Westminster City School
90%
Capacity
800
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About Westminster City School
Westminster City School was rated Good by Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school's Progress 8 score sits at 0.09, meaning pupils achieve slightly above the national average progress across their eight best GCSE subjects. This places the school in the 'Average' progress banding nationally, though it ranks 10th out of 11 secondary schools in the Westminster local authority, where the average Progress 8 score is considerably higher at 0.51. The Attainment 8 score of 50.7 indicates that a typical pupil achieves the equivalent of a strong pass across their best eight qualifications. At GCSE, 74.6% of pupils secured a grade 4 or above in English and maths, while 50.9% achieved the higher grade 5 threshold. The school's EBacc average point score of 4.3 reflects solid performance in the core academic subjects, though only 26.3% of pupils entered the full EBacc suite.
In the sixth form, the school continues to deliver outcomes in line with national expectations. The value added score of 0.05 shows that A-level students make typical progress compared with similar prior attainers, and the average points per entry of 36.1 equates to a B- grade. Just under 9% of entries achieved grades of AAB or higher in at least two facilitating subjects. The sixth form provision was previously graded as requiring improvement in 2010, but the school's most recent ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed that it 'remains Good' overall. With 128 pupils in the sixth form, the school offers a reasonably sized post-16 cohort. The school's Progress 8 score in open subjects (0.18) is stronger than in English (0.07) or maths (0.11), suggesting particular strength in the EBacc and non-core subjects that pupils choose.
Westminster City School is a Christian boys' secondary school with a co-educational sixth form, located in the heart of Westminster. It is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 267 applications for 117 places, with 61 first-preference offers made. The school serves a diverse community, with 44.6% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities include science labs, a sixth form centre, sports hall, theatre, playing fields, gymnasium, astro turf, and a chapel. The school offers a wide range of sports including football, rowing, swimming, and martial arts, plus clubs such as Debate, Model UN, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Its SEND provisions cover nine categories including dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. This is a school that suits families seeking a strongly oversubscribed, faith-based boys' school with a good Ofsted rating and a sixth form, in central London.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Boys |
| Religious Character | Christian |
| Address | 55 Palace Street, London, Westminster, SW1E 5HJ |
| Headteacher | Peter Broughton |
| Local Authority | Westminster |
| Number of Pupils | 800 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 44.6% |
| School Capacity | 800 / 890 (90% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
23 Mar 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (23 Mar 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 8 Feb 2013. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.09)
1318th of 3,141
Nationally
329th of 487
In London
10th of 11
In Westminster
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
34.9
'22/23
34.5
'23/24
36.1
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where school leavers go
2022/2382%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 83 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
36%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)82%
- Employment11%
- Apprenticeship4%
- Not sustained1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed117
267
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
61 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian14.8%
- White (other)10.5%
- Mixed9.5%
- White British4.9%
- Black3.3%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
18
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
11
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Westminster City School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
55 Palace Street, London
Westminster, SW1E 5HJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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