Open-day season is here: a chance for parents to hear the head, see the dorms, meet the pupils and generally get a sense of whether a school might suit their child. Keep scrolling for our handy list of all upcoming open days in each area of the country, and get booking – spots fill up fast...

And remember: if you can’t snag a place at any of these open events, don’t panic. Schools will always be as accommodating as possible to prospective parents, so our advice is to pick up the phone and contact the school to arrange a visit.

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Prep Schools

ACS Hillingdon International School - Lower School, Hillingdon Open Day - 26 April 2025 A truly international school with pupils from 50-plus countries, ACS Hillingdon offers a seamless, all-through education, marching to the beat of its own drum rather than following the UK curriculum – it believes that fewer exams mean children develop a deep level of subject knowledge and understanding. The lower school exudes a warm, friendly atmosphere and its head, Michelle Eriksen, is one of the most passionate educators we’ve met. Learning here is inspirational and aspirational, with a motivating attitude of ‘What am I good at and how do I get better?’
Bancroft's Prep School, Woodford Green 7+ Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Younger sibling to the mighty Bancroft’s, this delightful prep is a successful fusion of academics and co-curricular, results and facilities, embracing and celebrating the wide variety of cultures it represents. The school is cohesive and high-functioning, and there’s a robust sense of both tradition and transformation here. Popular among locals, not least because it offers automatic entry into the thriving senior school at 11+, it was established in 1990 and now flourishes with a 260-strong cohort.
Cameron Vale School, Chelsea Open Morning - 14 May 2025 Open Morning - 24 September 2025 A close-knit prep school in the heart of Chelsea, Cameron Vale provides a highly personalised education to small classes of happy, highly motivated and engaged children. It has a lovely family feel and prides itself on rejecting a ‘one size fits all’ approach to education – which is clearly working, given the impressive list of destinations pupils whizz off to at 11.
Channing Junior , Highgate Junior School Open Morning - 06 May 2025 Junior School Open Morning - 22 May 2025 There’s a lovely caring and friendly environment at this inspiring all-girls school in north London. It takes a ‘character education’ approach to learning, with teaching values and virtues beautifully embodied by specially commissioned cartoon woodland characters – Empathy Rabbit, Bravery Mole and Respectfulness Hedgehog among them – alongside the usual classroom subjects. Pastoral care is spot on and, with a seamless transition to Channing Senior, girls are free to enjoy being sponges for knowledge without the pressure of testing.
Chepstow House School, Notting Hill Prospective Parent Evening 5.30pm - 18 March 2025 This charming Notting Hill prep for boys and girls has a real global outlook, lots of space and a passionate head who’s focused on producing happy, confident learners – rather than setting children off on a pre-planned trajectory to a particular senior school. For parents looking for a properly nurturing atmosphere amid the sometimes high-pressured London prep school scene, Chepstow House will fit the bill – we saw care and kindness from the moment we walked through its arched entrance.
Collège Français Bilingue de Londres Prep, Kentish Town Open Day - 26 April 2025 Children at this nurturing north-London school seamlessly learn both French and English in a warm and friendly environment where a multicultural buzz wraps everyone in a cloak of inclusivity. Harmony is everything here, and perfectly balanced classes see native English and French teachers sharing lessons in a 50:50 split. It’s as popular with London-based French families as it is with British parents looking to give their children the gift of bilingualism and international families keen to embrace the global atmosphere at the school, where there are currently 60-plus nationalities.
Dallington School, Islington Open Day - 15 May 2025 With its spot-on location in the centre of London’s Clerkenwell, Dallington is a pocket-sized, family-run primary school that puts creativity at its heart and where pupils of mixed ages learn alongside each other in bright, open-plan classrooms. It was founded by visionary head Mogg Hercules in the 1970s and is overseen today by her daughter Abi.
Dulwich Prep & Senior - Prep, London Open Morning - 27 September 2025 This all-boys prep in dreamy Dulwich has a storied 135-year history, but is bang up-to-date in its holistic approach to education. Academics are important but so is pastoral care and instilling values such as love, gratitude, service and humility. Hugely impressive head Louise Davidson is passionate about positive masculinity and fostering a growth mindset that allows boys to discover who they are and consider their place when it comes to issues like gender, race and neurodiversity. Thoughtful, focused boys, fully prepared to stand up tall in the world are the result.
Fairley House Junior Department, London Open Evening 6pm - 07 May 2025 In 2011, Fairley House, one of London’s leading SEN schools, opened a junior school. Situated in Lambeth, just over the river from the senior school’s Pimlico site, it has enabled Fairley House to offer its specialist teaching to 200 pupils in total.
Hall School Wimbledon - Junior School, Wimbledon Open afternoon - 18 March 2025 This small, non-selective school near Wimbledon Common puts children’s wellbeing at the heart of everything. In the words of the inspirational head Andrew Hammond: ‘We believe that school should be a place where joyful memories are made and lifelong friendships are forged. Our pupils find out who they are and that you can always achieve what you want.’ Outdoor learning, problem-solving and superb EAL support for non-native English speakers are all part of the rich, well-rounded curriculum, which is inspired by the Chatsworth Schools’ ethos (Hall School Wimbledon was the first school in the group in 2018).
Hampton Court House Prep, Richmond-upon-Thames Open Morning Year 3 + - 19 March 2025 Open Morning (Pre Nursery - Year 2) - 25 March 2025 Open Morning Year 3 + - 26 March 2025 A gloriously relaxed and happy school that runs all the way through from nursery to A-levels, Hampton Court House is inspiringly innovative with its nurturing, holistic ethos that wraps curiosity-driven academics and emotional intelligence around everything it does. It is renowned as an educational trailblazer, with a pioneering French immersion programme and a ‘purposefully informal’ approach (no uniforms, pupils address teachers by their first names) that sets the tone for every child to feel they’re respected, autonomous and loved for who they are.
Ibstock Place Prep School, Roehampton Pre-Prep & Prep School Open Morning - 18 March 2025 Pre-Prep & Prep School Open Morning - 10 June 2025 Whole School Open House - 20 September 2025 Pre-Prep & Prep School Open Morning - 07 October 2025 A school within a school, this co-ed prep on the edge of Richmond Park offers a ‘safe passage’ to the senior school it is a part of. The Independent Schools Inspectorate recently graded it excellent in all areas, its highest rating, and it’s easy to see why. As the mural on the pre-prep wall says: ‘All the flowers of all the tomorrows are the seeds of today.’ Pupils at Ibstock Place are certainly nurtured to thrive.
International School of London - Primary School, Acton Information Morning - 01 May 2025 This international school in west London is one of the few in the UK to offer the International Baccalaureate from ages three to 18. Head Richard Parker describes the school as a ‘ticket to the broader world’, extolling the transferable benefits of IB: ‘It is a global passport.’ Career expats and local international families flock here for just that reason. And with the emphasis on personalised learning and a well-rounded holistic education, ISL is a very compelling package.
King's College Junior School, Wimbledon Junior School Forum - 24 April 2025 King’s College School, Wimbledon is the high-octane school du jour – and if you’ve got your eye on a highly coveted place there, this is a very good place to start. Autonomous but part of the same leafy campus as the big school, the junior school is home to 280 or so of south-west London’s brightest buttons, unmissable in their cheery cherry-red blazers.
King's House School, Richmond Open Morning - 21 March 2025 This in-demand prep in leafy Richmond went co-ed beyond nursery age in September 2024 – which has no doubt made it an even more compelling choice for local families. Something of a Tardis, there’s plenty of space for playing and exploring, and the lovely nursery is one of the most nurturing we’ve visited.
L'Ecole de Battersea, Battersea Open Morning - 21 March 2025 Open Morning - 28 March 2025 This happy bilingual school will be celebrating two decades of delivering the best of British and French education to children next year. And fluency in both languages is just one precious gift it offers; just as valuable is the caring environment that means pupils thrive here without feeling like they’re under pressure. It is now also part of a cluster of schools in Paris and Morocco, having recently been acquired by Globeducate, which will no doubt enrich this London school’s already abundant offering.
Merchant Taylors' Prep , Rickmansworth Open Morning - 02 May 2025 Open Morning - 02 May 2025 This highly academic boys’ prep minutes away from Merchant Taylors’ senior doesn’t just get things right in the classroom. A wealth of co- and extracurricular means pupils get every opportunity to explore and excel in all areas. This holistic approach is inspiring and, with most boys whizzing up seamlessly to the senior school at 13 (soon to be 11 as the school transitions to finishing at Year 6), it’s an excellent all-through option for pupils that is situated conveniently close to London.
Radnor House Prep, Richmond Open Day - 02 April 2025 Open Day - 08 May 2025 This new south-west London prep opened in September 2023 but has already made a name for itself with its nurturing approach and 21st-century focus, which sees masses of coding, robotics and electronics woven into the curriculum. It’s currently for Years 1 to 6; nursery and reception will come on board in September 2026, when the school relocates from Richmond to a new knockout riverside location in Twickenham. Parents love Radnor House Prep for the way it embraces every child as an individual – and the absence of the stress-inducing 11+, with everyone offered priority entry into Radnor House Senior (soon to be renamed Kneller Hall) for Year 7.
Shrewsbury House Preparatory School, Surbiton Open House - 16 May 2025 Open Morning - 27 September 2025 There’s a real buzz at this all-boys’ Surrey prep that consistently delivers punchy academics coupled with a rich co-curricular offering and strong moral values. The school has been educating boys since 1865 and remains in the vanguard of education as one of the country’s oldest boys’ prep schools. The latest big news is that the pre-prep in Esher will be joining the site in September 2025, making the age four to 13 journey on offer even more compelling. Award-winning head Joanna Hubbard tells us, ‘We are a school that is really driving forward at the moment.’
St Benedict's Junior School, Ealing Stay & Play (children aged 2-4) - 23 May 2025 Nursery & Junior School Open Morning - 05 June 2025 Stay & Play (children aged 2-4) - 20 June 2025 An all-through Catholic school grounded in Benedictine values, this west London co-ed offers one-stop education from age three to 18. A love of learning is instilled in pupils through madcap scientific experiments, dressing up as Tudors, Egyptians or whatever the topic may be and plenty of exciting trips, including the much-anticipated Year 5 residential to Seville.
St James Preparatory School, West Kensington Reception 2025 Taster Morning - 20 March 2025 Open Morning - 14 May 2025 Every school likes to harp on about happiness, but there’s an all-pervading sense of joy at this unconventional west London prep, where every lesson starts and finishes with a mindfulness pause, Sanskrit is on the curriculum from nursery and lunches are vegetarian-only. St James offers a traditional British education laced with Eastern wisdom, and its academics are strong – and pastoral care even stronger.
The Cavendish School, Camden Open Morning - 06 May 2025 Open Morning - 10 June 2025 Located in the heart of cosmopolitan Camden, this all-girls day school in north London has a special vibrancy, generating its own unique community spirit within its walls. ‘The girls are just magnificent,’ says proud head Taryn Lombard. ‘They know themselves, they are spirited, they make a difference and are driven.’ All this empowerment doesn’t mean they’re not grounded and super inclusive, though – it’s a school where everyone is applauded, the faultless performers as well as those who make stops and starts.
Tower House School, East Sheen Open Morning - 09 May 2025 The sound of happy voices floats down the street as you approach this south London gem. The only single-form, all-boys’ school in the area, it offers a unique education for the lucky 180 pupils who attend. And if that sounds like a competitive bun fight, it’s not. Proudly non-selective, Tower House School takes boys whatever their ability or learning challenges. Much like its Tardis-like campus, there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye here, with the pupils’ individual needs at the heart of everything.
Wimbledon Common Preparatory School, Wimbledon Open Morning - 04 June 2025 A joyous atmosphere pervades this London pre-prep in leafy Wimbledon Village that goes by the rather lovely nickname of ‘Squirrels’. Part of the King’s College School Corporation, many of the boys skip over the road to the junior school when they turn seven, but while it is selective, there’s no hothousing here – as head Andrew Forbes says, it’s a ‘happy, fun, buzzing school’.

