Westminster School facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Westminster School
Coat of arms
Address
Little Dean's Yard London, SW1P 3PF England
Coordinates	51°29′54″N 0°07′42″W / 51.4984°N 0.1284°W / 51.4984; -0.1284
Information
Type	Public school Independent day and boarding school
Motto	Latin: Dat Deus Incrementum (God Gives the Increase)
Religious affiliation(s)	Church of England
Established	Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560
Founder	Henry VIII (1541) Elizabeth I (1560 – refoundation)
Local authority	City of Westminster
Department for Education URN	101162 Tables
Chairman of Governors	Mark Batten
Head Master	Gary Savage
Staff	105
Gender	Boys Coeducational (Sixth Form)
Age	13 (boys), 16 (girls) to 18
Enrolment	747
Houses	Busby's      College      Ashburnham      Dryden's      Grant's      Hakluyt's      Liddell's      Milne's      Purcell's      Rigaud's      Wren's
Colour(s)	Pink
Publication	The Elizabethan
Former pupils	Old Westminsters

Westminster School is a famous public school located in Westminster, London, England. It sits right next to Westminster Abbey. The school started a very long time ago, with records showing it existed in the 14th century. It was officially re-established in 1560.

Westminster School is known for its excellent academic results. Many of its students go on to study at top universities like Oxbridge (Oxford and Cambridge). In 2023, over 82% of students achieved top grades in their A-Levels.

Boys can join the Under School at age seven and the Senior School at 13. Girls can join the Sixth Form (ages 16-18). About a quarter of the 750 students live at the school as boarders. The school's motto, Dat Deus Incrementum, means "God Gives the Increase." This comes from a Bible verse.

Many famous people have attended Westminster School. Three students won the Nobel Prize, including Edgar Adrian and Sir Andrew Huxley for science, and Sir Richard Stone for economics. The famous philosopher John Locke also went there. Seven former UK prime ministers were also students at Westminster School.

Westminster School is recognized as one of the world's best private schools. It is also among the top 30 senior schools in the UK.

School History

Little Dean's Yard seen from Liddell's Arch

The first records of a school at Westminster are from the 1340s. Some of the buildings used by the school today are even older, dating back to the 10th century.

The entrance to Dean's Yard and the school's war memorial in August 2012

In 1540, King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries, including Westminster Abbey. However, he made sure the school survived with a special royal order. Forty "King's Scholars" were supported by the royal family. By this time, Westminster School had become a "public school," meaning it was open to students who paid fees.

Queen Elizabeth I officially re-established the school in 1560. She set up new rules to choose 40 "King's Scholars" from boys who had been at the school for a year. Queen Elizabeth often visited her scholars. The year 1560 is now seen as the school's founding date.

Queen Elizabeth I appointed William Camden as Head Master. Later, Richard Busby, a former student, made the school very famous. He was known for his great knowledge and strict rules. He even prayed publicly for the King on the day King Charles I was executed. Busby stayed in charge through the Civil War and beyond.

In 1679, some scholars caused trouble with a local officer. Busby got a royal pardon for them from King Charles II. He then added the cost of the pardon to the students' school bills!

Liddell's Arch, the main entrance to Little Dean's Yard

For a long time, the school mainly taught Latin and Greek. Students were not always well-behaved outside school hours. In the 19th century, new laws changed how public schools were run. Westminster School became legally separate from the Abbey, but they still have a close connection.

Westminster School chose to stay in central London, unlike some other schools that moved out of the city. This was true even during difficult times like World War II, when the school's roof was damaged.

The Westminster Under School started in 1943. It is a separate school for younger students (ages seven to 13). It later moved to Vincent Square, where the school's playing fields are.

In 1967, the first girl was admitted to the school. Girls became full students in 1973. In 1981, a special boarding house for girls, Purcell's, was created.

In 2005, the school was part of a group of schools that worked together on setting fees. They were not aware that the law had changed. The schools agreed to pay a small penalty and contribute to a fund for students.

In 2013, the school worked with the Harris Federation to create Harris Westminster Sixth Form. This is a selective school for students aged 16-18, with a focus on helping those from less fortunate backgrounds. Students at Harris Westminster share some lessons and facilities with Westminster School.

