Westminster Abbey Choir School

[EduCativ]

The purpose-built school, set in the heart of the Abbey precincts, offers a complete preparatory school boarding education but is tailored precisely to the needs of choristers.
The Choir School is all but unique in that it is entirely dedicated to looking after the thirty or so boys who sing in Westminster Abbey as choristers. We offer a highly subsidized, first-class, all-around education within what is a secure, happy, and supportive environment. We aim to provide the best possible experience specifically for choristers, which prepares them for the next stage of their schooling, and indeed for adult life, whatever path they later choose to follow.
These website pages can only offer an impression of the school and its activities. If you know of a boy aged between about 7 and 10 who would enjoy singing in this world-famous choir, would be delighted to meet you and to show you the school and something of the life of a Westminster Abbey Chorister. It could be a life-changing experience, as it has been for so many boys in the past. Do please contact us at any time.
The school surely has one of the most generous staff to pupil ratios anywhere. With just 30 boys in the school, year groups are very small with normally between only five to seven boys in each. These small groups are taught by subject specialist staff, with excellent facilities, in dedicated curriculum areas. While the teachers are passionate about their subjects, they appreciate entirely the demands made on choristers and we can tailor the school day around the needs of the individual boys.
Perhaps even more important is the pastoral care that is possible within so small a community. Boys, their parents, and school staff all work together closely to ensure the happiness and welfare of the boys.
The Choir School provides a complete academic education but is tailored directly towards choristers.
Classes are arranged by year group – just as in other schools – though they are considerably smaller, with an average class size of six or seven. Such small classes allow an imaginative teaching style and plenty of individual attention. We teach the full range of subjects with excellent modern facilities and subject specialist classrooms. Expectations are high and pupils are routinely able to reach a very high standard at Common Entrance (or occasionally academic scholarship) in preparation for moving on to some of the most academically selective senior schools at the end of Year 8, many with valuable scholarships and bursaries.
With such small classes, it is possible to offer considerable support within the normal classroom setting. Where we think that a boy would benefit from a short spell of one-to-one teaching this can usually be arranged with our learning support teacher who visits every week. He can make a general assessment and advise on strategies to adopt in the mainstream classroom. For a more detailed educational assessment, we advise parents to seek an educational psychologist’s report, the cost of which is borne by parents.

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