Senior Schools

ACS Hillingdon International School - Upper School, Hillingdon Open Day - 26 April 2025 A truly international school with pupils from 50-plus countries, ACS Hillingdon offers a seamless, all-through education, marching to the beat of its own drum rather than following the UK curriculum – it believes that fewer exams mean children develop a deep level of subject knowledge and understanding. Instead of GCSEs, there are multiple pathways for seniors, including IB, US high school diploma and advanced placement courses. It’s a place where pupils can really follow their passions, whatever they are.
Bancroft's School, Woodford Green Open Morning - 07 June 2025 Ambitious, competitive pupils (and parents), splendid buildings, an admirable academic output, towards the top of London’s Central line: Bancroft’s School could be said to have it all. Diversity is key here – economic, cultural, national – with an emphasis on scholarship in the widest sense: CCF and DofE, house drama, jazz band, art and design, a rich tapestry of cultures and backgrounds, and a healthy, happy attitude to learning.
Channing, Highgate Senior School Open Morning - 24 April 2025 Senior School Open Morning - 24 June 2025 A visionary all-girls school full of extremely confident, capable and engaging young women, this north London gem knows just how to create a vibrant learning environment where no one gets left behind and everyone is inspired to embrace the school’s ‘10 per cent braver’ approach to life. Channing is big in size and heart with stellar facilities – there’s a lot to love here.
Collège Français Bilingue de Londres, Kentish Town Open Day - 26 April 2025 This bijou bilingual school in north London offers a unique immersive education to its 250 pupils, who switch seamlessly between French and English in and out of the classroom. Academics are strong, with a curriculum that takes the best of the French system and brilliantly adapts it to a bicultural setting, preparing pupils for both French lycée and English senior school when they leave at 15. It’s as popular with London-based French families as it is with British parents looking to give their children the gift of bilingualism and international families keen to embrace the global atmosphere at the school, where there are currently 60-plus nationalities.
DLD College London, South Bank Open Morning - 03 April 2025 This day and boarding co-ed for teenagers aged 13 to 19 is something out of the ordinary. Slap bang in central London, its bold, undulating façade nestles on the South Bank, offering a dynamic, grown-up space for students from over 60 countries to learn and live within its walls. Yet for all its modernist looks, at its essence, says deputy head academic Dr Sarah Watson, it’s ‘a small school environment, with small classes and lots of attention’.
Dulwich Prep & Senior - Senior, London Open Morning - 27 September 2025 Set to fling open its doors in September 2025, this brand-new senior school will become a natural extension of hugely popular all-boys Dulwich Prep. The change is designed to help provide more options for families, and the opportunity to find the right senior school or sixth form at the right time for their son.
Halcyon London International School, Marylebone Open House Event 10-11.30am - 28 March 2025 This central London school is unique in being the only not-for-profit IB world school in the capital, offering the Middle Years Programme as well as the Diploma. A cosmopolitan pupil body, seriously state-of-the-art tech and a roster of innovative co-curricular make it stand out from the crowd too. And it’s hard not to get behind its mission of delivering a human-centred education to maximise the potential of every pupil.
Hall School Wimbledon - Senior School, Wimbledon Open Afternoon - 18 March 2025 Open Morning - 07 June 2025 Open Morning - 17 June 2025 This small, non-selective school near Wimbledon Common puts pupils’ wellbeing at the heart of everything. In the words of the inspirational head Andrew Hammond: ‘We believe that school should be a place where joyful memories are made and lifelong friendships are forged. Our pupils find out who they are and that you can always achieve what you want.’ A well-rounded curriculum inspired by the Chatsworth Schools’ ethos (Hall School Wimbledon was the first school in the group in 2018) coupled with individualised attention means every pupil is able to fulfil – and exceed – their potential.
Hampton Court House Senior, Richmond-upon-Thames Open Morning - 19 March 2025 Open Morning - 26 March 2025 A progressive school that runs all the way through from nursery to A-levels, Hampton Court House is inspiringly innovative with its nurturing, holistic ethos that wraps curiosity-driven academics and emotional intelligence around everything it does. It is renowned as an educational trailblazer, with a pioneering French immersion programme and a ‘purposefully informal’ approach (no uniforms, pupils address teachers by their first names, sixth-formers have a late start) sets the tone for every pupil to feel they’re respected, autonomous and valued for who they are.
Ibstock Place School, Roehampton Senior School Open Evening - 07 May 2025 Sixth Form Open Evening - 11 September 2025 Whole School Open House - 20 September 2025 Senior School Open Morning - 15 October 2025 This all-through school on the edge of Richmond Park seamlessly combines tradition and innovation, offering pupils a ‘safe passage’ from prep to senior. The Independent Schools Inspectorate recently graded it excellent in all areas, its highest rating, and it’s easy to see why. With its clear-sighted head and polished atmosphere, Ibstock Place is a serious London contender.
International School of London - Middle School, London Information Morning - 24 April 2025 This international school in west London is one of the few in the UK to offer the International Baccalaureate from ages three to 18. Head Richard Parker describes the school as a ‘ticket to the broader world’, extolling the transferable benefits of IB: ‘It is a global passport.’ Career expats and local international families flock here for just that reason. And with the emphasis on personalised learning and a well-rounded holistic education, ISL is a very compelling package.
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood Open Morning - 10 May 2025 An all-boys school that has an atmosphere that’s calm, not hectic, with pupils who are caring and not macho, MTS confounds stereotypes. With a head who promotes asking the big questions such as ‘What is it to be human?’, the school offers so much more than the stellar academics and world-class facilities it’s renowned for. As the head says, ‘Humans are a musical, running, communicative, social, sophisticated, cultured, conceptually thinking, competitive, featherless biped,’ and this school makes sure it’s always got that 360-degree vision in mind.
St Benedict's School, Ealing Open Morning - 01 May 2025 A school where ‘you really can have it all’ says the head. Expect good academic results, coupled with an all-round education and a pastoral system underpinned by the Benedictine ethos that values every child as an individual. Staff are interested in their pupils and demonstrate that they care – building a rapport that supports student growth, even when it’s tricky. Parents and children are encouraged to learn together by attending lectures exploring themes such as parenting and PSHE or simply enjoying a soprano recital together.
St James Senior Girls' School, West Kensington Open Evening - 19 March 2025 Open Morning - 08 May 2025 Meditation, vegetarianism, mindfulness and Sanskrit are all embraced at this gently quirky, spiritually minded west London senior. Here, lessons begin with moments of stillness, and high-spec hi-tech is sensitively combined with significant teacher input – in return, girls blossom into happy, hardworking, humble sophisticates. It’s selective and small, with half the 11+ intake arriving from the on-site prep (pupils move seamlessly between the two, with boys heading to St James Senior Boys’ School) and the rest from a smattering of states and independents across London. All benefit from the singular ethos at the heart of St James, which in the words of one sixth-former has ‘a unique talent for letting us express ourselves and be individual with our own specific talents’.
Whitgift School, South Croydon Spring Open Event - 24 April 2025 Summer Open Event - 07 May 2025 Successful, popular and a real contender on the London day-school circuit, Whitgift has wowed us. Academic results are stellar, sport and co-curricular spectacular, the pace of change and innovation terrific and the social conscience inspiring.

South East England

Prep Schools

ACS Egham International School - Early Childhood and Lower, Egham Open Morning - 29 March 2025 Set on a beautiful leafy campus on the edge of Windsor Great Park, this all-through international school is one of only two schools in the UK to offer all four International Baccalaureate programmes from primary years upwards. With 46 nationalities represented, it feels like a perfect little global village, full of enthusiastic staff, many of whom bring overseas experience. Each section of the school is neatly demarcated, and all pupils have use of the knockout facilities, which include two on-site forest schools and a massive sports hall complete with ‘show court’, climbing wall and dance studio.

Ardingly College Preparatory School, Haywards Heath Prep School Open Event - 05 May 2025 The passion for educating children at this rural prep in West Sussex is inspirational. The friendly atmosphere, the beautiful environment, the happy pupils all add up to a school it’s hard not to fall in love with. A nurturing approach sees each child celebrated for who they are with the four Ardingly ‘us’ values – be adventurous, generous, ingenious and curious – weaved seamlessly into the curriculum to equip pupils with skills for now and for life. All-through to age 18, the school offers a seamless transition to Ardingly College; for the past two years, almost every pupil has calmly sailed into the senior school without missing a beat.

Barfield Prep School, Farnham Open Day - 09 May 2025 The individual is everything at this lovely Surrey day school whose incredible use of outdoor space – including woodland activities, a ‘sandy play’ playground, and play equipment galore – takes centre stage. Nature serves to nurture the whole child, building confidence, resilience and a sense of adventure. Parents tell us they feel their children are ‘in a really safe pair of hands’; pupils just love having school days packed full of fun.

Battle Abbey Prep School, Bexhill Prep and Nursery Open Day - 26 April 2025   A school where character is valued above academic ability, Battle Abbey Prep takes a holistic approach to education. Keep children children is the ethos energetically embraced by all the staff, not least the charismatic head, Craig Austen-White. The result is uninhibited pupils who love to learn. The senior school a quarter of an hour’s drive away allows for access to ‘big-school’ facilities, and, of course, it’s a natural next step that takes the stress out of 11+ decisions.

Bede's Prep School, Eastbourne Open Morning - 20 September 2025 School days are about more than hitting academic targets at this lovely day and boarding school perched on a clifftop in Eastbourne. Head Leigh-Anne Morris is passionate about children building ‘a bank of memories and friendships and leaving with lasting memories of happy moments’. This holistic ethos serves the 250 or so boys and girls well: ‘Pupils have a sense of joy to pursue their own brilliance; there is something for every child,’ says Mrs Morris. And with a nursery (for babies from six months) and senior school (which encompasses the Legat School of Dance) all part of the same charitable trust, it’s a compelling one-stop educational journey.

Brambletye School, East Grinstead Open Day - 16 May 2025 This outdoorsy school with its 140 acres of parkland, school in the woods and ‘science lab’ pond knows how to inspire children’s curiosity to learn about the world. The inspirational head Will Brooks takes a holistic approach to education, developing character traits such as emotional intelligence, kindness and teamwork as well as academics, and pupils leave ready to take on everything. Performing arts and sport are stellar and with the added bonus of an on-site nursery and pre-prep, Brambletye School really does have everything that you could want from a country prep.

Caldicott School, Farnham Royal Open Day - 17 May 2025 There’s a wonderfully wholesome feel to this all-boys’ prep that sits in 40 acres of beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside. An imaginative approach to academics engages pupils with real-life projects that expand their minds and horizons in equal measure, while on the sports field everyone is challenged to excel – which they do, in spades. Parents love that boys are ‘tired not wired’ at the end of the day, and with school minibuses stepping in for the commute, Caldicott offers the complete country prep package within easy reach of London.

Chandlings Prep School, Oxford Whole School Open Morning - 09 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 20 September 2025 Early Years Christmas Open Morning - 10 December 2025 A high achiever set in 60 acres of beautiful countryside just outside Oxford, this prep has all the facilities you might expect and more, from a riding school and nine-hole golf course to a ballet studio and pet goats – and it’s a pretty special place to spend the halcyon days of childhood. Chandlings Prep's values are written by the pupils, and head Christine Cook is often seen greeting everyone at the gate – just two examples of the inclusive, pastorally driven care here.

Claremont Prep School, St. Leonards-on-Sea Open Day - 10 May 2025 This inspirational school in Sussex has a new principal at the helm, with former senior head Ed Dickie now overseeing both the prep and the senior, further cementing Claremont as a seamless, all-through option. It’s a school with an enlightened approach to education. ‘We encourage young people to find out what they love doing and give the pupil the opportunity to do it,’ says Mr Dickie. And from a superlative forest school and innovative project-based learning to a stellar football academy and buzzing drama department, all the bases are covered, meaning children can fully embrace the school ethos of Become Your Best.

