships are available for specialist talents, including the Henry Purcell organ scholarship.
- Notable former pupils include the poet George Herbert, the architect Sir Christopher Wren, the historian Edward Gibbon, the writer AA Milne, the spy Kim Philby, and briefly, the musician Shane MacGowan. The former chancellor of the exchequer Nigel Lawson, the politician and corporate executive Nick Clegg, the journalists and broadcasters Louis Theroux and Giles Coren, and the entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox also attended.
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