Independent Prep Schools

Somerhill is an independent preparatory school for pupils aged 2 to 13, located near Tonbridge, Kent. Set within 150 acres of parkland, the school is housed in a Grade I listed Jacobean mansion. Its unique structure combines co-educational early years with single-sex classroom teaching from age seven, while maintaining mixed social and extracurricular activities. Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, a purpose-built music centre, and the historic Woodgate Library. Somerhill emphasises a well-rounded education, fostering independent thinkers through a broad curriculum and extensive sporting and creative opportunities.

Cottesmore School is a co-educational preparatory day and boarding school for pupils aged 4 to 13, situated at Pease Pottage in West Sussex. Founded in 1894 and occupying its current site since 1946, the school is housed in Buchan Hill, a Grade II-listed Victorian mansion designed by architects Ernest George and Harold Peto. Set within 30 acres of countryside, the school maintains an ethos that every child has a talent. Facilities include a 20-metre indoor swimming pool and the Sopwith Centre, which provides specialist spaces for art, science, and design technology.

Kensington Wade is a co-educational day school in West London for pupils aged 3 to 11. Established in 2017, it is the first prep school in the United Kingdom to provide a fully immersive English-Chinese bilingual education. The curriculum combines a traditional British framework with Mandarin immersion, utilising the Shanghai Approach for mathematics. Facilities on Fulham Palace Road include a dedicated nursery building, two playgrounds, and a specialist STEAM room. Pupils also benefit from nearby swimming and sports facilities, while the younger children participate in weekly Forest School sessions.

The Prebendal School is a co-educational day and boarding preparatory school for pupils aged 3 to 13, situated in the heart of Chichester, West Sussex. Recognised as the oldest school in Sussex, its history dates back to the 11th century as a song school for Chichester Cathedral, with which it maintains a close official link today. The school is housed in a collection of historic buildings, including a 13th-century school house. It provides a broad education with a strong musical tradition, serving as the choir school for the cathedral’s choristers.

Merton Court Preparatory School is a co-educational day school in Sidcup, Kent, for pupils aged 3 to 11. Established in 1899, it is the area’s oldest preparatory school and has been family-run since 1979. The school follows a holistic “Head, hand, heart” ethos, promoting a well-rounded education. Extensive on-site facilities include a 25m indoor swimming pool, two floodlit Astroturf pitches, a sports hall, and a dedicated Forest School. Pupils also benefit from specialist STEAM, music, and dance facilities, alongside the school’s own allotment and beehives.

Bishop’s Stortford College is a co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged 3 to 18, situated on a 130-acre campus in Hertfordshire. Established in 1868 by Nonconformists, the school provides an all-through education that emphasises the values of scholarship and character. Architectural features include the 1922 Memorial Hall and the FS Young Library, which sit alongside modern facilities such as a 150-seat theatre and an indoor swimming pool. The college focuses on academic development alongside a broad programme in sport and the performing arts.

Reigate St Mary's Preparatory and Choir School is a co-educational day school for children aged 2 to 11, situated within 15 acres of parkland in the centre of Reigate. Serving as the junior school for Reigate Grammar School, it provides a foundation for transition into senior education. The school maintains a strong choral tradition as the choir school for St Mary's Church. Its facilities include extensive sports pitches, a dedicated music suite, and outdoor learning areas, supporting a curriculum that balances academic development with music, sport, and the arts.

Located in Lewes, East Sussex, Lewes Old Grammar School is an independent co-educational day school for pupils aged 3 to 18. The school operates with dedicated departments for Junior, Senior, and Sixth Form students. It claims to provide a positive atmosphere where traditional values are blended with a contemporary approach to learning. The curriculum focuses on the personal development and individual talent of each student, offering an educational pathway that extends from the nursery years through to the Sixth Form in an urban setting.

Bickley Park School is an independent co-educational day school in Bromley for pupils aged 2 to 13. Founded in 1918, the school has historical connections to author Enid Blyton, who was one of its first teachers. The curriculum is structured around "Four Quadrants of Learning"—Academic, Arts, Community, and Sport—to provide a balanced education. Facilities across its two sites include a theatre, a covered swimming pool, a climbing wall, and a six-acre sports ground. The school, which became fully co-educational in 2024, occupies a blend of original buildings and modern purpose-built spaces.

Danes Hill School is a co-educational day preparatory school for pupils aged 2 to 13, situated on 55 acres of landscaped grounds in Oxshott, Surrey. Founded in 1947, the school operates across two sites: the Bevendean pre-prep and the main preparatory campus. The curriculum balances academic study with extensive extracurricular activities, utilising facilities such as a 25-metre swimming pool, a 10-metre climbing wall, and 14 sports pitches. A 24-acre woodland area, known as The Paddock, facilitates outdoor learning and Forest School, supporting the school’s focus on providing a well-rounded education.

Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation (London) is a co-educational day school for pupils aged 3 to 16, located in Tottenham. The school is housed within a historic building, formerly St Mary’s Priory, which forms part of a local mosque complex. Established in 2002 from a network of home-schooling groups, the school follows the Shakhsiyah Education model, rooted in classical Islamic pedagogy and the Quran. Its curriculum is holistic and thematic, featuring the 'Halaqah' system to develop personal character. Extracurricular highlights include an annual inventions fair and student presentations focusing on public speaking and creativity.

St Hilda’s School, located in the heart of Harpenden, is an independent day school for girls aged 4 to 11, with a co-educational nursery from age two. Founded in 1891, the school is housed in a Victorian red-brick mansion and emphasises a nurturing, family-centred ethos. Facilities include a STEM lab, a sound-proofed performing arts studio, and a swimming pool. The curriculum balances academic subjects with creative arts and sport, aiming to prepare pupils for senior school entry while developing well-rounded, confident individuals.

Brambletye School is a co-educational independent preparatory day and boarding school for pupils aged 2 to 13, situated near East Grinstead, West Sussex. Occupying a 140-acre estate overlooking Ashdown Forest, the school is centred on a Victorian country house built in 1896. Originally founded in 1919, Brambletye focuses on providing a broad education guided by its ethos of "Work hard, play hard and be kind." Facilities include a 270-seat theatre, an indoor swimming pool, and a golf course, with the extensive grounds supporting a wide range of outdoor learning and sporting activities.

Fulham School is a co-educational independent day school in London, founded in 1996. Operating across several sites in Fulham, the school provides a broad education for pupils from nursery age through to eighteen. The preparatory school is housed in a Victorian building on Greyhound Road, notable as a former filming location for the television programme Grange Hill. As a member of the Inspired Education Group, the school follows a holistic ethos centred on academics, sport, and the performing arts. Facilities include specialist science laboratories, creative art studios, and various all-weather sports pitches.

Thomas’s Battersea is a co-educational independent day school in South West London, catering for pupils aged 4 to 13. Housed in a Grade II listed Victorian building, the site was formerly the Sir Walter St John’s Grammar School and features a historic central courtyard. The school is guided by the fundamental rule to "be kind", promoting a broad curriculum that balances academic rigour with creativity and character development. Notable facilities include specialist art and music studios, a pottery room, and a modern dining hall. Pupils also benefit from nearby sporting facilities.