Cranleigh Preparatory School, Cranleigh Open Morning - 10 May 2025 A country prep an hour’s drive from Wimbledon with forty rolling acres for pupils to run free, and an all-round education delivered with a relaxed, but focused attitude – it’s no wonder more London parents are eschewing the capital’s fevered competition for Cranleigh Prep.

Dragon School, Oxford Pre-Prep Open Day - 09 May 2025 Prep Open Day - 17 May 2025 A real high-flyer, this big, buzzy, hugely popular Oxford prep fully deserves its outstanding reputation as an academic powerhouse that sets pupils on a path to top senior schools and, even more impressively, a lifelong love of learning. Innovative teaching methods that inspire children’s thirst for knowledge and super-nurturing pastoral care ensure pupils thrive and feel valued as individuals. And despite the school’s huge size, the experience is warm and friendly where everyone feels part of the Dragon family.

Elstree School, Newbury Open Morning - 16 May 2025 Stunning grounds, fabulous facilities and a classic, traditional experience underpin life at this real gem of a prep school. Loved for its family values, Elstree School boosted its already significant appeal by opening its doors to girls in 2020 – a brilliantly planned and executed move.

Eton End School, Datchet Early Years Open Morning - 22 March 2025 Open Afternoon - 17 May 2025 Nurture is a central tenet at this prep school in Berkshire, with the physical and mental wellbeing of pupils placed at the heart of every decision. A five-year plan includes a total refurbishment of classrooms to both reduce sensory overload by replacing bright colours with neutral tones and boost an atmosphere of safety and cosiness with plants, lamps, comfy furniture and blankets for children to curl up under. While pupils achieve great success in their 11+ exams (to both grammar and independent schools), Eton End is quite clear that it is not an 11+ factory environment – and their focus is far broader than this.

Feltonfleet School, Cobham Open Morning - 25 April 2025 Open Morning - 03 October 2025 A quick minibus ride from the London suburbs, Feltonfleet has a serious lick of Surrey sheen. This prep has countryside charm in bucketloads, with acres of beautiful grounds, a treehouse classroom and woods for sleepouts. Pastoral care is top-notch – it’s a school where ‘your child is front and centre’, says head Shelley Lance. And when it comes to academics, the school never stops innovating – it’s currently creating an Intelligence Curriculum that will look at human intelligence, who we are and how we learn, with AI literacy integrated into it. Its proximity to London makes it a prime choice for capital dwellers so competition for places can be intense, especially for the on-site nursery.

Frensham Heights Junior School, Farnham Whole School Open Evening - 09 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 20 June 2025 ‘We ditch the lanes other schools make kids walk in,’ says head Ben McCarey of this Surrey co-ed that has been a beacon of progressive education since it was founded 100 years ago. The focus here is on championing creativity and individuality, and with its liberal and non-punitive approach, first-name terms and absence of uniform, it allows children to show up as themselves knowing they’ll be valued and respected for who they are. The school continues to 18, with boarding from Year 7, making it a compelling all-through option.

Godstowe School, High Wycombe Open Morning - 10 May 2025 As this historic all-girls’ boarding prep heads towards its 125th anniversary year, it’s clearly lost none of the magic that has made it so successful since the turn of the last century. And while it might not have changed much on the outside over the years (it’s not hard to believe the rumour that it was Enid Blyton’s inspiration for Malory Towers), Godstowe’s inner workings are bang up-to-date, with confident, happy and successful girls energetically embracing everything each new day at school has to offer.

Hazelwood School, Oxted Open Morning - 15 November 2025 Hazelwood might have more than a century of history behind it, but this forward-thinking co-ed on the Surrey/Kent border certainly lives up to its pupil-chosen motto ‘Spiritu Inspiratus’ – ‘Lungfuls of Inspiration’. The curriculum here has been deliberately designed to spark creativity and teach children how to learn and think for themselves, rather than just spoon-feeding them facts. There’s philosophy and forest school on the timetable, plus The B.O.X – an innovative, tech-first teaching space where pupils can let their imaginations run wild.

Holme Grange School Prep, Wokingham Whole School Open Morning - 02 May 2025 There’s a small-school feel to Holme Grange and a real sense that each individual is valued for what they bring to the community, not just academically but in sport, creative endeavours and, most importantly, values including kindness, generosity, acceptance and respect. These principles truly permeate the school and the nurturing environment is palpable – and utterly embodied in the impressive head Claire Robinson. Generally, children progress from the prep to the senior, Eaton Grange, but ambitions to move elsewhere are also encouraged.

Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells Open Morning - 16 May 2025 First Steps to School event 9am - 11am - 21 May 2025 This progressive school near Tunbridge Wells is a real trailblazer in its visionary, holistic approach spearheaded by dynamic head Ruth O’Sullivan who is passionate about education being fluid and child-centred and never stops asking, ‘How can we achieve this?’ Everyone’s answers are listened to – pupils, staff, parents – and the inclusivity, respect and warmth of the school community really shines through. Most pupils stay through to 13, thriving in an environment where they feel valued and trusted, and leaving for senior schools with the kind of well-rounded self-assurance you can’t put a price on.

Horris Hill School, Newbury Reception Discovery Day - 27 March 2025 STEAM Fun Morning 9.30am - 11am - 29 March 2025 Newly co-ed, this former all-boys’ prep has an enviable 100 per cent success rate for getting pupils into top public schools, and with girls now in the mix too, its charmingly traditional values are accessible to all. A school where pupils get as absorbed in play as they do in learning, Horris Hill seems adept at honouring its historic roots while keeping its eyes firmly focused on what a modern education needs to deliver.

Hurst Preparatory School, Hassocks Open Morning - 09 May 2025 This is a school where children are really given an opportunity to lead their own learning and be creative right from the get-go, however little they are. Much like its big sibling Hurst College which it shares a campus with, the school’s ‘have-a-go’ mentality is evident in and out of the classroom. We love the sound of Hurst Sparks which sees pupils getting stuck into themes and exploring every corner of them – from creating an oil painting to writing a poem to feeding their interpretations of a story into AI. It’s creative educating at its best, and with no exams to sit to get into the College, pupils get to continue loving every minute of being at school in a seamless transition.

Junior King's Canterbury, Canterbury Nursery and Pre-Prep Open Morning - 09 May 2025 Junior School Open Morning - 10 May 2025 With its bucolic setting and seamless ties with older sibling The King’s School, Canterbury, Junior King’s is becoming an increasingly hot ticket with Londoners wanting to swerve the intensity of the capital and take the stress out of senior school next steps. Flexi boarding has just been introduced and a new head arrived in September 2024.

King's School Rochester Pre-Prep & Preparatory School, Rochester Nursery & Reception Open Morning - 25 March 2025 The oldest cathedral choir school in the world is no small boast, but King’s School Rochester is so much more than its awe-inspiring history, which stretches back to AD604, and its stunning campus with its views of Rochester’s castle and cathedral. This is a holistic, forward-looking place that nurtures not just musical excellence, academics and sport, but also kindness and a sense of community.

Lancing Prep Hove, Hove Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 A gentle co-ed day prep with a family feel set on seven leafy acres in Hove, this is a natural feeder for Lancing College a few miles along the coast (about 75 per cent of pupils move up to it). Head Kirsty Keep has made plenty of improvements since taking charge in 2016, including overseeing the completion of a new multi-purpose hall, which is used for music and drama performances as well as assemblies, and the Snell Library.

Lancing Prep Worthing, Worthing Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 Open Morning - 07 February 2026 Open Morning - 09 May 2026 Previously known as Broadwater Manor School, this prep, housed in a Georgian manor house on a two-acre site in the Broadwater area of Worthing, became part of the Lancing College family in 2014 – and numbers have been on the rise ever since. It’s well equipped, with its own sports field, cricket nets and netball courts, and a newish Foundation Library (children are encouraged to get lost in a book through the Drop Everything and Read scheme) and drama studio.

Moulsford Prep School, Wallingford Open Morning (0-7 year olds) - 10 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 16 May 2025 One of our lunch companions here noted that what he liked about Moulsford Prep was the fact that ‘not everyone does one thing, it’s what suits you’, and that really is what this place is about. It lets children feel prized for being themselves, building confidence and self-esteem by celebrating success in all its forms. Already co-ed in the nursery and pre-prep, Moulsford recently announced that it will welcome girls into the prep school for the first time in September 2026, becoming fully co-ed by 2031. It’s a move that has been many years in the planning, and the next two years will be spent making all the necessary adjustments to get the school ready. And given that you won’t find more charming ambassadors for a school than the happy, bright, articulate and just thoroughly nice Moulsford boys, we have no doubt that the girls will flourish here too.

Notre Dame Prep School, Cobham Explore & Play Open Day - 22 March 2025 Whole school open event - 19 June 2025 There’s a wonderful warmth to this all-girls Catholic school in Surrey where the nursery and prep nestle organically in the heart of the school. As heads Amélie Morgan (prep) and Anna King (senior) say, ‘We are Notre Dame for life, from nursery to university and beyond.’ ‘Love, Learn, Flourish’ is the prep school’s mantra, and the girls are given the tools to do just that. From magical story times in the delightful treehouse to cutting-edge tech in the brand new innovation centre, pupils grow and thrive in a super-caring environment.

Papplewick School, Ascot Open Morning - 02 May 2025 Open Morning - 17 May 2025 We’re not surprised this Berkshire school that sends around a third of its leavers to Eton every year is currently oversubscribed. A Swallows and Amazons nirvana (without the boats), it’s a traditional all-boys country prep but with added quirk, fun and an extremely kind heart. Non-selective at intake but very strong academically, you won’t find in-your-face grandeur here, but you will find positive values, enthusiasm, humour and teaching beyond compare.

Reddam House Junior School, Wokingham Whole School Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Reddam’s stunning grounds complete with period drama mansion house, lake and woods belie its diverse, international feel. Very much an all-through school with a principal across the juniors and seniors, it offers a one-stop education that is a happy mix of traditional English public school with a global modern outlook. It’s part of the international schools group Inspired and there are also Reddams in Australia and South Africa.

Somerhill, Tonbridge Open Morning - 16 May 2025 A stunning school that offers the best of both worlds, Somerhill School mixes co-ed and single-sex education under one (rather splendid) Jacobean roof. Pupils are divided into four teaching groups: Saplings, a fully-hybrid outdoor nursery for children from two to four, co-ed Somerhill Pre-School for Reception to Year 2, Yardley Court for boys from Years 3 to 8 and Derwent Lodge for girls from Years 3 to 6 – it sounds complicated at first, but once you wrap your head around it, the genius of the set-up is revealed.

St Andrew's Prep Eastbourne, Eastbourne Open Morning - 03 October 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 From weekly classes on the beach to forest school in an adventure playground, this East Sussex prep knows how to instil children with a lifelong love of learning. Its dynamic approach holistically integrates academics, pastoral care and co-curricular, with the school values of kindness, honesty and excellence running through everything pupils do. As head Tom Gregory says, this is a place ‘full of opportunity, challenge and fun’.

St Lawrence College Junior School, Ramsgate Whole College Open Day - 22 March 2025 Located just a mile from the golden sands of Kent’s Ramsgate beach, this school has a really sunny feel to it with a campus that has everything its super-energetic pupils need, from light, bright classrooms and a pool to playing fields and an adventure playground. Classes are small, the atmosphere is friendly and, with a senior school on site, it’s a compelling one-stop shop from age three to 18.

St Swithun's Prep School, Winchester Whole School Open Day - 16 May 2025 With its state-of-the-art building, complete with theatre, gym and some of the lightest, brightest classrooms we’ve come across, this girls’ prep in Winchester has the ideal learning environment down to a T. And with the equally impressive senior school in the same campus, there’s a seamless transition when the time comes, making it an ideal all-through option for girls.

