The Student Room Group

Westminster 16+ help 2025 entry

Hey guys,
I’m going to apply to Westminster at sixth form for 2025 entry later this year for econ, history, maths, and philosophy. I am particularly worried about the maths test; I am not *that* good at maths, but I’m planning on working on it a lot before the exam. Any information about the maths (or any other) paper would be very helpful. For the maths specifically, is it comparable in difficulty to the IMC or SMC or the challenge papers? Also, feel free to comment if you’re also taking the exam this year as well.

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Reply 1
Original post by Hirschman
Hey guys,
I’m going to apply to Westminster at sixth form for 2025 entry later this year for econ, history, maths, and philosophy. I am particularly worried about the maths test; I am not *that* good at maths, but I’m planning on working on it a lot before the exam. Any information about the maths (or any other) paper would be very helpful. For the maths specifically, is it comparable in difficulty to the IMC or SMC or the challenge papers? Also, feel free to comment if you’re also taking the exam this year as well.

Heyy, I’m a currently student taking maths ( and bio chem french). The exam was more time pressured than it was difficult. Being confident with all the basics and formulae of each topic could be quite useful, doing imc papers can be useful but if it is a far stretch then forget about it. Im sure your maths is better than what you have described here and being good at other exams will compensate for your maths as well.
Reply 2
Original post by bjecdfh auh
Heyy, I’m a currently student taking maths ( and bio chem french). The exam was more time pressured than it was difficult. Being confident with all the basics and formulae of each topic could be quite useful, doing imc papers can be useful but if it is a far stretch then forget about it. Im sure your maths is better than what you have described here and being good at other exams will compensate for your maths as well.

This is super helpful; do you have any other advice for the maths test in terms of specific topics/resources I could use? For instance, if I can get full marks on IMC am I good, and if so is that what I should be focusing on?
Reply 3
Original post by bjecdfh auh
Heyy, I’m a currently student taking maths ( and bio chem french). The exam was more time pressured than it was difficult. Being confident with all the basics and formulae of each topic could be quite useful, doing imc papers can be useful but if it is a far stretch then forget about it. Im sure your maths is better than what you have described here and being good at other exams will compensate for your maths as well.

Hii, I might also apply for westminister 2025 entry and I was wondering what the French exam was like and what to revise for the exam if there's any way of preparing for them 😭. thank you!!
Original post by hol1ylai
Hii, I might also apply for westminister 2025 entry and I was wondering what the French exam was like and what to revise for the exam if there's any way of preparing for them 😭. thank you!!

hey! I got in to do French. honestly I thought it was a pretty easy exam, solidly GCSE standard. its just a grammar section, comprehension and then an essay. I think what made me stand out was just being interesting in my essay and trying to give them a sense of my personality, rather than stressing about accuracy and then writing something boring. the only thing to say is that the interview (if you get through) is in French which can be a bit scary! Nothing to really worry about tho, if you like the language and you can express yourself in it you'll be fine
Reply 5
Original post by hopingpraying
hey! I got in to do French. honestly I thought it was a pretty easy exam, solidly GCSE standard. its just a grammar section, comprehension and then an essay. I think what made me stand out was just being interesting in my essay and trying to give them a sense of my personality, rather than stressing about accuracy and then writing something boring. the only thing to say is that the interview (if you get through) is in French which can be a bit scary! Nothing to really worry about tho, if you like the language and you can express yourself in it you'll be fine

Thank you so much- this was really helpful! Also, I was wondering which other subjects you took?
Original post by hol1ylai
Thank you so much- this was really helpful! Also, I was wondering which other subjects you took?
I did French, English, History and Latin (so typical Westminster girl lol)
Reply 7
Original post by hopingpraying
I did French, English, History and Latin (so typical Westminster girl lol)

Ah ok! I'm planning on taking French, History and English too! But instead of Latin I'm doing Music. Do you mind if I can PM you on here if I have any other questions? Thank youu
Reply 8
Maths is hard!!🤮🤮
I did English, and I practised with A level texts and mark schemes. Would recommend that also. For maths, I don’t do it myself, but I heard lots of people say that they stole questions off of the IMC or SMC? STEM subjects are really hard bc you’re competing against people, like foreign students whose grasp of the English language isn’t that great, so they focus on the STEM instead. I did Geography, English, Biology, and Chemistry btw.
Original post by hol1ylai
Hii, I might also apply for westminister 2025 entry and I was wondering what the French exam was like and what to revise for the exam if there's any way of preparing for them 😭. thank you!!

Sorry for the late reply. I find hopingpraying's answer pretty accurate, presumably even more accurate than what I might say as she sat the more recent exam. It's always good to practice writing, as the alevel course also stresses on writing. It's also good to look out for more advanced grammar than GCSE, e.g. subjonctif, the interview might look into that. The interview is also done mostly in French, so try to feel more confident in speaking French (if you're not already), but obviously they take into account how long you have been doing the language and not everyone has the same access to opportunities to practice speaking French. Good luck!
Original post by Hirschman
This is super helpful; do you have any other advice for the maths test in terms of specific topics/resources I could use? For instance, if I can get full marks on IMC am I good, and if so is that what I should be focusing on?

Sorry for the late reply. Full marks on IMC is really impressive! Certainly better than me. I wouldn't worry too much about maths if I were you.
Reply 12
Original post by sophia_x_yang
I did English, and I practised with A level texts and mark schemes. Would recommend that also. For maths, I don’t do it myself, but I heard lots of people say that they stole questions off of the IMC or SMC? STEM subjects are really hard bc you’re competing against people, like foreign students whose grasp of the English language isn’t that great, so they focus on the STEM instead. I did Geography, English, Biology, and Chemistry btw.

Where did you find the A level texts and mark schemes for English? I've been searching for a while and I can't really find any. Also, could you explain a bit more about the application process and how you prepared for each exam as we're doing almost the same subjects! :smile:
Is it likely i’ll get a full bursary to westminister?
(doing further maths, maths, physics, theo + philosophy)
Homeschooled, got textbooks only BUT predicted 13 A*/8-9
Thnks!
Reply 14
Hi, for the King's Scholars would you be offered a place at WS if you didn't manage to get the scholarship? Like if you don't meet the standard for the scholarship you won't get a place at all?
Reply 15
no, if you don't get the scholarship you still can get a place in the school.
Original post by loveams
Where did you find the A level texts and mark schemes for English? I've been searching for a while and I can't really find any. Also, could you explain a bit more about the application process and how you prepared for each exam as we're doing almost the same subjects! :smile:

Use eduqas texts, that is Westminster’s exam board.
Original post by bjecdfh auh
Heyy, I’m a currently student taking maths ( and bio chem french). The exam was more time pressured than it was difficult. Being confident with all the basics and formulae of each topic could be quite useful, doing imc papers can be useful but if it is a far stretch then forget about it. Im sure your maths is better than what you have described here and being good at other exams will compensate for your maths as well.

sorry for the late reply but what were the questions like for bio?
Reply 18
Does anyone have any information on the Drama and Theatre Studies Entrance Exam? I’m very confused by the info on the website!
Reply 19
Hi, does anyone have any info on any of the maths, further maths, chemistry or bio papers for the 16+ Westminster entrance? (especially for the maths & fm pls if possible).

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