In 2010, the school and the Abbey celebrated their 450th anniversary. Queen Elizabeth II unveiled a statue of Queen Elizabeth I in Little Dean's Yard.

The school is mostly located within the old monastery area of Westminster Abbey. Its main buildings are around Little Dean's Yard, which is known as "Yard." Other buildings are nearby, including Sutcliff's for subjects like Geography and Classics, and the Robert Hooke Science Centre.

Liddell's House and the school reception, seen from Dean's Yard

The school has expanded with new buildings for Drama, Music, and other subjects. It often uses St John's, Smith Square for big music concerts.

The School often uses St John's, Smith Square for major musical concerts.

College Garden, next to Little Dean's Yard, is believed to be England's oldest garden. The Houses of Parliament are also very close. Students have special access to the House of Commons. The Dark Cloister leads directly to Westminster Abbey, which serves as the school's chapel.

The school's playing fields are at Vincent Square, about half a mile away. This area was created for the school in 1810. The boathouse is further away at Putney, on the River Thames. The school's top rowing team still has the special right to land at the Houses of Parliament.

In 2011, the school bought a long-term lease for Lawrence Hall, London. This building, next to the playing fields, has been turned into a Sports Centre. It offers climbing, martial arts, fencing, and many other sports.

Westminster School is one of the most expensive independent schools in the UK. It has a very high percentage of students accepted into top universities. In 2017, it was ranked as the best boys' school in the country for GCSE results. In 2019, 84% of students achieved top grades in their A-Levels.

School Buildings

Westminster School is in the middle of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, surrounded by Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament. Many of its buildings are very old and important.

Several buildings, like the Great Cloisters and the dormitory, are listed as Grade I historic buildings. This means they are very special.

College Hall, built in the 14th century, was once the abbot's dining hall. It is still used daily for meals by students. Queen Elizabeth Woodville once took refuge here in 1483. In the 1560s, Queen Elizabeth I watched Latin plays performed here.

College, a building from 1729, overlooks College Garden. It was designed by the Earl of Burlington, based on ideas from Sir Christopher Wren.

School, the main hall, was originally built in the 1090s as a monks' dormitory. It is used for weekly Latin Prayers, exams, and big concerts. From 1599, it was used to teach all students. The school gateway has names of many students carved into it. The walls inside "School" are painted with the coats of arms of former students.

The phoenix on the school roof, added in the 1950s after World War II

Both School and College buildings had their roofs destroyed by bombs during World War II in 1941. They were reopened by King George VI in 1950.

Ashburnham House, as seen in 1880

Ashburnham House holds the library and the Mathematics Department. It was likely built around the 1600s. Its garden was once the site of the monks' dining area. In 1731, a fire here damaged many books and manuscripts that are now part of the British Library.

School Traditions

Students fight for the pancake, watched by the Dean of Westminster and the Head Master. Scales determine the winner.

The Greaze is a fun tradition held "up School" (in the School Hall) every Shrove Tuesday. The head cook tosses a pancake over a high bar. Students then fight to get the largest piece of the pancake. The winner receives a gold sovereign coin. The Dean of Westminster then asks for a half-holiday for the whole school.

Westminster's King's (or Queen's) Scholars have a special privilege. They are the first commoners to cheer for a new King or Queen at their coronation in Westminster Abbey. Their shouts of "Vivat Rex/Regina" ("Long live the king/queen!") are part of the coronation song. This tradition started with King James II.

The school is still Anglican, and students attend services in Westminster Abbey at least twice a week. The school was allowed to continue saying Latin prayers even after the Reformation. Every Wednesday, there is an assembly called Latin Prayers. The Head Master leads the school in chanting prayers in Latin. The school has its own special way of saying Latin, called "Westminster Latin."

The school also has a tradition of performing Latin plays, which dates back to medieval times. These plays often include funny comments about current events.

The King's Scholars have special access to the gallery in the House of Commons. This is said to be a way to stop them from climbing over the roofs of the Palace!