Summer Fields, Oxford Pre-prep Stay & Play - 20 March 2025 A breathtaking 70-acre secret garden behind high walls and iron gates right in the centre of north Oxford’s Summertown, Summer Fields is a modern yet traditional prep with high standards and impressive results. While still a boarding school at heart, it has moved with the times and embraced a more versatile offering – and the relatively new pre-prep has only served to strengthen its already significant appeal.

Sutton Valence Preparatory School, Maidstone Open Morning - 02 May 2025 There’s a real sense of nurture combined with nature at this prep in the bucolic Kent countryside. From a newly enlarged forest school and meadow to the lovely headmaster’s lawn transformed into an adventure playground, the outdoor space for children to run around and play in is endless. Academics are spot on too, with pupils well prepared for the transition to the senior school, which is just 800m away, as well as Kent’s top grammars.

The Marist Prep , Ascot Whole School Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Girls at this nurturing prep have their curiosity awakened through everything from a fabulous maker space where they can let their creativity fly designing apps and robotics, to one of the best forest schools we’ve seen where teepees and dens are a childhood dream come true. It’s a school that inspires a deep-seated love of learning, and with most continuing on to the senior school, the same ethos means excellence and commitment become part of their DNA. The school tells parents to ‘trust us’ - and we feel that faith is not misplaced.

The New Beacon, Sevenoaks Open Morning - 02 May 2025 There’s a lovely family feel at this all-boys prep in Sevenoaks which has strong community ties, including with the local girls’ schools. Solidly academic with a great sporting reputation and excellent pastoral care, it mixes tradition and innovation with aplomb, producing happy, purposeful and well-rounded pupils. Now part of the Tonbridge group, boys can make use of the senior school’s fantastic facilities and many choose to go there when they leave, though the prep remains proudly independent.

Thornton College Prep, Milton Keynes Meet the Head - 08 May 2025 Very much an all-through school, Thornton College is one family on one site with a focus on inclusive values, and an incredibly inspiring head at the helm. Girls we met were confident, chatty and exceptionally well behaved – and nurture is well and truly baked in.

Walhampton School, Lymington Open Morning - 21 March 2025 Open Morning - 10 October 2025 This innovative prep has its finger on the pulse when it comes to providing a holistic education where diversity, inclusion and pupil empowerment are paramount. A fully rounded ethos encourages children to be children, while a broad academic offering, stellar co-curricular and a decidedly 21st-century eco awareness means pupils are nurtured in the best possible environment to prepare them for senior school.

Wellington College Prep, Sandhurst Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Open Morning - 23 May 2025 Open Morning - 13 June 2025 Founded in 1820, Wellington College Prep (formerly known as Eagle House) is one of the oldest prep schools in the UK and it’s not hard to see why it survives and thrives today. Set in 32 pretty acres surrounding a grand Victorian former hunting lodge, it’s an unpretentious place, holistic in approach, allowing plenty of tree climbing and outdoor exploring while maintaining an excellent academic record. Kindness, respect and courage are the trio of school values and children are expected to really take ownership of all three as they make the most of everything this ‘have a go’ environment has to offer.

Westbourne House School, Chichester Open Morning - 17 May 2025   Pupils get to fully enjoy their childhood at this West Sussex gem where learning is ingeniously weaved into play, stretching children to learn on every level. From navigating the Viking ship climbing frame and sharing their favourite book with the head to mucking about in boats on the school lake and running the lighting and sound for assembly, pupils are inspired every minute of the day whatever they’re doing. By the time they leave, their brains are trained to be very good learners indeed – and they’ve had a wonderful time in the process.

Windlesham House, Pulborough Pre-Prep Open Morning - 15 May 2025 Windlesham House is one of those schools that evokes an incredible emotional response, with many parents themselves having spent Elysian childhoods here. In the heart of rural West Sussex, this is the oldest prep in the country, yet in recent years there has been an injection of fresh energy into the school, which has brilliantly adapted to the needs of modern families and a vibrant local market too. There’s a wow factor here, with parents and pupils alike bowled over by everything it offers.

