Why choose Westminster?
Westminster School has many great features. We aim to offer students every opportunity at School, with our small class sizes and a wide range of subjects and co-curricular choices. Regardless of a student’s particular strength or area of interest, we have an enthusiastic & specialist teacher, excellent program and outstanding facility for the student to pursue that subject to their maximum potential. This helps students identify their possible directions for life after school by achieving their academic potential, exposure to the arts and involvement in sport. They also develop their mental health, resilience, self esteem and confidence through our pastoral care programs.
Westminster offers both curricular and co-curricular (outside of school hours) choices. Some of the areas we offer courses in are Mathematics, Science, English & Humanities, Information Technology, Agriculture, VET/tech, Inclusion and Enrichment, German, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese languages, business subjects, the arts, sport, and outdoor education.
Within the arts we have visual arts and performing arts. Within performing arts we have music, drama and dance. Within each of those we have compulsory and elective subjects and a huge choice of co-curricular activities, tours and performances as well. Within visual arts we have art practical, art theory, photography, fashion and textiles, graphic design and arts tours. It’s an amazing range and depth of opportunity.
Sport and Outdoor Education are robust parts of our curriculum to the end of Year 12 as well as fundamental pillars of our camp program and co-curricular activities. We have 140 sporting teams, outstanding facilities, a positive culture of involvement in sport and a stunning history of achievement in Outdoor Education.
Year level of Entry
Early Learning Centre
When your son or daughter is three years old they can start in our Early Learning Centre. Please complete an application form as soon as possible after your child is born. As long as your son or daughter has turned three and is ready, from a social and independent toilet training perspective, they are able to spend time in an early learning centre. Often three year olds start with two full days only. This increases to three or four full days just before they turn five and start in Reception, the first year level of formal schooling. Of course, the number of days may be less than 10 (i.e. five full days). Students can progress from the ELC to begin in Reception at the start of the year in January or the middle of the year at the start of Semester 2, late in July. Our Early Years experts work with families to ensure the timing of transition steps are ideally suited to each student’s individual readiness.
Years 1 to 7
Generally we have a small number of places available in each year level in the Primary School. Please contact our Genius Plus Education to confirm this availability
Year 8
In Year 8, we usually have five classes, up from three classes in Year 7. We have many students from public schools and other private schools join us at the start of Year 8. It is our highest number external intake year. We have a formal orientation program including an information night, orientation day and a staggered first day.
Year 10
Year 10 is an excellent year to start at Westminster. We have students starting in Year 10 from public schools, other private schools, and country and overseas students entering our boarding houses. We have a great three year (Years 10, 11, and 12) finishing school program supporting student’s preparation for life after school.
International Student Program
Westminster School welcomes international students of all nationalities and faiths who wish to experience the excellent standards of education, high-level integrated technology and various opportunities to develop academic skills in friendly, safe, multicultural communities.
We offer an extensive range of subjects, foreign languages, sports, outdoor education, creative arts, music, leadership and exchange programs around the world. We also provide individual learning plans and support to international students in order to ensure not only their academic progress, but also their physical safety and emotional wellbeing.Westminster School is very proud of the academic success that international students have achieved over many years and most of them continue their tertiary education at internationally recognised universities in Australia, England, America, Japan or China.
Westminster School is located in Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. The school is an Early Learning Centre to Year 12, coeducational, day and boarding school. The school has approximately 1100 students in total, and each year Westminster School has approximately 40 international students enrolled across our Preparatory and Senior Schools.
Westminster School has strong communication links with the parents of current and graduated international students. The Principal, Mr Bousfield regularly travels to many Asian and European countries to meet international students and their families. As a part of the International Student Program, the International Student Coordinator (Mrs Jing Zhou) holds the Overseas Parents Meeting every year in major cities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. This is the great opportunity for parents to find out how their child develops learning and interpersonal skills, both on and off campus.
Boys’ Boarding
Our Boy Boarders’ reside in our newly constructed Boarding House. The new facility which is situated adjacent to the new purpose built co-educational recreation room, comprises 24 single and 24 double rooms. Bathrooms are shared between rooms and there are 4 specific break out areas throughout each floor and an infirmary.
