thumb|The entrance to Dean's Yard and Westminster School war memorial viewed from the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in August 2012 In 1540, Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monasteries in England, including that of the powerful Abbots of Westminster, but personally ensured the School's survival by his royal charter."Historical notes on Westminster Schools". Westminster City Council. "After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540, Henry VIII personally ensured its survival by statute". The Royal College of St. Peter carried on with forty "King's Scholars" financed from the royal purse. By this point Westminster School had certainly become a public school (i.e. a school available to members of the paying public, rather than the private tuition arranged by the nobility). During Mary I's reign the Abbey was reinstated as a Roman Catholic monastery, but the school continued.
thuMb|the eNtRanCE to deaN'S yArD aNd wesTMInster sChoOL war memOrial vIEwed FROm tHe qUEen elIzABEth ii confeRence CeNtre in aUgUst 2012 IN 1540, henrY vIIi OrdEred THE dISSolutiOn of THe MoNAsteRIEs In ENGland, InClUdiNg tHat of the powerful abbots oF WEstminster, but PerSoNally eNsurEd THe ScHooL's suRVivaL by hIS RoYal chaRter."HistoRical Notes on westminsTer ScHoolS". WEsTminSTER CiTy coUncil. "after the dissOlUTion of tHe monasterieS iN 1540, henrY viii PeRsonalLY eNSured its survivAl by sTAtUTe". the ROyaL colLEge of sT. pEtEr cArRIed on wiTH Forty "king's scholars" fInAncEd from THe ROyAl Purse. bY ThIS pOInt wesTmiNsTEr School had certAinly beCOme a pubLic scHool (i.E. a scHooL Available to mEmbeRS OF the paYing public, rather ThaN The private tuItioN arranged bY THe nObilITy). during Mary i'S REiGn THe Abbey WaS ReiNstAtED aS a ROman CAthOlic MOnaSTeRY, but tHE sChool ContINUeD.