Senior Schools

ACS Egham International School - Middle and High School, Egham Open Morning - 29 March 2025 Open Morning - 03 June 2025 Open Morning - 20 September 2025 Set on a beautiful leafy campus on the edge of Windsor Great Park, this all-through international school is one of only two schools in the UK to offer all four International Baccalaureate programmes from primary years upwards. With 46 nationalities represented, it feels like a perfect little global village, full of enthusiastic staff, many of whom bring overseas experience. Each section of the school is neatly demarcated, and all pupils have use of the knockout facilities, which include two on-site forest schools and a massive sports hall complete with ‘show court’, climbing wall and dance studio.
Bede's School, Hailsham Open Morning - 27 September 2025 ‘This school lets you be yourself,’ says one pupil at this exceptional co-ed day and boarding school in Sussex where pupils thrive and shine in all areas, from the classroom to the playing field, the art studio to the stage (the Legat Dance Academy is part of the St Bede’s School Trust, as is the nursery and prep). Proudly non-selective, the school is interested in the child not league tables and, says head Peter Goodyer, is ‘mindful we sit as a part of a journey for education rather than as the end. We are responsible for preparing pupils so they can do whatever they want to do in the best shape they can be in.’ It’s a holistic approach that pays dividends, with happy and engaged pupils living in the moment and embracing everything that comes their way.
Caterham School, Caterham Visitor Morning - 07 May 2025 Visitor Morning - 04 June 2025 Fizzy lessons, innovation and wellbeing combine at this country senior school in Surrey to make it a truly one-of-a-kind educator. As head Ceri Jones puts it, ‘Wellbeing is not a gimmick; it is done all the time through teaching emotional literacy, self-regulation and building relationships based on emotions.’ From that, pupils are in the best place to engage creatively with lessons, letting curiosity and critical thinking lead the way, while innovation naturally weaves through and grows from everything. It creates a ‘sense of purpose beyond grades, grades with new purpose’. It’s a rare offering and with the prep sharing the same innovative approach as well as the same campus, and pupils guaranteed a place at the senior school, it’s an all-through option that is about as compelling as they get.
Claremont Senior School & Sixth Form, Nr. Robertsbridge Open Day - 10 May 2025 This inspirational school in Sussex has a new principal at the helm, with former senior head Ed Dickie now overseeing both the prep and the senior, further cementing Claremont as a seamless, all-through option. It’s a school with an enlightened approach to education. ‘We encourage young people to find out what they love doing and give the pupil the opportunity to do it,’ says Mr Dickie. Pupils come from all walks of life and every child’s unique talents are championed. And while the football academy and performing arts offering are certainly a draw, it’s a school for everyone, where all pupils are challenged to try new things as well as build on their strengths.
Cranleigh School, Cranleigh Sixth Form Welcome Morning - 07 June 2025 Senior Open Morning - 14 June 2025 Basking in 240 acres of leafy Surrey countryside, Cranleigh School is a bit of a Goldilocks school – not too big, not too small, good for girls, good for boys, not greedy for the sportiest or the cleverest, but rather valuing what every pupil brings to the community. A real family atmosphere and a down-to-earth attitude creates a school filled with happy, well-rounded children confident in their own abilities.
Downe House, Thatcham Open Morning - 22 March 2025 Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Open Morning - 29 April 2025 Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Tradition and innovation are expertly entwined at this all-girls powerhouse that achieves enviable results but never at the expense of pupils’ wellbeing. There’s a refreshing balance of work and play here, something the head Emma McKendrick (who is something of a doyenne in the world of education) is rightly proud of. Sixth formers leave with all the tools they need to succeed (including a mini-MBA) and a tight-knit community that stays with them for life.
Dulwich Cranbrook - Senior School, Cranbrook Senior School Open Morning - 23 May 2025 The new senior arm of this welcoming and wonderfully nurturing school in the Weald of Kent opened its doors in September 2023, which means pupils can now enjoy an all-through experience from two to 16. On the same glorious 50-acre campus as the prep, the senior school offers a bespoke approach to GCSEs, with timetables built around each pupil and a grown-up space to learn and be – they even have their own café. ‘The central vision of the senior school is for GCSE cohorts to be treated more as adults,’ says head Sophie Bradshaw. It’s a contemporary approach and it really feels like Dulwich Cranbrook is once again breaking the mould of traditional schooling.
Eastbourne College, Eastbourne Open Morning Years 9-12 - 10 May 2025 Sixth Form Open Evening - 18 September 2025 Open Morning Years 9-12 - 04 October 2025 This school has all bases covered: academics are impressive and getting more so every year, sport serves all, from those looking for fun and fitness to elite athletes (watch out for future female cricket stars) and blue sky thinking runs through everything, from taking learning to the beach and becoming a mobile phone-free school to offering transformational bursaries and outreach programmes to the local community. Once a hidden gem, numbers are now higher than ever, with a waiting list in operation. No wonder. Cosmopolitan and diverse, this co-ed senior boarding school has a modern mindset and knows how to inspire young people.
Frensham Heights School, Farnham Whole School Open Evening - 09 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 20 June 2025 ‘We ditch the lanes other schools make kids walk in,’ says head Ben McCarey of this Surrey co-ed that has been a beacon of progressive education since it was founded 100 years ago. The focus here is on championing creativity and individuality, and with its liberal and non-punitive approach, first-name terms and absence of uniform, it allows children to show up as themselves knowing they’ll be valued and respected for who they are. The school continues to 18, with boarding from Year 7, making it a compelling all-through option.
Heathfield School, Ascot Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 ‘The merit of one is the honour of all’ is the school motto here – and there is certainly much to be merited at Heathfield. Cast aside any preconceptions you may have, and prepare to be bowled over, Heathfield hits that rare sweet spot of being small enough to give every girl individual attention, and large enough to offer a full school experience in terms of academic options and co-curricular opportunities, whilst offering an astounding amount of flexibility to families. In her short time at the helm, Sarah Rollings has completely re-invigorated this outstanding school, placing pupil well-being and value-added achievement at the forefront of the unashamedly girls-first ethos, and introducing a stunning new sixth form centre, transforming the A-level experience.
Hurst, Hassocks Open Morning (13+ entry) - 22 March 2025 Open Morning (11+ entry) - 09 May 2025 Open Morning (13+ and 16+ entry) - 10 May 2025 This powerhouse of an all-through, day and boarding co-ed in West Sussex is as popular as it’s ever been and it’s easy to see why. Pupils are instilled with a love of learning – and everything else – the minute they walk through the gates and the encouragement to have a go, both in and out of the classroom, is phenomenal. Alongside the get-stuck-in attitude, they’re also taught to be responsible for their own choices and be self-motivated to pursue their passions, invaluable attributes when they head off out into the world. Facilities are first-class too, from the historic chapel to the state-of-the-art theatre. And because this is a school that never sits still, it’s currently building a £10 million swimming pool due to open in September 2025, with a new £7 million gym and sixth form centre next in the pipeline.
King's School Rochester, Rochester Whole School Open Morning - 26 April 2025 The oldest cathedral choir school in the world is no small boast, but King’s School Rochester is so much more than its awe-inspiring history, which stretches back to AD604, and its stunning campus with its views of Rochester’s castle and cathedral. This is a holistic, forward-looking place that nurtures not just musical excellence, academics and sport, but also kindness and a sense of community. It’s tantalisingly close to London on the high-speed train (just 30 minutes). We’re not surprised there are lots of ‘lifers’ – children who join at three and stay all the way through to 18.
Lancing College, Lancing Open Event (Year 9 entry) - 22 March 2025 Open Event (Year 9 entry) - 07 June 2025 From the beautiful architecture and grounds to the pupils striding purposefully across quads on their way to lessons, Lancing College seems to have the playbook of an Oxford college. But while the environment feels awe-inspiring, it’s also refreshingly unflashy, with no sense of entitlement or privilege, just the love of learning, working hard and being part of a supportive community underpinning its solid foundation. It's an impressive school that surprisingly flies under the radar – but we suspect that won’t be the case for long.
Leighton Park School, Reading Open Morning - 09 May 2025 Open Morning - 13 June 2025 There is something in the air at Leighton Park. The school’s long-standing focus on values, character and community alongside academic achievement now feels very relevant, zeitgeisty even, and it has quietly become a real contender for both local and international parents. Pupils genuinely love their school and thrive on the creative and analytical approach to their studies, alongside the emphasis on personal development where all pupils are encouraged to become ethical changemakers.
Lord Wandsworth College, Hook Spring Open Morning - 22 March 2025 Headmaster's Reception - 14 May 2025 Summer Open Evening - 17 June 2025 Headmaster's Reception - 24 June 2025 Headmaster's Reception - 24 June 2025 Philanthropy sits front and centre at this Hampshire school, which was established upon the death of its eponymous founder, Lord Wandsworth, 101 years ago. Originally built for the bereaved children of agricultural workers, it has educated 2,500 ‘Foundationers’ in its first century, with more than 50 pupils on supported places currently at the school and a separate bursary fund for means-tested places. This fosters a real community spirit, with children involved in every aspect of the running of the school – from helping interview new staff to designing the new sixth form centre.
Marymount International School London, Kingston Upon Thames Open Event - 26 April 2025 This unique offering in Kingston upon Thames (it’s the first all-girls school in the country to adopt the IB from Middle Years to Diploma) is full of laughter and hard work, says its head Margaret Giblin who tells us ‘students become the best version of themselves’. Girls hail from over 55 countries creating a great cultural mix and truly global outlook. Results exceed worldwide averages and pupils stride off confidently to the likes of LSE, Imperial College and Ivy League institutions.
Mayfield School, Mayfield Open Morning - 30 April 2025 Open Morning - 25 June 2025 In the words of the newly appointed head Deborah Bligh, Mayfield School helps to shape its pupils but does not seek to change them: ‘A Mayfield girl’s voice has real value.’ Integrity, compassion and joy anchor the pupils, and it’s clearly evident in the close bonds between the girls and with staff. Pastoral care is spot on, academics are impressive and the setting is idyllic. It’s no wonder it’s one of the UK’s leading all-girls Catholic schools.
Notre Dame Senior School, Cobham Whole school open event - 19 June 2025   This all-through, all-girls school in Surrey is impressive on many levels. Fabulous facilities include a state-of-the-art innovation hub and professional-standard theatre, there’s a busy enrichment programme that allows pupils to uncover their talents and passions, and the most academically able are stretched and challenged through the dedicated Above and Beyond the Curriculum programme. What really stands out is the genuine care that Notre Dame has for all its pupils, even after they’ve left. They are sent good-luck cards at the start of their first term of university and are invited back during the Christmas holidays with the year group above them so they can swap stories, share advice and generally feel supported and empowered. As the very switched-on head Anna King says, ‘We are Notre Dame for life, from nursery to university and beyond.’
Prior's Field, Godalming Meet the Head 9-11am - 25 April 2025 Open Afternoon 2pm-4pm - 27 June 2025 Open Afternoon 2pm-4pm - 26 September 2025 This small, super-nurturing, all-girls school in Surrey puts academic progress, wellbeing and happiness first. No one gets lost here – rather, they’re encouraged in all directions from academics and sports to creative arts (which they’re particularly strong at). Softly selective and the opposite of brash, it’s a school that is full of warmth and respect, and a place where girls achieve by being happy, not intimidated. Aldous Huxley’s mother, Julia, founded it in 1902 with the aim of producing ‘confident young women, ready to make their mark on the modern world’; more than a century later, it’s still doing just that.
Queen Anne's Caversham, Reading Open Morning - 10 May 2025 A strong sense of purpose pervades this all-girls day and boarding school in picturesque Berkshire. Super-friendly girls exude confidence not arrogance, happy in their own skin and enthusiastically throwing themselves into endless opportunities. All bases are covered, so whatever a pupil’s passion, from sport to drama, music to modern languages, this school is brilliant at everything. It’s a sure-fire alternative to the higher-pressure London scene, and we can see why urbanites are flocking here. Kind Hearts, Fierce Minds, Strong Spirits is the school’s motto – and we really got the sense that girls here were genuinely living by this mighty triumvirate.
Radley College, Abingdon Open Day - 26 April 2025 Open Day - 10 May 2025 Open Day - 07 June 2025 Open Day - 14 June 2025 Open Day - 21 June 2025 Steeped in tradition but not stuck in the past, it’s hard not to be bowled over by Radley. It’s hugely impressive with its glorious grounds, Who’s Who list of alumni and peerless opportunities offered to all who go there. It’s no wonder parents rush to register their sons’ names on the famous Radley List at birth. But while it maintains its all-boys, full-boarding model, this is no hallowed ground institution preserved in aspic – today’s pupils are as passionate about robotics as they are about debating, access has widened with more fully-funded places and scholarships, and innovation continues to thrive under the steady hand of John Moule who’s now led the school for a decade. It’s safe to say that the days of Radley being seen as a bit stuffy and stuck in the past are well and truly over.
Reddam House Senior School, Wokingham Whole School Open Day - 10 May 2025 Reddam’s stunning grounds complete with period drama mansion house, lake and woods belie its diverse, international feel. Very much an all-through school with a principal across the juniors and seniors, it offers a one-stop education that is a happy mix of traditional English public school with a global modern outlook. It’s part of the international schools group Inspired and there are also Reddams in Australia and South Africa.
Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks Saturday Group Visit - 14 May 2025 Saturday Group Visit - 07 June 2025 Open Day - 14 June 2025 This superlatively good school in Kent is one of the top IB schools in the world with knockout facilities and a prime location within easy distance of London, Heathrow and Gatwick. With the academic results it gets, you’d expect it to have a higher profile but that’s not the way Sevenoaks rolls. Down-to-earth, with a cosmopolitan feel, it just gets on doing what it does, superbly well. Pupils are encouraged to be the best version of themselves in all different roles and to live their best lives, says head Jesse Elzinga: ‘There is no typical Sevenoaks student, they find their own thing and find their environment.’
Shiplake College, Henley-on-Thames Whole School Open Event 09:00 - 12:00 - 22 March 2025 Whole School Open Event 09:00 - 12:00 - 20 September 2025 Sixth Form Open Day - 11 October 2025 Selective but aimed at a broad range of abilities, Shiplake College is an authentic and unpretentious place that takes a holistic approach to educating ‘good eggs’. Previously boys only until sixth form, Shiplake has made the decision to organically grow into a totally co-ed school with meticulous planning and preparation resulting in the first mixed Year 7/8 cohort already nicely balanced with 40 per cent girls - a remarkable opening gambit.
Sir William Perkins's School , Chertsey Open Day - 28 March 2025 Open Morning (2026 entry only) - 27 June 2025 Open Morning - 17 September 2025 Sixth Form Open Evening - 24 September 2025 Open Morning - 26 September 2025 Open Morning - 09 October 2025 Stellar academics are combined with a fantastic co-curricular programme (it has a particularly fine reputation in rowing) at this day school in Surrey. Here, pupils’ individuality is firmly championed – there are no identikit students, just high-achievers in charge of their own future.
St Edward's School, Oxford, Oxford Open Morning - 22 March 2025 Sixth Form Open Day (2026) - 26 April 2025 Shell Open Day (2028) - 17 May 2025 It’s safe to say that this formerly unsung hero has found its voice. St Edward’s, Oxford is on fire – academic ambition is at an all-time high, but none of the school’s characteristic warmth and roundedness has been sacrificed in the pursuit.
St George's Ascot, Ascot Open event - 21 March 2025 Open event - 25 April 2025 Open event - 06 May 2025 Open event - 27 June 2025 Punching above its weight academically comes naturally to this all-girls’ day and boarding senior school in the centre of leafy Ascot. ‘I feel like I am at the centre of my own story,’ says one pupil. It’s a ringing endorsement at a time when so many young girls struggle to navigate their own path in a noisy world. We were struck by how at ease all the girls are across the year groups; it’s a superbly supportive community. And while the school is small, horizons are huge, with girls exceeding expectations in and out of the classroom. It really feels like the sky’s the limit here, with the Georgian girls soaring.
St James Senior Boys' School, Ashford Open Morning - 08 May 2025 Open Morning - 19 June 2025 This boys-only school in Ashford, Surrey takes a holistic approach to education, with a focus on philosophy, wellbeing and individualised learning. The end result is well-rounded young men who have been encouraged to work outside their comfort zone and grow as learners, as well as people. It’s also the only school in the country to offer Sanskrit to GCSE.
St Lawrence College, Ramsgate Whole College Open Day - 22 March 2025 Just a mile from the golden sands of Kent’s Ramsgate Beach, St Lawrence College is one of only a handful of certified World Class High Performance Learning Schools, an accolade recognising the school’s efforts to provide an exceptional education to its students. There’s a wonderfully inclusive, vibrant community here – pupils hail from over 25 different countries and get stuck into a busy six day a week timetable, packed with academic and co-curricular opportunities. Outstanding athletes can sign up for the school’s Elite Performance Programme; there’s a 500-seat theatre for future actors, and a dedicated exhibition space to showcase budding artists’ work. Support for life beyond school is exceptional – extra academic clinics are laid on for those shooting for a place at Oxbridge or Medical School, and critical thinking classes help develop confidence ahead of interviews. Full boarding is popular – and as the school doesn’t close during exeat weekends, it’s a hit with overseas families.
St Swithun's School, Winchester Open Morning - 21 June 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 This school has the wow factor, inside and out. Academic results are stellar and luxurious is no overstatement when it comes to describing the building and grounds. It’s also home to the prep and nursery, meaning girls can soak up knowledge here from age three to 18. St Swithun’s is accredited as a High Performance Learning World Class School – achievement is high but the route is relaxed. This is certainly no hothouse, and the girls we met were all purposeful and happy.
Sutton Valence School, Maidstone Open Morning - 10 May 2025 This co-ed school in the picturesque Kent countryside has a work hard, play hard attitude. All-through in the truest sense of the term (the nursery and prep are a mere 800m away), it offers acres of green space, a holistic approach to academics and pastoral care, and an uplifting, joyful mindset. In the words of head James Thomas: ‘It’s a great package: cracking staff, motivated pupils in a beautiful environment, good grades and exhausted kids at the end of the week.’ You couldn’t ask for more.
The Duke of York's Royal Military School, Dover Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Open Morning - 03 May 2025 Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Open Morning - 14 June 2025 Open Morning - 21 June 2025 This state boarding school’s rich history and majestic location near the White Cliffs of Dover definitely have the wow factor, but even more impressive is the all-round education that instils perhaps the strongest sense of community we’ve encountered at a school. ‘We are one big Dukie family,’ the head boy told us. Military-inspired values of courage, integrity, respect, commitment, loyalty and self-discipline bind everyone together, and while academics are important, so is turning out thoughtful and well-motivated individuals who are ready to enter adulthood with resilience, rigour and leadership.
The King's School Canterbury, Canterbury Open Morning - 17 May 2025 For one of the oldest schools in the country (it’s been around since 597AD, when St Augustine arrived to evangelise England, and was rebranded by Henry VIII in 1541 as his own school – hence the name), The King’s School, Canterbury feels thoroughly modern. New head Jude Lowson is a wonderfully forward-thinking leader and while tradition (the sixth form heads of houses wear purple gowns passed down through the years) and the school’s storied musical reputation are part of the fabric, this is a school that knows how to move with the times.
The Marist School, Ascot Whole School Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Excellence is a habit not an action at this high-flying all-through, all-girls’ school. No less important is commitment and kindness to others. The school community is like a happy, tight-knit family, with every pupil known by every member of staff, and many parents old girls themselves – some even come back to work here. Parents are told to ‘trust us’, and that faith is not misplaced. Academics are top-notch, sports teams are embarrassingly successful, and girls are articulate, kind and thoughtful.
Thornton College, Milton Keynes Meet the Head - 08 May 2025 Very much an all-through school, Thornton College is one family on one site with a focus on inclusive values, and an incredibly inspiring head at the helm. Girls we met were confident, chatty and exceptionally well behaved – and nurture is well and truly baked in.
Tonbridge School, Tonbridge Mini Open Morning for Day Boys - 18 March 2025 It is with experience, passion and rigour that we strive to get under the skin of a school and help parents understand why they would send their children there. But at Tonbridge School, we have simply been left wondering ‘Why wouldn’t they?’ It’s hard not to roll out the superlatives when it comes to this all-boys’ wonder of a school in Kent that’s been acing it as one of the country’s top schools for aeons. Academically astounding yet highly emotionally intelligent, big on community spirit, filled to the brim with a wonderfully refreshing mix of pupils, and faultless at turning out charming boys ready to tackle an ever-changing world, Tonbridge sets itself apart from the rest.
Wellington College, Crowthorne Director of Admissions’ Reception - 19 March 2025 Master’s Reception - 16 May 2025 College Tour Day - 07 June 2025 A progressive school at the forefront of educational innovation, Wellington College was transformed by visionary head Sir Anthony Seldon and is soaring once again with James Dahl in charge. With its constant buzz, forward-facing attitude and so much for the taking, its pupils are brilliantly prepared to cope with the pressures of the modern world. There’s a palpable culture of inclusivity and ‘go-getting’ – it’s cool to be busy, and to make the most of life here, children need to be driven and willing to get involved.

