Westminster Abbey Choir School

After a nine-month refurbishment costing more than £1m, the Westminster Abbey Choir School is back in business.

The school has about 38 choristers in each year. It costs about £12,000 to put a chorister through a year's tuition. Pupils are expected to pay fees of about £2,550 a year, with the remainder made up from donations left at the abbey.

The boys, aged between nine and 13, lead a rigorous existence. They wake at 6.55am and have breakfast at 7.15am. Thirty minutes later they are at their first instrumental practice of the day. Pupils must learn two instruments; piano is compulsory.

The rest of the morning is spent in choir practice. In the afternoon they have academic lessons and sport before preparing for evensong.