All Sports   Close

Historically the principal sports at Westminster School are rowing (known as Water), football and cricket. All three have a long tradition at the School, dating back to the 18th century and the distant origins of these sports. The School can rightfully claim a place in their annals – the first known cricket match between public schools was Westminster v Harrow in 1796, and the Westminster colours were chosen after rowing against Eton in 1837. Then, in 1863, the School competed against Charterhouse in the first ever inter-school football matches, and it remains to this day the longest continuous football match in the world!

All pupils at Westminster participate in a wide variety of sporting activities, known as Station, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. If pupils are involved in a competitive Station, they will also have fixtures on Saturday afternoons.

At the start of the academic year in September, each pupil chooses a Station to pursue throughout the Play and Lent Terms. A fresh choice of Station is then made for the Election Term, when sports such as cricket and tennis become available. Some pupils commit themselves to the same Station for the whole of their Westminster career, while many take the opportunity to try different sports from the wide variety on offer. In the Fifth Form (Year 9), boys have 12 different Stations from which to choose; as pupils progress through the School, the Station programme extends to include over 25 different choices.

The competitive Stations – such as cricket, cross country, fencing, Fives, football, squash, tennis and Water – have full fixture lists of matches and competitions against other schools. Westminster pupils participate in these sports at local, regional and national levels and benefit from the tuition of professional coaches, several of whom have represented their countries internationally, including at the Olympic Games.

There are plenty of opportunities for Westminsters to develop and excel in other sports and physical activities, including DanceFit, Gym Fitness, lawn bowls, pilates and yoga. Our ‘sport for all’ approach means that everyone can find an activity they enjoy. The Station programme gives pupils the opportunity to learn important life skills, by working both independently and as part of a team and through participation and competition. Our aim is for Station to be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding areas of each pupil’s school life. It is the exceptional variety of sporting activities on offer that ensures this is the case, and that pupils remain engaged with physical activity which promotes both mental and physical wellbeing