South West England

Prep Schools

Badminton School Prep, Westbury-on-Trym Whole School Open Morning - 02 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 27 September 2025 Whole School Visiting Morning - 07 November 2025 As a small, single-sex school, Badminton offers an incredible level of support from the get-go, with all girls well known individually and allowed to grow at their own pace. That’s not to say the prep school doesn’t have academic clout – it definitely does, and the blue sky-thinking head Heidi Welch is adept at weaving tip-top academics into the super-secure pastoral setting. All but a tiny number of pupils transfer to the senior school in Year 7, but even for those who don’t, this is a smashing launch pad.
Beaudesert Park School, Stroud Open Morning 9.30am to 12noon - 09 May 2025 Wearing its brilliance lightly, Beaudesert Park School sits high on the Cotswold prep list for both longstanding locals and relocating Londoners. It’s a very well-appointed site with some big-hitting facilities yet the atmosphere is warm, welcoming and wonderfully down to earth.
Bryanston Prep, Blandford Forum Open Morning - 22 March 2025 Open Morning - 16 May 2025 Three years after being brought into the fold of Bryanston’s senior school, this country prep’s all-girls days as Knighton House are a distant memory, along with those iconic red dungarees. It’s grown in stature, for sure, with its offering of a unique educational journey from three to 18. But it still gives its pupils the sense of freedom that comes from being part of a big, happy family – it’s just a bigger family now.
Clayesmore Preparatory School, Blandford Forum Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Housed in a turreted mansion between Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury, Clayesmore Prep shares the same gloriously rural surroundings as the senior. Its dedicated facilities are topped up with the bonuses of the main school’s large sports centre, full-sized Astroturf, dance studio, theatre and chapel. There is a real emphasis on older pupils mentoring and supporting younger ones.
Clifton College Preparatory School, Clifton Preschool to Year 8 Spring Open Event - 02 May 2025 Preschool to Year 6 Open Event - 26 September 2025 There’s no ‘one size fits all’ at this unstuffy Bristol prep (which includes a preschool and pre-prep too), part of the Clifton College stable. The intake is refreshingly broad – and so is what’s on offer.
Dean Close Preparatory School, Cheltenham Whole School Open Morning - 10 May 2025 A co-ed prep with a family feel set in 50 acres near the centre of Cheltenham. Children here are championed and challenged through positive reinforcement and strong pastoral care and the school also educates the choristers of Tewkesbury Abbey as part and parcel of its offering. A pre-prep that takes children from two years old, as well as providing pupils with a seamless transition to the senior are massive boons for most – plus the expansive zoned campus gives prep pupils the best of both worlds with dedicated spaces just for them and a world of further opportunity on the doorstep.
Exeter Junior School, Exeter Summer Open Evening - 08 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 17 June 2025 There’s a lovely warm environment at this academically ambitious school in the heart of Exeter, where pupils are as industrious outside the classroom as they are in, throwing themselves into a huge range of different activities. With the pre-prep (on a different site) and senior (on the same site) it’s a compelling all-through option, with engaging overall head Louise Simpson expertly overseeing all three schools, following her pupils from age three to 18.
Exeter Pre-Prep School, Exeter Pre-Prep Open Morning - 19 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 17 June 2025 Like its big sibling junior and senior schools, this pre-prep has a lot of academic ambition. It’s achieved through a tremendous sense of teamwork, with every teacher involved with every pupil, which makes for a very special environment, and means little ones are ready to fly when they reach junior school.
Hazlegrove Prep School, Yeovil Open Day - 17 May 2025 This historic Somerset school has enviable film-set looks, but it’s the pupils who give it soul, belting around its 200 acres on bicycles and scooters and clomping through forests in brightly coloured wellies. Bursting with creativity and innovation, plans are afoot for rewilding and solar panels, and the superlative academics (achieved without being selective) and enlightened pastoral care mean parents are clamouring to get their children’s names down from birth.
Pinewood School, Shrivenham Open Day - 15 May 2025 Welcoming, warm, thoughtful, busy, varied, thriving and all about the children, Pinewood is a must-see. The lack of head boy/girl encapsulates the overarching takeaway from this 84-acre nirvana which is that every child is important.
Taunton Prep School, Taunton Pre-Prep & Nursery Open Morning - 25 April 2025 Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Taunton Prep offers families a compelling all-through school experience, with siblings moving easily between the pre-prep, prep and senior schools with no exam pressure. The prep’s campus sits in the middle and feels spacious with its own half of a brand new dining hall and dedicated performing arts centre. The school is proudly inclusive with top-notch co-curricular credentials. A real all-rounder, it stands its ground against other competitors in the area.
The Oratory Prep School, Reading Whole School Open Morning - 16 May 2025 This small Oxfordshire prep makes no apology for making kindness the beating heart of school life – and what a beautiful butterfly effect this has. The warmth and good manners of everyone create such a relaxed and happy environment that it’s impossible not to feel completely at ease inside the glorious 65-acre campus. It’s the perfect space for young minds to flourish, and with pupils’ curiosity piqued at every step of their educational journey – there’s even an actual ‘corridor of curiosity’ complete with code-breaking boxes, plasma balls and distorting mirrors – Oratory Prep girls and boys can’t help but gain heaps of self-confidence, a strong moral compass and bags of enthusiasm for learning.
Wells Cathedral Prep School, Wells Summer Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Autumn Open Morning - 20 September 2025 For one of the oldest educational establishments in the world (founded in 909), Wells Cathedral School has a decidedly modern motto: Esto Quod Est (Be What You Are). This co-ed day and boarding all-through school is very well set up for getting the best out of every pupil, and it’s clear that the prep school – which shares the same site as its senior sibling – takes this warm, accepting attitude seriously.
West Buckland Prep, Barnstaple Whole School Open Day - 06 May 2025   Set in nearly 100 acres of knockout Devon countryside, this all-through rural co-ed delivers a progressive and nurturing education that embraces the outdoors and focuses on the individual needs of every child. One parent told us children here are encouraged to ‘be what they want to be’, whether that’s a ballet dancer, skateboarder, rugby player or all three. Its remoteness means children stay younger for longer and, with the senior school on the same site and a seamless transition into Year 7, it offers a stress-free educational journey from three to 18.

