Westminster School

Glad to hear the drug-taking has eased a bit. I think you have to be realistic that it will go on in a school with that location, but when I was there it was excessive I think. Not difficult to avoid if you weren't into it - so not an issue of horrible peer-pressure - but nevertheless pervasive and really sabotaged some boys.

Very much agree about the focus on real interest rather than grades, a great strength. Also on reflection agree that it may be harder to get in as a boarder for sixth-form, where there are very limited places and considerable demand.

Also very much agree that if it's going to be a slog to get in you'd probably be doing the child a disservice by sending them. But that's probably true for most of these highly academic schools. Support for dyslexia though is very good. And for quirks/oddities in general.

I'm a lecturer so now see the products of these schools from the perspective of university admissions/undergraduate teaching, which is interesting. Westminsters renowned for a bit of a slump at university!

My DH was at St Pauls and my DS got a place although we turned it down as we wanted boarding. It does what it says on the can there's no meaningless ritual, no fancy uniform, no standing on pointless ceremony. Its a 21st century school with a 21st century ethos the campus has a real university feel about it. We felt very strongly it wasn't for the fainthearted. When my DH was there you were not allowed to do things like art unless you were very obviously talented and we very much got the impression it was the same if not more so now. (My DH who showed no obvious talent at art now draws as part of his job!) The boys at my sons school believe that their friends at St Pauls are expected to work harder than they are although I'm not sure if this is true or just their perception.

I looked at it three times every time wanting to hate it so that I could just concentrate on our eventual choice every time I came away bowled over. I think its a wonderful school.
Paulines have a particular manner which some may not like and label as arrogance! My husband can recognise a Pauline just by talking to them on the phone. He's had a 100% success rate of late although all of course are now grown up so maybe things have changed but I doubt it!

Is St Paul's equally not for the fainthearted? If so, in what ways? What about the level of pastoral care? We were put off Westminster, as the level of drug taking was appalling when my brother was there 20 years ago, though I'm sure things are better now...

I dont disagree with the confidence remark though this has not been our experience at all.

The focus has been on learning and enjoying learning, rather than results which has suited DS fine. He has friends who are much cleverer than him but so what. He also has friends who don't star as all round academics but who have some astonishingly quirky talents. There is lots of scope to pursue interests through societies, house competitions, etc so plenty of opportunities to make your mark. The common factor for him and his friends is that they all seem very happy. His group is not particularly cool, so no sign of drugs. I would be surprised if Westminster was the only school in England who did not have a certain level of "experimentation", but there seems to be a general consensus that it is not as "druggy" as it was a decade or two back.

The only issue we have spotted is a level of fatigue from those who may have started young. If a child is having to be prepared heavily for 7+ entry to WUS, and then has to slog for Common Entrance, there is a danger that they see getting into the school as the achievement and then flop or can't find the extra motivation to then slog for the remaining public exams, and then Oxbridge entry. The fact that there are a number of really very very bright students to whom most things seem to come easily, would then be quite demoralising. If getting in is going to be a real effort, it could end up counter productive.

Our experience is that pastoral care is very strong, certainly from a day pupil perspective, where the whole boarding school house structure is in place so a house master and tutors who support pupils through their school career. Westminster is much more of a boarding school than we had expected and there is scope for a day pupil to spend a lot of time at school, effectively 6 days a week from breakfast to dinner with Saturday school and matches. Though not great, obviously, if you have a long commute, six rather than five days a week.

I dont know much about boarding other than to observe that boys switch regularly from one to the other. The availability of boarding is a real attraction for London families who have international or dual careers, so boarders are often local, some living within walking distance of the school. I dont think boarding is the easy way in any more. Indeed for sixth form it is probably the reverse.

Point of (possibly irrelevantf) detail: "It was used for the BBC1 indent showing trapeze artists on red ribbons hanging from the very high ceiling" - that was filmed at the RHS Linley Hall, part of which has now been acquired for the school's use.

NB that I still have quite a lot of contact with the school but these comments are based mostly on my experience so things may have changed.