Girls’ Boarding
Our female boarders reside in comfortable, modern air conditioned home units on the southern boundary of the School. Four girls generally share each unit, with the seniors (Years 11 and 12) having their own room and the younger girls (Years 7 to 10) sharing a double room with one other student. Each unit has a kitchen, bathroom, laundry and lounge room.
Westminster School is proud to be a member of the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA) which serves to support and develop best practice in residential communities across Australia.
The Boarding Experience
With a dedicated team of experienced, professional and supportive staff, modern facilities, and a welcoming ‘family’ atmosphere, Westminster School has steadily grown to become one of South Australia’s largest coeducational boarding schools. We welcome boarding students from Years 7 to 12 from a diverse range of backgrounds, and boast a large population of country students.
Our boarding students enjoy our:
- modern, comfortable air conditioned accommodation
- safe and secure family environment
- healthy, home-style, flexible meals
- broad range of subject choices
- extensive sporting, outdoor education and performing and visual arts opportunities
- innovative Agricultural Studies program and on-site farm
- dedicated, caring boarding-support staff and tutors
- networked computing facilities
- excellent facilities, including our indoor heated pool and extensive grounds
- academic support from specialised teachers/tutors
- structured weekly social activities.
Our boarding families enjoy the peace of mind that comes with our:
- easy, reliable email and phone access to home
- firm but fair discipline
- welcoming parent support networks, including our Boarders Parents’ Association
- accessible boarding staff, House Heads and subject teachers
- regular School newsletters and bulletins
- on-site nursing and tutoring staff
- highly professional, committed teaching staff
- excellent academic standards
- ‘whole person’ approach, encouraging the development of friendship networks
and self-esteem, responsible independence and resilience - secure and ‘tucked away’, but convenient, location
Boarding Facilities
Our boarding students enjoy living in a safe and healthy rural oasis in the heart of the inner southern suburbs, a stone’s throw from Brighton beach and the Westfield Marion retail complex, and only 15 minutes from the Adelaide CBD.
Boarders take full advantage of our on-campus facilities, which include our:
- Sports and Swimming Centre, featuring a 10-lane heated indoor pool,
multi-purpose courts, rock-climbing wall and weights room - extensive, beautifully landscaped grounds
- state-of-the-art performing arts and music rehearsal facilities
- comfortable dining facilities
- fully supported computing network
At the start of the year the Boarding House will open from 9.00 am (for new boarders) and 1.00 pm (for returning boarders).
School dismisses at 1.00 pm on the last day of each term. When boarders return after their holiday break at the start of each term the Boarding House will open from 9.00 am. In certain circumstances earlier returns can be arranged with the relevant Head of Boarding.
Exeats
There are eight exeats in our School year, two per term. These are weekends on which all students leave the Boarding House and go home or stay with friends or relatives. They provide an important break to the regimen of boarding life. The Boarding House reopens from 6.00 pm on the last day of exeats. In certain circumstances earlier returns can be arranged with the relevant Head of Boarding.
Social Activities or weekend activities
Boarders are involved in many social activities. They are given the opportunity to meet up with students from other boarding school at “socials”; usually six a year.
Other activities that are organised include ice skating, bowling, movie nights, theatre productions, youth groups and Master Chef Cook Up in Girls’ Boarding.
Health
Boarders are looked after by the Housemothers. The staff are able to organise appointments for the boarders and will often accompany them. They will always keep the parents informed and if the health of a boarder is affecting their schooling then teachers will also be notified. Boarders are also cared for by the staff in the First Aid Centre during the day if they are unable to attend School.
Co-curricular activities
When possible, Housemothers will take the boarders to their cocurricular sport if it is outside of the School. Otherwise taxis are booked to transport them. The boarders will be given Cab Charges to pay the fee.
Westminster School is proud to be a member of the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA) which serves to support and develop best practice in residential communities across Australia.
Link to School Website: http://www.westminster.sa.edu.au/Pages/Home.aspx