Senior Schools

Badminton School, Bristol Whole School Open Morning - 02 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 27 September 2025 Sixth Form Open Evening - 10 October 2025 Whole School Visiting Morning - 07 November 2025 A smart, unfussy, forward-looking school that is both quintessentially British and wonderfully diverse with a phenomenal global, outward-looking view on the world, Badminton offers a compelling all-through education for girls. Its small size allows strong relationships to be forged and a real culture of tolerance and respect to be fostered. This is a hugely democratic sort of place, where girls are encouraged to be proactive in and outside school – and it has an air of intellectual rigour to boot.
Bryanston School, Blandford Forum Senior School Group Visit - 22 March 2025 Senior School Group Visit - 26 April 2025 Senior School Group Visit - 17 May 2025 Senior School Group Visit - 07 June 2025 The magnificent setting might be what first catches your eye at this buzzing school that has the air of a university campus, but once you’ve spent a little time here, it’s the relaxed, purposeful pupils who really wow you. Innovative and progressive, Bryanston delivers pastoral care and mentoring that is second to none, so pupils thrive in an environment where boundaries are clear, but in no way quash their sense of individuality and agency. Sky-high ambitions are nurtured, independence is fostered and creativity is given free rein. It’s no wonder it’s oversubscribed, and as its close ties with Bryanston Prep grow ever stronger, the all-through education Bryanston offers is a no-brainer for many families.
Canford, Wimborne Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 Despite its magnificent setting and illustrious history, there is no sense of privilege or entitlement at this 100-year-old school in the beautiful Dorset countryside. Pupils are friendly, down-to-earth and outward-looking, happy in their own skin and modest about their achievements – even though there would be much to brag about, from ace exam results to stellar performances on the playing field and stage. It’s no wonder waiting lists are growing – this is a school with serious game, turning out wonderfully grounded young men and women with a real awareness of the world around them.
Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Small Group Visit 9.30am - 12.30pm - 22 March 2025 Small Group Visit 9.30am - 12.30pm - 10 May 2025 Cheltenham College has long held a reputation for academic success and the broad range of co-curricular opportunities it offers, but the current head’s constant scrutiny of what’s on offer and how it can be enhanced or adjusted to give pupils the best and most rounded education possible has given Cheltenham College an added and very tangible sense of positivity and purpose. A stunning campus in Regency Cheltenham with state-of-the-art facilities provides the backdrop for this impressive and adaptable school – which, despite its size, maintains a very family feel.
Clayesmore School, Blandford Forum Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Top-notch academics paired with a family vibe make this rural Dorset school a happy place to be. And with a prep school on the same site, it offers an excellent all-through option. Leaving the prep feels seamless (95 per cent of its pupils join the senior school), and with the stress of being drilled for exams to get into senior school eliminated, the inclusive holistic approach established at the prep continues organically – pupils don’t even need to change uniform, bar a couple of items.
Clifton College, Clifton Sixth Form Open Evening - 03 October 2025 Years 7-11 Open Event - 04 October 2025 Clifton College hits the sweet spot of individual care and attention, with the numbers and resources to offer everyone a multitude of options. There is no set path here and, as pupils grow and develop, it becomes the school they need to maximise their potential both in the classroom and beyond. And with the adjacent preparatory school available as a seamless build-up, Clifton really does have it all.
Dauntsey's , Devizes Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Open Morning - 04 October 2025 Dauntsey’s never loses sight of the importance of childhood as pupils move up through the years, throwing themselves into all the opportunities on offer. Academics are strong, but perhaps more notable is the way pupils enjoy learning and the holistic weaving in of co-curricular. This year, the school introduced the Dauntsey’s ABCs, the three things that they ask of all pupils:  Be Ambitious, Be Brave and Be Compassionate – qualities that are all very much on display when you visit the school.
Dean Close School, Cheltenham Whole School Open Morning - 10 May 2025 A fabulous educational oxymoron, Dean Close is a smallish big-hitter. With around 500 pupils, it has enough numbers to pack a punch, but it retains the family feel of its prep-school sibling. Facilities are fantastic and this is a school which seems very clear about its identity and purpose. It really is, as their strapline suggests, ‘Distinctly Dean Close’.
Exeter School, Exeter Summer Open Evening - 08 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 17 June 2025 A school where academic sights are set high and pupils rise to them through excellent teaching and a programme of mind-expanding lectures, masterclasses and educational trips. Co-curricular is equally strong, with wonderful facilities and a ‘let’s do it’ mentality. The pre-prep and junior sibling schools means it’s a compelling all-through option, with engaging overall head Louise Simpson expertly overseeing all three schools, which means she follows many pupils through their whole educational journey from age three to 18.
Godolphin, Salisbury Snapshot Morning - 21 March 2025 One of the most welcoming, utterly transparent, genuine and delightful schools out there, Godolphin is refreshingly down to earth – parents work hard to send their children here and greatly value the opportunities it has to offer. And from September 2025, after nearly 300 years of educating girls, Godolphin will welcome boys to enjoy these opportunities too. It’s a huge watershed moment that doesn’t change the school’s past but secures its future – and gives more young people the opportunity to share in everything that makes Godolphin special.
Marlborough College, Marlborough Open Day 13+ entry (in 2028 & 2029) - 26 April 2025 Smaller Group Visit 16+ entry (in 2026) - 07 May 2025 Smaller Group Visit 13+ entry (in 2028) - 15 May 2025 Smaller Group Visit 13+ entry (in 2028) - 20 May 2025 Smaller Group Visit 16+ entry (in 2026) - 21 May 2025 Open Day 13+ entry (in 2028 & 2029) - 07 June 2025 Smaller Group Visit 16+ entry (in 2026) - 11 June 2025 Smaller Group Visit 13+ entry (in 2028) - 12 June 2025 With its formidable reputation as one of the country’s top public schools (it’s also one of the very few genuinely seven-days-a-week schools left in the UK), Marlborough might be forgiven for resting on its laurels. But that’s not the Marlborough way. Recent initiatives include a new method of teaching and learning that places health and mental wellbeing at the centre of everything, while the College’s continuing drive to increase accessibility has seen a boom in bursaries. As the inspirational head Louise Moelwyn-Hughes says: ‘We are changing the face of Marlborough College through diversity, and access is at the heart of what we do.’
St Mary's Calne, Calne Open Day - 17 May 2025 With its first-class facilities, exceptional teaching and wonderful pastoral care, St Mary’s Calne ticks every box. Yes, this Wiltshire girls’ school is academically selective but, as head Anne Wakefield says, it’s also academically supportive. ‘Win your own race: be courageous, be bold, be you,’ she tells pupils. And with the motto ‘Calne Girls Can’ ringing in their ears, they find their passions and their talents and fly.
Taunton School, Taunton Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Virtual Open Event - 03 May 2025 A proudly inclusive school that excels in academics as well as co-curricular subjects, Taunton Senior School offers families a compelling all-through educational experience with children moving seamlessly from pre-prep to prep to senior school, meaning parents don’t have to worry about multiple school locations as their children move up the years. This is just one of its strengths in an area with plenty of independent schools vying for pupils.
Truro School, Truro Sixth Form Open Evening - 23 September 2025 Senior School Open Morning - 04 October 2025 The sense of belonging is palpable at this school, which overlooks Truro Cathedral from its hilltop location. As well as enriching children’s lives with learning, physical challenges, creativity and fun (after school you’ll see a flurry of pupils grabbing their surfboards from the corridors to head off to the beach), there’s a real commitment to creating citizens of Cornwall, who will go into the world taking their Cornish identity with them. There’s a feeling of energy and optimism here that’s infectious – and it starts in the nursery and prep school, making Truro a fantastic all-through option.
Wells Cathedral School, Wells Summer Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Autumn Open Morning - 20 September 2025 For one of the oldest educational establishments in the world (founded in 909), Wells Cathedral School has a decidedly modern motto: Esto Quod Est (Be What You Are). This co-ed day and boarding school is well set up for getting the best out of every pupil, regardless of their talents. While often compared to four other music specialist schools in the UK, Wells Cathedral School has a very different modus operandi. It’s the only one that is set within a traditional school environment and, perhaps more crucially, it offers an all-through, all-round education in addition to delivering excellence in music.
West Buckland School, Barnstaple Whole School Open Day - 06 May 2025   Set in nearly 100 acres of knockout Devon countryside, this all-through rural co-ed delivers a nurturing education that embraces the outdoors and focuses on the individual needs of every child. We love the progressive approach to academics, with its emphasis on entrepreneurship and future employment – pupils here are well prepared for life beyond school. And with incredible facilities to equal the setting and excellent co-curricular to match the academic ambition, it’s the complete package from ages three to 18.

East of England

Prep Schools

Bedford Prep School, Bedford Bedford in Action 7+ and 11+ - 21 March 2025 Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Located in the same grounds as Bedford Upper School, this high-achieving prep is consistently at the top of the leaderboard in academics, sport, music, drama and technology. It shares the same pride among pupils, parents and staff as the senior school, and there is a strong sense of community and camaraderie. We were struck by what a happy place it is – when we visited, there was a real buzz rippling through the bright and airy buildings, with boys prodding snakes in the science lab, charging around the rugby pitch and devouring books in the library – and with most boys moving up to the senior school with no Common Entrance to stress about, it offers an all-through education parents can feel confidence in.

Beechwood Park School, St Albans Whole School Open Morning - 16 May 2025   It’s not just the idyllic setting in rural Hertfordshire that makes this co-ed day and boarding prep a strong contender for anyone’s shortlist. Top-grade academics, sports and performing arts create a true all-rounder, and with the school’s wholesome approach to wellbeing – no phones, and free time is spent roaming the 60-acre grounds – it’s no wonder that pupils are confident and happy. It’s a relatively large place with almost 500 pupils, but there’s a real sense that everyone feels valued here, and the nurturing way the older children interact with the little ones is heartwarming.

Chigwell Pre Prep & Prep School, Chigwell 4+ School in Action Morning - 18 March 2025 4+ School in Action Morning - 20 May 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 14 June 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 27 September 2025 This award-winning Essex school has a stellar reputation for academic excellence, which probably unfairly eclipses its performing arts and sports offering. In truth, it’s fantastic in all areas, pastoral included. ‘Everyone has a tribe here,’ says head of the whole school Damian King. And yes, it’s seamlessly part of the senior school too, with younger children nestled in a self-contained oasis where they can grow their wings knowing exactly where they’re flying on to. And it combines the convenience of a town school with the spaciousness of a country prep. In an area jostling with good schools, we think this might just be one of the best.

Framlingham College Prep School, Woodbridge Pre-Prep and Prep School Open Morning - 05 May 2025 With its country prep feel, top-notch staff and heartening ethos that is all about nurturing and celebrating the uniqueness of each and every child, Framlingham College Prep is hard to resist. And that’s not all – with the excellent Framlingham College providing the final destination for 97 per cent of pupils, it also offers an all-through journey that equips pupils with all the skills and knowledge they need to blossom in the world.

Gresham's Prep School, Holt Open Morning - 02 May 2025 A traditional education is the focus at this Norfolk prep school, but just as important is allowing children the freedom to thrive and find their own way. The happy atmosphere and fully engaged pupils attest to the success of this approach, and with new, state of the art premises on the horizon in 2026, the future at Gresham’s is looking very bright indeed.

King's Ely Prep, Ely Prep Open Event - 10 May 2025 This high-achieving prep in Ely near Cambridge is part of the King’s Ely family and so offers a seamless all-through education from age two to 18. Music and drama are standout subjects and Christian values and personal development are foundation stones. Add in a good cultural blend of international pupils, choristers and boarding options and you have the complete package.

St Faith's, Cambridge Open Morning 10am - 12pm - 26 April 2025 Excellent in every area, this Cambridge prep has holistic education down to a tee with stellar academics (the STEM provision is ground-breaking), sports, performing arts and pastoral care. Even in a city where competition is stiff, it stands out from the crowd.

Senior Schools

Bedford School, Bedford Open Morning - 17 May 2025 The self-assurance of this venerable school that dates back to 1552 is wonderfully evident in the confident and considerate young men it turns out. Its commitment to a holistic education means it’s not jumpy with change but rather finesses what it does in a mindful manner. A sense of pride and contentment is palpable among pupils and staff alike and, although it might not catch the eye with state-of-the-art buildings, the solidness of Bedford School goes much deeper than a flashy façade.
Chigwell Senior School , Chigwell Whole School Open Morning - 14 June 2025 Whole School Open Morning - 27 September 2025 This award-winning all-through, co-ed school in Essex is, as its dynamic head Damian King says, ‘academically excellent without being exclusively academic’ - and even more so now, with the last couple of years’ huge expansion of the co-curricular offering resulting in more and more pupils choosing sport and the creative arts at GCSE and A level. ‘Everyone has a tribe they can find here,’ Mr King tells us. Pupils and parents also value the focus on skills such as problem solving and debating. Hot house it is not – even though its results are up there with the best of them.
Framlingham College, Framlingham Senior School Open Morning - 26 April 2025 This warm and friendly school in Suffolk has its feet on the ground – which gives its pupils the space to reach for the stars without feeling the pressure. There’s no sense of academic snobbery or chasing top billing on league tables here; rather, kindness is the driving ethos and individuality is nurtured, with achievements celebrated in and out of the classroom. A fully integrated prep means pupils can grow up here acquiring skills and knowledge to equip them for the future.
Gresham's School, Holt Open Morning - 03 May 2025 There’s a wonderfully laid-back and friendly atmosphere at this historic school that has a deservedly excellent reputation for tradition, solid teaching and good old-fashioned manners. Refreshingly unflashy, it’s quietly impressive with fabulous academics (without being overly selective) and fantastic facilities, particularly in STEAM and music. The only school in Norfolk to offer the IB (alongside A-levels), it sits in the Top 250 for value-added, and you get the feeling that every pupil knows they are getting the absolute best education for them.
King's Ely, Ely Senior Open Event - 10 May 2025 One of the oldest schools in the world with the stunning Ely Cathedral at its heart, King’s Ely certainly has gravitas. And with pupils regularly filing into the cathedral for assemblies, services, and choristers’ choir practice, it feels like a grounding force for everyone. But equally appealing is the incredibly friendly atmosphere at the school and the brilliant choice of academic and co-curricular options. And with the prep on the same site and nursery and pre-prep five minutes’ walk away, it offers an all-through option which is certainly compelling.
Royal Hospital School, Ipswich Whole School Open Morning - 29 March 2025 There’s a unique naval heritage at this knockout co-ed day and boarding school in East Anglia whose rich history spans four centuries. And while today it’s no longer a military school, it still pays homage to its roots with regular all-school parades in naval uniform (‘Divisions’ in navy speak), a four-service CCF and an outstanding sailing academy. Add in seriously grand buildings and vast grounds, and you’ve got a school with gravitas where pupils feel part of a strong community.
The Leys School, Cambridge Open Morning - 10 May 2025 This relatively small co-ed day and boarding school makes the most of Cambridge’s academic and cultural connections. We like the way it has adapted over the years to meet the unique demands of the city it serves, and all the parents we’ve spoken to – many of whom chose it for the experience of boarding while still being close to home – tell us that their children are really happy here.