Boarding is irrelevant to admissions I think. But it's not an ideal school for boarders without family/friends fairly close by because it is really a weekly-boarding school. School very dead on Sundays and not much put on for them. So I think that's why most boarders are surprisingly local. Definitely not a school I'd choose for, say, a 13 year old with parents abroad, they seemed pretty glum at weekends. Still has a sizable boarding population (about a third I think) but a very different culture from most boarding schools.

Boarding also takes the edge off the 6 day week so quite a few start out as day boys but board, say, during GCSE year or in 6th form.

I agree with the confidence issues. I knew boys who were set for all As at GCSE and A level, could act, sing and play an instrument well and spent the whole time feeling mediocre. (Though a lot of them have gone on to do interesting things.) I think that could be quite tough. On the other hand it did fantastically well by children who would have been failed badly almost anywhere else - curriculum almost infinitely extendable for the very brightest, and huge school tolerance for quirks and oddities. Also genuinely intellectual - as opposed to results-oriented - atmosphere amongst both pupils and staff. Very impressive from that point of view. Teaching was top-notch and many members of staff have doctorates/are still engaged in research of various kinds.

Quite rough-and-tumble socially and pastorally and did I mention the drugs? Even boarders - especially boarders - need good home support I'd say.

Based on a couple of conversations with current pupils there can be confidence issues created in the pupils. 50% of the school to go to oxbridge. That can leave the other half feeling as though they have failed even though they are still incredibly successful in absolute terms. Even those who go on to get oxbridge firsts still dont seem to think this is good enough so could be problematic for sensitive souls.

Interesting comment above on the headmaster. He seems to be considered to be too concerned with image where traditionally the culture was more about substance.

Lots of people come from london but board - presumably to get a place more easily?

Lovely buildings and setting, but the 6 day week seems heavy going. Would love to send my ds though that is never going to happen.

Old gym was indeed a shocker. Though actually it was known as the "new gym". The old old gym even worse . . .

I was at Westminster. Fantastic school but not for the faint-hearted. I don't like the current headmaster much but he won't be around for ever.

I had an amazing time - better than being an undergraduate - but when I was there (more than fifteen years ago) the food was inedible, the pastoral care pretty hit-and-miss and drugs rampant. I'd want to verify improvement in these areas if considering a boarding place. Probably less important for a day boy. Overall, life-changing for the right child but potentially tough and demoralising for the wrong one so I would think carefully and be led by your son's feelings/enthusiasm.

It is an absolutely fabulous school, but not for all. I would be tempted to take your cue from your son. Do his eyes light up in the yard with both the Abbey and Parliament forming a backdrop, does he love the historic library with a maze of hidden rooms, does he like the idea of venturing out across one of the world's great cities to get to science, music, drama or sport, and the sense of a history of education on the site going back a 1,000 years.

Or does he much prefer the vast playing fields at St Pauls or elsewhere, and a more traditional school structure. There are, as suggested above, some real compromises that come with going to school in the centre of the city. If the school and its setting does not capture his imagination he might be better off elsewhere.

DS is convinced that Mika's "We are Golden" is written about his time at Westminster - with a chorus of "running around again, running for running".

Questions therefore might be around the extent of the compromises that have to be made, eg sport (upside is that there are lots of different sports on offer, downside is a restricted amount of team sports.)

Not surprised you were not shown the old gym. It was buried under the Abbey and was pretty shocking. New one though is amazing. It was used for the BBC1 indent showing trapeze artists on red ribbons hanging from the very high ceiling.

You can tell your son the food is really good. That, from a child's perspective usually counts for something.

Ask about the new gym which I think opens in September, on my visit the registrar (who was showing me around) refused to let me see the old one ! I have since learnt he is not keen on sport and thus puts very little emphasis on sport during the tour. As a very central London school I found everything quite compact, e.g. the theatre is compact, the science labs are in a narrow tall building etc, Worth pushing on your odds of getting a place and what they are looking for - I am told maths ability is key (by my DS's headmaster) with the result that a weakness in English may well be overlooked. Post my visit and a subsequent further visit to see a boarding house still not sure, the academics results are impressive BUT ...I am going to ask to go back for another visit with someone other that the registrar. No opportunity to meet a boy or indeed any teachers on my first visit but lots of stuff about historical benefactors such as AA Milne and what a great location the school had. Finally worth thinking about how your DC will get to school 6 days a week, I must admit the tube in rush hour does put me off .