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.

LONDON
SOUTH EAST ENGLAND
SOUTH WEST ENGLAND
EAST OF ENGLAND
MIDLANDS
NORTH OF ENGLAND
SCOTLAND

GLOBAL SCHOOLS

London

Prep Schools

Cameron Vale School, Chelsea Open Morning - 08 February 2023 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.
Devonshire House Preparatory School, Hampstead Open Morning - 07 February 2023 Open Morning - 01 March 2023 Virtual Open Mornings - 16 March 2023 Open Morning - 23 March 2023 There’s a lovely relaxed vibe at this academically ambitious north-London prep, which does a fantastic job of packing children off to the pick of London’s most academic independent schools.
Falcons Pre-Preparatory Chiswick, Chiswick Open Morning - 15 March 2023 A natural feeder for Falcons Prep in Richmond, this Chiswick pre-prep – part of the Alpha Plus Group – is underpinned by the core values of courage, curiosity and care.
Falcons Prep Richmond, Richmond Open Day - 04 February 2023 Open Day - 21 April 2023 There’s a real buzz at Falcons Prep, but not the kind of boisterousness you might associate with an all-boys school. Head Olivia Buchanan has made it her mission to understand what boys need in early education and the buzz comes from engaged pupils thriving in a positive learning environment. The atmosphere is very supportive, a place where children are encouraged to overcome challenges and not be afraid to make mistakes.
Falcons School for Girls, Putney Peregrines Nursery Open Morning - 03 February 2023 A pocket-sized, friendly, nurturing school with enviable space and facilities and small classes. Last year, the school was awarded highly-coveted Thinking School status, the result of three years of hard work and proof of the school’s reputation for drawing out the very real potential of its pupils. Falcons Girls is a real find.
Ibstock Place Prep School, Roehampton Open Morning - 14 March 2023
Queen's College Preparatory School, London Open Event - 28 April 2023 Open Event - 12 May 2023 With its central London location, this precursor to Queen’s College is a bustling hub of energetic, exuberant and purposeful pupils exuding a friendly, charming vibe.
Shrewsbury House Preparatory School, Surbiton Open Morning 9.30 - 11.30am - 30 September 2023 Renowned for its small class sizes, top-notch academic record, dedicated pastoral care and ‘have-a-go’ approach, Shrewsbury House does a sterling job at preparing pupils for the top day and boarding senior schools. The school is headed up by the brilliantly experienced Joanna Hubbard, who took over in 2021.

Senior Schools

Riverston Senior School and College, Lee Open Day - 22 February 2023 Open Day - 22 March 2023 With 90 staff to 130 pupils and a bespoke approach to supporting children with various SEND and communication difficulties, including autism, it’s no wonder Riverston is oversubscribed. The environment feels mainstream, but under the bonnet the school works hard to make life comfortable and accessible in order to allow its pupils to thrive.

Wetherby Senior School, London Visitor Morning 10.45am (please visit website to book) - 08 February 2023 Visitor Morning 10.45am - 01 March 2023 Visitor Morning 10.45am - 15 March 2023 Open Evening 4.30pm - 03 May 2023 The final step in a sterling all-through education that begins for some lucky boys in one of the pre-preps and continues all the way to 18. Wetherby Senior is still a relatively new school – but with numbers going from strength to strength, its success is already abundantly clear.

South East England

Prep Schools

Amesbury, Hindhead Open Morning - 02 March 2023 Forward-thinking, progressive, academically rigorous and truly independent, Amesbury is a well-established Surrey prep in easy commuting distance of the capital.

Benedict House Preparatory School, Sidcup Open Day 1pm - 2.30pm - 10 February 2023 Open Day - 10 March 2023 With plans to expand its site and double its numbers, this small co-ed prep school in Sidcup is one to watch. Its 100 per cent success rate in the 11+ Kent Test means it’s super popular with parents who have an eye on a local grammar school, but the family-style nurturing and focus on the individual mean it is no exam factory.

Brambletye School, East Grinstead Open Day - 03 March 2023 A wonderfully traditional country prep with a husband-and-wife power team at the helm. Add to that the knockout views, the 140 acres of parkland, the school in the woods with trees to climb, dens to build, zip wires to whizz down… there’s a great sense of fun in the Brambletye air.

Caterham Prep School, Caterham Performing Arts Morning - 11 March 2023 This is a prep that feels like a true extension of Caterham School – and not only because it shares its lovely 200-acre campus in Harestone Valley, in the Surrey Hills. There is the same down-to-earth, unstuffy vibe and the same award-winning, wellbeing-first ethos throughout.

Cranleigh Preparatory School, Cranleigh Open Day - 25 February 2023 Open Day - 10 June 2023 A country prep an hour’s drive from Wimbledon that has 40 acres for pupils to run free in and an all-round education delivered with a relaxed, but focused attitude – it’s no wonder more London parents are eschewing the fevered competition in the capital for Cranleigh Prep.