Midlands

Prep Schools

Bilton Grange, Rugby Open Day - 04 October 2025 This country prep’s burgeoning profile continues apace, with numbers now at nearly 400 and a spectacular, state-of-the-art new boarding house due to open in 2025. The merger with Rugby School in 2020 thrust it into the spotlight and both schools share the same educational philosophy of developing breadth of character, which means that while Bilton Grange pupils don’t have guaranteed places at Rugby (unless they're joining the school's new all-through boarding pathway – more on that below), the active learning approach at the prep neatly dovetails into the IB style of teaching at Rugby.
Bromsgrove Preparatory School, Bromsgrove Prep School Open Morning - 10 May 2025 Pre-Prep Open Morning - 07 June 2025 In its own spacious grounds adjacent to Bromsgrove Senior, this big, buzzy Worcestershire boarding (full, weekly) and day prep is an excellent choice for Birmingham parents wanting to send their children to school outside of the city. There’s an optional Saturday enrichment programme, and both arts and sports are strengths.
Edgbaston High Preparatory and Pre-Prep School, Birmingham Pre-Prep & Prep 'School in Action' Morning - 05 April 2025 Pre-Prep & Prep 'School in Action' Morning - 07 May 2025 Pre-Prep & Prep 'School in Action' Morning - 06 June 2025 We were floored by the pace, variety of life and buzzing sense of activity at this aspirational and inspirational multicultural all-girls day school in leafy Edgbaston, just to the south of central Birmingham. Girls zip in all directions across the compact campus, out along the 10-minute walk to the sports fields and move seamlessly up to the senior school (the whole school shares the same campus and even some teachers).
King's Hawford, Worcester Open Morning - 16 May 2025 Of the two prep schools that are part of the King’s Worcester Foundation, co-ed King’s Hawford is the more rural. A newly built elevated wooden fort now greets visitors, visible from the main road and a fitting first glimpse of a school where childhood is front and centre. In kindergarten (from age two) and Reception, every child gets a weekly forest-school session in woodland with space to plant trees, build shelters and learn about wildlife. These outdoor activities give boys and girls the self-confidence and independence of mind that fosters achievement in the mainstream curriculum. There’s a quietly dynamic evolution going on here, and we love it.
King's St Alban's , Worcester Open Morning - 09 May 2025 Part of the King’s Foundation – which includes sibling prep King’s Hawford and senior school King’s Worcester – King’s St Alban’s sits with ‘Big King’s’ adjacent to the grounds of Worcester Cathedral. A brilliant blend of small-scale, prep-school nurturing with the fully shared knockout facilities of the senior, this place is a highly attractive proposition. It’s down to earth, hardworking and hardwired to make education as valuable as possible for both pupils and parents. We came away feeling that it is a great choice for any child, with a tailor-made preparation for King’s Worcester built right in.
Repton Prep, Derby Prep School Open Morning - 26 April 2025 Pre-Prep Stay and Play Experience - 15 May 2025 Prep School Open Morning - 27 September 2025 Prep School Open Morning - 15 November 2025 This beautiful school in rural Derbyshire sits in gorgeous countryside and is among one of the most stunning preps we’ve visited. It’s just as beautiful on the inside too, with the super-friendly head Vicky Harding instilling a calm and collaborative atmosphere where pupils really thrive. Pastoral care is wonderful and academics are spot on. And to top it all off, the senior school offers a seamless, all-through path.
The Elms, Malvern Open Morning - 10 May 2025 We’ve visited hundreds of country preps over the years, and every one is a joy in its own way. But The Elms is truly special and never fails to impress us with its super-polite pupils who sprint ahead to open doors, the stunning setting on the edge of the Malvern Hills and the (sometimes gently bonkers) celebration of all that is best about childhood.
The Prep at Denstone College, Uttoxeter Open Morning - 17 May 2025 Exploring who you are is more important than acing tests at this wonderfully holistic Staffordshire prep where pupils throw themselves into everything with boundless enthusiasm whether it’s a maths lesson, cricket match, choir or play. Curiosity and creativity are nurtured and the warm, stress-free environment is the perfect place for both to grow.
Winterfold House, Kidderminster Prep & Pre-Prep Open Morning - 05 May 2025 Part of the Bromsgrove family of schools, this small, co-ed Worcestershire prep school’s ethos is rooted in Roman Catholic values but warmly welcomes children of all faiths or none. There’s a lovely family atmosphere, with pupils' happiness central to school life. A vast co-curricular programme includes everything from golf to cookery, and at 13+ children head on to a smattering of the region’s top seniors, including Bromsgrove.
Wolverhampton Grammar Junior School, Wolverhampton Year 5 Discovery Day - 26 April 2025 Wolverhampton Grammar, located in the city’s suburbs, is refreshingly down to earth. Children are supported throughout their educational journey at this highly aspirational, friendly and well-rounded day school, which has evolved and extended gradually from its original incarnation as an all-boys senior to its current status as a fully co-ed all-through with provision from Reception to Year 13.

Senior Schools

Denstone College, Uttoxeter Open Morning - 17 May 2025 There’s a refreshingly down-to-earth attitude at this Midlands co-ed, where magic happens without the clarion call of ‘be the best’ echoing in pupils’ ears. The no-nonsense approach gives pupils a stress-free space to grow into who they are instead of who they think they are expected to be, with a quiet confidence in their own ability growing exponentially. Magic indeed.
Edgbaston High School for Girls, Birmingham Senior School Open Afternoon - 19 June 2025 Sixth Form Open Afternoon - 19 June 2025 We were floored by the pace, variety of life and buzzing sense of activity at this aspirational and inspirational multi-cultural all-girls day school in leafy Edgbaston, just to the south of central Birmingham. Girls zip in all directions across the compact campus, out along the 10-minute walk to the sports fields and, once their time to leave has come, off to an impressive range of universities.
King's Worcester, Worcester Senior & Sixth Form Open Morning - 07 June 2025 An upbeat, modern school with a storied history reaching back to the 7th century, King’s Worcester has a uniqueness that not only stems from its historic location at the heart of the city’s cathedral, but also from the caring atmosphere shaped by centuries of Christianity. A modest day school with all the breadth and opportunity of a boarding giant, King’s is down to earth, ticks every box and is well worth a look.
Malvern College, Malvern Open Day - 04 October 2025 Malvern’s campus is groaning with film-set-worthy architecture and breathtaking in its own right, but add in the outstandingly beautiful Malvern Hills as a backdrop and you have a first impression that’s hard to beat. The hallowed turf of the quintessentially English cricket square is at the heart of this very global community where pupils may start the day with a rousing chorus of ‘Jerusalem’ and end it by collaborating over a lecture with a Malvern College school in Hong Kong, China, Egypt or Tokyo. A British education for pupils who will have the world at their feet.
Repton School, Repton Whole School Open Day - 03 May 2025 This super-friendly school in beautiful Derbyshire has a stellar reputation in pretty much everything – academics (leavers head off to Oxbridge and Ivy League universities), sport (the alumni list is a roll call of professionals) and music (not many school choirs sing in the Vatican) – but as its motto ‘Rounded, Grounded, Unbounded’ suggests, the beating heart is its strong pastoral care which ensures every pupil is nurtured to achieve their best.
Rugby School, Rugby 13+ Day Open Evening - 29 April 2025 16+ Open Day (2026) - 07 June 2025 13+ Open Day - 14 June 2025 16+ Open Day (2026) - 13 September 2025 13+ Open Day - 27 September 2025 Steeped in history and heritage, Rugby is an old, well-established school with strong traditions and a big foundation – and probably best known as the birthplace of the game that shares its name. Thousands of visitors and sports fans flock here each year from all corners of the globe to nose around the school museum and the blockbuster ancient buildings. But behind all the rugby hullabaloo, you’ll find a terrifically down-to-earth, unpretentious place that’s been educating pupils since 1567 (the school went fully co-ed in 1992). It’s a friendly place, renowned for producing glittering exam results while maintaining that all-important balance for life – we’re big fans of this Midlands legend.
Uppingham School, Uppingham Fourth Form Visiting Day - 26 April 2025 Sixth Form Visiting Day - 03 May 2025 We were particularly impressed by Uppingham on our visit – not just by its bricks and mortar, but its pupils too, and our guide’s enthusiasm for his school was so palpable it left us buzzing. The great educationalist Edward Thring was headmaster here in the 1850s: he believed the key to a good education was a holistic one that celebrates and nurtures pupils’ talents – and his legacy still lives on at Uppingham today. If we had to sum up its ethos in a few words, we’d go for full-boarding (with a handful of day places thrown in, thanks to the imminent opening of the school's new day house), properly co-ed, all-rounder and, yes, academics are superb – but there’s so much more to this super-school than sackloads of A*s.

North of England

Prep Schools

Aysgarth School, Bedale Pre-Prep Open Morning - 21 March 2025 Sequestered in acres of North Yorkshire countryside, this traditional boys prep is an ideal environment for energetic boys who like to get stuck in, working hard but playing hard too. On our visit, we were struck by how happy, well-mannered and charming all the boys were, testament to the holistic education they’re receiving, with excellent pastoral care instilling values that will see them through life. Aysgarth's pre-prep has been co-ed for over 30 years, but there's big change afoot: from September 2024, the school will become fully co-educational, admitting girls all the way through to Year 8. It's an exciting moment of transition for the school, and we're looking forward to this next chapter for Aysgarth.
St Peter's York 2-8, York Open House (All Year Groups) - 17 May 2025 Junior Open Morning - 04 October 2025 Widely regarded as one of the top schools in the north of England, St Peter’s is certainly a hot ticket. The all-through education is a real draw and with its three-school structure moving to two-schools from September 2027, you get the sense there’s no resting on laurels here, with the question, ‘how can we be better?’, always front of mind.
St Peter's York 8-13, York Open House - 17 May 2025 Junior Open Morning - 04 October 2025 Despite being one of the oldest schools in the world, with a Gothic façade that echoes that of York Minster (for which St Peter’s is the official choir school), this in-demand co-ed has a fresh, forward-thinking attitude. Widely regarded as one of the top schools in the north of England, St Peter’s is certainly a hot ticket – and the all-through education offered here is a real draw. With the current three-school structure moving to two-schools from September 2027, you get the sense there’s no resting on laurels here, with the question, ‘how can we be better?’, always front of mind.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall, Clitheroe St Mary's Hall Open Day - 05 May 2025 This traditional northern boarding school has strong religious and spiritual connections, with Jesuit virtues underpinning pupils’ lives here. The location alone fills the soul; add in the nurturing approach and the unique way in which the school inspires pupils with a love of learning and you have a very special school indeed.

Senior Schools

Giggleswick School, Settle Open Day - 22 March 2025 Giggleswick in Action Open Event - 17 May 2025 It would be hard to find a school with a stronger family feel than this all-through co-ed set in the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales. Many pupils are children of teachers (often both mum and dad are on staff) and/or children of alumni – we met a handful of teachers who are former pupils – and the Old Giggleswick network sees OGs pouring their time back into the school. It is testament to the trust and loyalty Giggleswick inspires. With its nurturing approach tailored to the individual, soaring academic results, outdoor pursuits that are second to none and seamless age two to 18 offering, it’s no wonder – small and perfectly formed, this is a school that sets you up for life.
St Peter's School York, York Open House (All Year Groups) - 17 May 2025 Sixth Form Open Evening - 17 September 2025 Senior Open Morning - 20 September 2025 St Peter’s might be the fourth oldest school in the world but this in-demand co-ed has a 21st-century outlook. Widely regarded as one of the top schools in the north of England, St Peter’s is certainly a hot ticket – and the all-through education offered is a real draw. With the current three-school structure moving to two-schools from September 2027, you get the sense there’s no resting on laurels here, with the question, ‘how can we be better?’, always front of mind.
Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe College & Sixth Form Open Day - 17 May 2025 There’s a warm welcome at this unique school located in beautiful rural Lancashire. One of the UK’s leading Catholic schools, it instils in its pupils a laser focus on becoming the best that they can be while serving others and making a difference for the good of humanity. Pupils we spoke to all told us the school is ‘amazing’ and we absolutely agree. Jesuit values are the backbone alongside an outward-looking, inclusive mindset where each individual’s physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing is carefully nurtured and developed. ‘We’re faithful to the religion, but in a very modern way,’ says head John Browne.

Scotland

Prep Schools Senior Schools

Global Schools

Tanglin Trust School, Singapore Nursery Walkthrough - 20 March 2025