Westminster School has its own special words:

• Years 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are called Fifth Form, Lower Shell, Upper Shell, Sixth Form, and Remove.
• "Green" means Dean's Yard.
• "Yard" means Little Dean's Yard.
• "School" is the main school hall.
• "Sanctuary" is the area outside the Great West Door of the Abbey.
• "Fields" means Vincent Square.
• The word "up" is used to mean "at" or "towards" (e.g., "up School").

School Houses

Rigaud's House (far right), Grant's House (right), residence of the Master of the King's Scholars (centre), College (far left, top floors) and the Houses of Wren's and Dryden's (far left, ground floor)

The school is divided into 11 houses. Some are day houses, where students go home after school. Others are boarding houses, with a mix of students who live at school and those who go home. College is special because all King’s Scholars must live there.

Each house has a Housemaster, who is a teacher responsible for the students' well-being. There is also a Head of House, an older student who helps the Housemaster. The houses are named after important people connected to the school. Grant's is the oldest house for students who are not scholars.

Houses are important for student care, social events, and sports. All day houses are for both boys and girls. Most boarding houses also have both boys and girls.

At inter-house sporting events, students wear house T-shirts in house colours.

School Sports

Westminster School Boat Club's boathouse in Putney

The school has three Eton Fives courts. Students often compete nationally in rowing and fencing.

Westminster School Boat Club is the oldest rowing club in the world. It is located on the River Thames. The Oxford University Boat Club uses Westminster's boathouse for the annual Oxford and Cambridge boat race. The school's color is pink. Westminster rowers once raced Eton College to win the right to wear this color.

The school playing fields in Vincent Square

Since 1810, the school's main sports ground has been Vincent Square. This large area is used for football, cricket, tennis, and netball. At 13 acres, it is the biggest private green space in Central London. The school also uses other sports facilities nearby.

Westminster played in the first school cricket match against Charterhouse School in 1794.

Westminster also played a big role in developing Association Football (soccer). In the 1840s, students played football in the school's cloisters. This meant they had to develop a new style of play without much handling of the ball. This led to rules that allowed forward passing. By 1867, the Football Association adopted these rules. This is why modern football allows forward passing.

Head Masters

Notable Former Students

Many famous people have studied at Westminster School. They are known as "Old Westminsters." Here are a few examples:

• Richard Hakluyt (1553–1616), a writer
• Ben Jonson (1573–1637), a poet and playwright
• John Dryden (1631–1700), a poet and playwright
• John Locke (1632–1704), a famous philosopher
• Sir Christopher Wren (1632–1723), a famous architect
• Robert Hooke (1635–1703), a scientist
• Henry Purcell (1659–1695), a composer
• Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), a lawyer and philosopher
• A. A. Milne (1882–1956), the author of Winnie-the-Pooh
• Edgar Adrian, 1st Baron Adrian (1889–1977), a Nobel Prize winner
• Sir John Gielgud (1904–2000), a famous actor
• Richard Stone (1913–1991), a Nobel Prize winner in Economics
• Sir Andrew Huxley (1917–2012), a Nobel Prize winner in physiology
• Sir Peter Ustinov (1921–2004), an actor and writer
• Tony Benn (1925–2014), a politician
• Nigel Lawson (1932–2023), a former government minister
• Andrew Lloyd Webber (born 1948), a famous composer
• Helena Bonham Carter (born 1966), a well-known actress
• Nick Clegg (born 1967), a former Deputy Prime Minister
• Dido Armstrong (born 1971), a popular musician
• Michael Penniman (born 1983), a musician known as "Mika"
• Alfred Enoch (born 1988), an actor from the Harry Potter films

Victoria Cross Winners

Six former students of Westminster School have received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for bravery in the British armed forces:

• Edmund Henry Lenon (1830–1893)
• William George Hawtry Bankes (1836–1858)
• Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth (1868–1941)
• Arthur Martin-Leake (1874–1953), one of only three people to receive it twice
• William Hew Clark-Kennedy (1879–1961)
• Richard Wakeford (1921–1972)

Images for kids

• 

  A monument to commemorate former pupils who died in the Crimean War, situated in the Sanctuary, next to the Great West Door of Westminster Abbey

See also

In Spanish: Westminster School para niños

• List of the oldest schools in the world
• Old Westminsters F.C.
• Schools' Head of the River Race
• The Old Boys' Network