Westminster Under school vs City of London

[essexuser]

Dear All
If you're given a choice, would you choose Westminster Under school or City of London? I know it's personal choice and circumstances etc. but are there any good points to consider in choosing one school over other?

your response is very important for us!

Thanks,

[Cantchangeusernameback]

Does WUS still do Saturday morning catchup lessons in Latin for those entering at 11+?
Yes and they would be starting in a very few weeks which is why I am a little that Master Essexuser seems to be holding two places at the moment.

[essexuser]

@Cantchangeusernameback,

FYI, I'm not holding two places. I've to forgo one before accepting another.

[disappoint15]

But you must be holding two places at the moment because the deadlines for acceptance were several weeks ago. X

[Ladymuck]

At this time of year, schools will be offering to their waitlist.

[essexuser]

@Ladymuck, thanks! That's correct.

[originalmavis]

(Do you think essexuser is Microsoft The?)

[Needmoresleep]

DS did not go to the Under School. Unless you actual get a scholarship it makes not one bit of difference whether you have entered via CE or The Challenge. Yes scholarship boys will have been stretched a bit more, but for most this should be a positive. WUS has some very bright students.

I'm finding some of the comments about vile and pushy parents quite disconcerting. Are these aimed at ALL Westminster parents.

There are pushy parents at all London private schools. There are a lot of ambitious people in London, full stop. My experience is that Westminster is good at dealing with this aspect of modern life. The house system means parents have a single and consistent point of contact with the school. DS' Housemaster was great and quick to swing into action the one time we had a problem. People you see at open days can be very different to parents you meet later. Possibly because a small number will stand out. The Head at Westminster is very impressive and sets great store about education being a privilege and responsibility. Lots of quotes from Eminent Victorians. It is absolutely not about an exam factory pushing kids to get the grades so they can go off and earn lots of money.

[Cookingwine]

So you would turn down a 25% academic scholarship from City from which you must have paid the deposit of a first term fees for a wait list place at Westminster? Is Westminster that good? Maybe it is...

[jeanne16]

Having experience of a number of London private schools, I would have to say that Westminster was the least 'exam factory'. They genuinely still give their pupils an education, rather than just prepping them for exams. A minority of their pupils don't thrive on this but for those that do, the benefits are huge. My DD found the transition from there to Uni very easy as she was taught to think for herself and to be a genuinely independent learner.

[sendsummer]

If you are unsure at this stage with no real pull to the Westminster package then another option would be for him to go to City but forgo the City scholarship. That would give your DS the flexibility to move to Westminster for sixth form should he wish to try. You will both have a much clearer idea then of the relative benefits of either school for him at that critical stage in his education. If he actually really enjoys learning for its own sake rather than seeing it as a means to an end then Westminster Senior school would have the edge.

[Cookingwine]

Don't remember having read anything about the conditions of the scholarship at City and pulling out for the sixth form?

[sendsummer]

Cooking I was assuming rather than knowing in the case of City. A fair number of schools do have terms that the scholarship may need to be paid back at least in part if the DC leaves.

[Lizzzar]

If you are paying full fees, yes Westminster would be more expensive at the senior level, but is a partial boarding school with more activities, Saturday school etc ( not everyone is keen) whereas City of London is a more basic day school type school. City of London is a former grammar,whereas Westminster was in the public schools act. But I don't think that makes most people at Westminster snobby. There are plenty of professional families struggling a bit to pay the fees, and you are also going to get City lawyers at both schools. Both schools also have bursaries at up to full fees, and people who otherwise couldn't attend. Both also have quite a London type mix of people, and people from ethnic minorities are frequent at both City and Westminster, although I'd say 50 per cent is a bit high, certainly for Westminster. So it's really down to what you prefer, and possibly if you want to save a bit on the fees.

[Lizzzar]

If you can pay the fees at Westminster Under, and change your mind about the senior school, it might well be possible that your child could still go to City with a good scholarship. Westminster Under does have excellent preparation for 13+ to other schools than Westminster, and it is not required to go to Westminster, although most boys do go on to Westminster as it is their first choice. You are also virtually certain of a place at Westminster if you go in at 11+ though, certainly if you have financial help. But I just remembered that my brother had a friend who moved from the Under School to City with a scholarship; I think partly for the scholarship and also they were Jewish and I think there might have been an issue with Saturday school (this isn't true if everyone). But if you are sure you want City I suppose it would make more sense to go in at 11.

[Lizzzar]

I just checked the City website, and it does look like they currently don't allow someone who's already been admitted at 11+ to also sit the 13+ pretest. Sorry I didn't know these are the current rules.

[GodlyAleb]

I'm a WUS student Wus is not for the faint hearted but you get straight into Westminster new policy.

[leeloo1]

@GodlyAleb would you mind giving a quick insight into how you're finding Wus? We're looking at it for 11+.