A Uniting Church coeducational independent day and boarding school on Kaurna Country, Adelaide, South Australia
Early Learning to Year 12
Boarding
The Westminster 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 co-educational 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.
Student Wellbeing
Within boarding, we aim to maintain a family atmosphere. Guidelines for behaviour and House rules are based mainly on mutual courtesy and respect, and the promotion of safety for all students. Our Westminster Boarding program aims to establish a community of happy, successful, young people who are achieving more than they thought possible.
At Westminster School, we have a tradition of developing strong and often enduring relationships with, not only our Boarders but with their families and friends. Such a culture comes from treating Boarders as individuals, dealing with issues as if they involved members of one’s own family, and an ability to consider matters in perspective. It is very important that we establish a relationship with the family. Just as each student will be part of our Boarding House family, we hope that their families will feel welcome and take the opportunity to keep in regular contact, particularly if there are any queries, problems, or concerns.
Our Boy Boarders' reside in our Boarding House. The Boys' Boarding facility which is situated adjacent to the purpose-built co-educational recreation room, comprises 24 single and 24 double rooms. Bathrooms are shared between rooms. There are four specific break-out areas throughout each floor and an infirmary on the ground level.
Our Girl Boarders’ reside in comfortable, modern, air-conditioned home units on the southern boundary of the School. Four girls generally share each unit, with the Year 12 students having their own room, Year 11 students, their own room where available, and all other students sharing a double room with one other student. Each unit has a kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and lounge room.
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:
- Luke Boylan Recreation Centre, a dedicated space for Boarders to relax, play games and spend time together;
- Sports and Swimming Centre and Thomas Pavilion, featuring a 10-lane heated indoor pool, multi-purpose courts, rock-climbing wall and High-Performance Sport Training Centre;
- extensive, beautifully landscaped grounds;
- state-of-the-art performing arts and music rehearsal facilities;
- comfortable dining facilities; and
- a fully supported computing network.
In 2023, Westminster Boarders participated in a 14-day educational tour of Vietnam with an itinerary that surpassed sightseeing and offered students a deep dive into the complex and diverse culture of Vietnam.
Featuring a range of outdoor and leisure activities including kayaking in Ha Long Bay and a tour of Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, students undertook a combination of educational and hands-on learning experiences.
Most impactful was the significant service-learning component, in which students assisted in constructing a brick house alongside a local community in the Mekong Delta. This activity, designed in consultation with local authorities, enabled students to develop a nuanced understanding of the development issues in Vietnam.
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.