Alongside all of the sport, the arts, society talks and expeditions that sit outside of the school day, pupils in the Lower School and Upper School also have timetabled co-curricular commitments, which are worked into the week around lessons and are designed to complement the curriculum. These provide pupils with new and different opportunities to engage with less familiar concepts, with one another and with the world around them. Read below for further information.
Lower School
Pupils in Years 9 and 10 benefit from two or more, timetabled co-curricular activities, after School on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, as part of the Lower School Activities (LSA) programme. There are over 30 different classes and workshops available to them, run by a combination of teaching staff and outside specialists. Pupils may choose the same activities throughout the year, or switch to new ones each term. Included are academic, sports and musical activities, alongside such diverse pursuits as bookbinding, carpentry, robotics, board games, mythology and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
In Year 9, the LSA programme includes a specific component dedicated to PE. During their first half term, Year 9 pupils attend a compulsory PE LSA, which introduces them early on in their Westminster career to the Sports Centre as well as fitness tests, team sports, and education on nutrition and fitness. Many will choose to continue with at least one sports-based LSA in their Lower School career in addition to their Station commitments.
In addition, pupils in Year 9 take part in the School’s annual Arts Festival, in which they focus on art, drama and music. Visiting professionals run workshops and rehearse with them scenes on a chosen theme from plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, culminating in a final performance for parents and peers. During this week, pupils also visit key destinations in and around Westminster, such as Tate Britain and The Supreme Court, to study the local history and culture. The Festival celebrates the School’s royal founder, Queen Elizabeth I.