Westminster Abbey Choir School, London
Westminster Abbey Choir School is an independent school for boys aged 8 to 13 in London. It has an Anglican religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in March 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Westminster Abbey Choir School in detail
Westminster Abbey Choir School in its own words
In its own words: "The purpose-built school, set in the heart of the Abbey precincts, offers a complete preparatory school boarding education but tailored precisely to the needs of choristers. Westminster Abbey Choir School is a school like no other! Believed to have been founded around 1560, we are the only remaining choir school in the United Kingdom which exclusively educates choristers."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Westminster Abbey Choir School are Westminster School (under 0.1 miles); The Fountain Christian School (0.4 miles); Westminster Cathedral Choir School (0.5 miles, selective); and Westminster Under School (0.5 miles, selective).
Westminster SchoolThe Fountain Christian SchoolWestminster Cathedral Choir SchoolWestminster Under School
Who goes there
In 2026, 6 pupils (22.2%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is St James's Park Station, about 260 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
19 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Westminster Abbey (->s), 20 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3058 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, other theft and theft from the person. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westminster (2033), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
3 March 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
7 February 2023
Regulatory Compliance
21 November 2018
Integrated
10 November 2015
About
Westminster Abbey Choir School is a boarding preparatory school for boys in Westminster, and the only remaining choir school in the United Kingdom which exclusively educates choristers. It is located in Dean's Yard, by Westminster Abbey.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby independent schools
Keep up with Westminster Abbey Choir School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 193
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 41
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 193 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 41 serious and 152 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
39 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Westminster is 185 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
84%
Available places
27 pupils
32 places
5 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Westminster council
Places available
1,754
Applications
901
Got 1st preference
65.8%
Got preferred school
92.7%
All secondary applications across Westminster council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
6
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
22.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
27
Total Pupils
27
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Westminster Abbey Choir School
When was Westminster Abbey Choir School last inspected?
Westminster Abbey Choir School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in March 2026.
How many pupils go to Westminster Abbey Choir School?
Westminster Abbey Choir School has around 27 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Westminster Abbey Choir School?
Westminster Abbey Choir School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Westminster Abbey Choir School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 193 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 41 serious and 152 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 3 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 39 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Westminster is 185 (the median across 93 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Westminster Abbey Choir School?
Westminster Abbey Choir School is at Dean's Yard, London, SW1P 3NY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)