Westminster School history

In 1967, the first female pupil was admitted to the school.

Girls were first admitted in 1972.

Then in 1973 the School expanded its scope once again, admitting girls as full members of the school at 16+. Today the School proudly educates boys and girls in the Sixth Form and approximately 70 girls join the school each year.

In 1981, a single-sex boarding house, Purcell's, was created for girls.

In 1997 the school expanded further with the creation of a new day house, Milne's, at 5a, Dean's Yard.

In 2005 the school was one of 50 leading independent schools found guilty of running a cartel, exposed by The Times, which had allowed them to collaborate in uncompetitive fees for thousands of customers.

In 2007, the school responded to an invitation to become the sponsor of Pimlico School, which was due to be rebuilt as an academy, but decided not to do so after Westminster City Council developed its plans.

In 2010 the school and the abbey celebrated the 450th anniversary of the granting of their royal charter and Elizabeth I's refoundation of the school in 1560.

In May 2013, the school was criticised for staging an auction involving the selling of internships to fund bursaries, resulting in adverse press coverage.

Harris Westminster Sixth Form opened nearby in 2014; pupils of the academy share some lessons and facilities of the school.

The head of the statue came off in May 2016 after a Sixth Former (a pupil in Year 12) tried to climb onto the statue.