Danes Hill School, Leatherhead Open House - 24 March 2023 Open House - 12 May 2023 This big and busy prep school in Surrey sits in 55 gorgeous acres with every kind of sports pitch imaginable laid out for the 710 boys and girls who bound into the grounds every morning. ‘Strong and sagacious’ is the school motto and pupils are guided to gain both attributes through a four-in-one approach: Bevendean (Nursery to Year 1) is focused on developing a love of learning; lower school (Years 2 and 3) is all about nurturing; middle school (Years 4 and 5) gently fosters independence; and by the time pupils enter upper school, they’re confident, outgoing and ready for the next challenge when they leave in Year 8.

Dulwich Prep Cranbrook, Cranbrook Senior School Open Morning 09:00 - 12:00 - 24 February 2023 Open Week - 27 February 2023 Set on a glorious 50-acre campus just an hour from London by train, Dulwich Prep Cranbrook was founded when the headmaster of Dulwich Prep London evacuated his pupils here to his in-laws’ house after the outbreak of the Second World War. What was originally a group of huts in the orchards surrounding the main manor house has grown into a thriving, incredibly open and welcoming school for 400 children aged three to 13.

Eagle House School, Sandhurst Open Morning 10:00am - 25 February 2023 Open Morning 10.00am - 13 May 2023 Founded in 1820, 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 30 pretty acres surrounding a grand Victorian former hunting lodge, it is a forward-thinking, unpretentious place, holistic in approach, allowing plenty of tree climbing and outdoor exploring while maintaining an excellent academic record.

Edgeborough, Farnham Open Morning - 10 March 2023 Open Morning - 08 June 2023 Easily commutable, yet leaps and bounds less pressured than London schools, this laidback, co-ed prep brims with green space and traditional values.

Elstree School, Reading Open Morning - 04 March 2023 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 boosted its already significant appeal by opening its doors to girls in September 2020 – a brilliantly planned and executed move.

Eton End School, Datchet Open Morning 10.00-12.00 - 09 March 2023

Frensham Heights Junior School, Farnham Whole School Mini Open Morning - 01 March 2023 Whole School Mini Open Morning - 22 March 2023 Whole School Open Morning - 13 May 2023 Frensham Heights is a Surrey day and boarding school with its focus firmly fixed on the future. Since its foundation in 1925, it has sought to provide an alternative style of education based on mutual respect, tolerance and generosity of spirit. Its invitation to ‘come and be you’ and focused attention on inspiring each child to improve themselves – in any way – was a pleasure to see.

Godstowe School, High Wycombe Open Morning - 09 February 2023 All-girls’ boarding preps are a rare breed. But that’s not the only reason that Godstowe School stands out from the education crowd. It’s non-selective yet highly successful, with pupils regularly scoring first-choice places at top senior schools as well as an impressive number of scholarships. The school is located in 12 acres of parkland overlooking High Wycombe (the Lodge pre-prep and nursery are also on-site).

Great Ballard Prep, Chichester Open Morning - 20 May 2023 Open Morning - 30 September 2023 Set just outside Chichester, this pocket-sized co-ed prep boasts a pretty bucolic location ringed by the South Downs National Park. Pupils get outside whenever they can, getting muddy at forest school, mountain biking across the Downs or camping out in the grounds; in the classroom, they follow a forward-thinking curriculum packed with leadership, problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills.

Highfield and Brookham , Liphook Open Morning - 10 March 2023   Highfield and Brookham is flourishing – it’s got a gloriously family-friendly, homely feel, academics are top notch, and childhood is really valued. All of this helps shape the schools into one of the South East’s top non-selective preps.

Highfield Prep School - Maidenhead, Maidenhead Open Event - 17 March 2023 Founded in 1918 as a leading girls’ school, this small, non-selective prep now also welcomes boys from the ages of two to seven, creating an attractive offering for local families keen to keep siblings together for the first few years of their education.

Holme Grange School Prep, Wokingham Open Morning - 03 February 2023 Set in the beautiful Berkshire countryside, this co-ed prep gives its pupils plenty of room to grow. Holme Grange offers a balanced education, encouraging children to excel not only academically but in sporting and creative endeavours too. Head Claire Robinson likes to maintain strong relationships with her pupil body, ensuring that everyone feels individually valued. Generally, children progress from the prep to the senior, Eaton Grange, but ambitions to move elsewhere are also encouraged.

Junior King's, Canterbury, Canterbury Virtual Open Morning - 18 March 2023 Pre Prep Open Morning - 12 May 2023 Open Morning - 13 May 2023 An exciting, vibrant prep school – academically sound, creatively inspirational, a healthy, happy environment to grow up in. Popular with Londoners looking to escape the pressure cooker of the capital and with pupils offered direct entry into older sibling The King’s School, Canterbury, it sits high on aspirational parents’ lists.

