First, confirm the route and dates.
For September 2027 entry, Westminster’s written examinations are on 7 November 2026, with interviews on 28 November. Registration has closed. Families already applying should check the school’s correspondence for their individual arrangements.
Westminster’s official 16+ admissions information ↗
Work from the published requirements.
Start with the school’s current subject information and any sample material it provides. Check the subjects to be assessed, the format and practical instructions. Separate your revision list into secure topics, uncertain topics and topics that need rebuilding.
My experience at Westminster gives me a personal perspective on school life. It does not provide privileged access to assessment content or admissions decisions.
Match the preparation to the subject.
The published format is 25 non-calculator multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, with four marks for a correct answer and one deducted for an incorrect answer. Only the answer sheet is marked. Practise selecting an approach, checking and managing time; written reasoning is a learning tool, not an extra scoring category in this paper.
Official Maths requirements ↗The school describes questions that use unfamiliar ideas and supplied data, with no particular knowledge assumed beyond Key Stage 3. Practise connecting a given rule to a situation and explaining what the information tells you, alongside secure foundations.
Official Physics requirements ↗Further Maths candidates also sit a separate written paper. Check the school’s current subject guidance for the papers that apply to your child. These formats should inform preparation; they do not make every school’s assessment the same.
Practise reasoning, as well as answers.
In Maths, try describing why each step is valid and whether another method would be more efficient. In Physics, connect the relevant idea to the information in the question, keep track of units and check whether the result makes sense.
Can a rectangle with perimeter 24 cm have area greater than 36 cm²?
Explain why your conclusion applies to every rectangle with that perimeter, not just the examples you try.
See one line of reasoning
If the side lengths are x and y, then x + y = 12. The area is x(12 − x), which can be written as 36 − (x − 6)².
A square is non-negative, so the area cannot exceed 36 cm². Equality occurs when both sides are 6 cm.
A useful follow-up: explain why taking the sides further away from 6 cm reduces the area.
An original teaching example, not an official Westminster question or a prediction of assessment content.
Use short feedback loops.
- Attempt a small set of questions independently.
- Classify errors: missing knowledge, misreading, an unhelpful approach or inaccurate execution.
- Practise the underlying idea, then return to a related problem.
- Explain a solution aloud without reading a prepared script.
Make a realistic plan for the time left.
Prioritise recurring gaps and high-value subject foundations. Protect time for schoolwork and rest, and avoid treating every difficult question as a reason to add more hours. The plan should be manageable for your child.
Where tuition can fit.
A diagnostic can help identify priorities and make practice more focused. The 16+ Maths/Physics diagnostic is £75 for 60 minutes, including a concise written plan. An optional four-session programme is £300 in total.