Marlborough House School, Hawkhurst Open Day - 12 May 2023 A proper country prep set on the edge of the pretty Kent village of Hawkhurst, Marlborough House School is a place where childhood is valued just as much as academic success.

Moulsford Prep School, Wallingford Open Day - 03 February 2023 A rare find, Moulsford is a muddy-knees, high-energy prep school devoid of fuss or flash. An incredibly popular choice among the Oxfordshire gang, it is very accessible, fervently all-boys and gives pupils the chance to try out boarding – even if the majority are day boys. It may have a lower profile than Ludgrove, Papplewick and Summer Fields, but there’s a sense of tradition in the air – and with an idyllic setting on the banks of the Thames, a sense of fun too.

Papplewick School, Ascot Open Morning 9-11.30am - 04 February 2023 A Swallows and Amazons nirvana (without the boats), this traditional all-boys country prep school is quirky and fun with 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.

Rose Hill School, Tunbridge Wells Open Day - 17 March 2023 Open Day - 20 May 2023 Delightfully small class sizes, more than 70 envy-inducing extracurricular clubs and a cohesive pastoral care scheme that includes informal drop-in sessions and an annual Wellness Week make this standalone Tunbridge Wells co-ed prep a serious Kent contender.

Somerhill, Tonbridge Saturday Open Morning - 25 February 2023 Friday Open Morning - 19 May 2023 A school that offers the best of both worlds, Somerhill mixes co-ed and single-sex education under one (rather splendid) Jacobean roof. It is divided into three: Somerhill Pre-Prep for pre-school 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 - 24 February 2023 Located in the sunny Sussex coastal town of Eastbourne, St Andrew’s Prep offers its pupils a superbly rounded education just over an hour from the capital and a stone’s throw from the seafront.

Swanbourne House, Milton Keynes Open Day - 24 June 2023 There’s a lot to celebrate at this innovative co-ed full-boarding prep. Rather than being ultra-polished, it’s a comfortable, unpretentious school that keeps quietly producing independent, capable and inquisitive pupils. Swanbourne isn’t overly selective academically as their aim is to help every child unlock their ‘individual greatness’ – two simple words which speak volumes. Who wouldn’t want that for their child?

The Marist School - Prep Phase, Ascot Open Morning - 10 March 2023 With the on-site nursery now offering co-ed care for 47 weeks of the year and the broad, engaging and supportive environment of the all-girls prep school, you can see why The Marist is, to quote parents and teachers alike, going from strength to strength.

Thorngrove School, Newbury Open Morning - 03 March 2023 Open Morning - 13 May 2023 This is a school that seems to grow and flourish alongside your child. It has a cosy, unassuming, nurturing feel and, with nothing obviously fancy or shiny on show, gets down to its core business calmly, without fuss or distraction. Remaining a small prep school with no boarding adds to its unique personality and is all the more remarkable for being only an hour and 20 minutes’ drive from London (or 45 minutes by train from Paddington).

Thornton College Prep, Milton Keynes Whole School Open Morning - 04 March 2023 Very much an all-through school, Thornton College is one family on one site with a focus on inclusive values. Girls we met were confident, chatty and exceptionally well behaved – and nurture is well and truly baked in.

Senior Schools

Bloxham School, Bloxham Whole School Open Morning - 11 March 2023 An excellent all-rounder, this small, unpretentious school has big ambitions – and not just in the classroom. It stands out for its innovative academic approach and supportive environment that’s ideal for those pupils who need a more intimate place to shine.
Caterham School, Caterham Visitor Morning - 02 February 2023 Visitor Morning - 15 March 2023 With the relaxed air of a country senior and the underlying street smarts of a school so close to the capital, Caterham is an impressive hybrid. Day-, weekly- and full-boarding options add to its appeal, and its inclusive, welcoming and innovative style is an attractive proposition. Its popularity has grown steadily to a point where there are five applicants for every place available – and it’s not hard to see why.
Eastbourne College, Eastbourne Open Morning - 25 February 2023 Open Morning - 13 May 2023 Eastbourne has a best-of-both-worlds location between the South Downs and the sea – head Tom Lawson waxes lyrical about the wellbeing benefits of living by the water. Outdoorsy boys and girls run along the beach after lessons, go mountain biking over the hills and spend the summer term sailing and windsurfing.
Embley Senior School & Sixth Form, Romsey Prep & Senior - 24 February 2023 Early Years & Reception Open Morning - 08 March 2023 Prep & Senior - 16 March 2023 Prep & Senior - 26 April 2023 Hampshire’s ‘Digital Downton’, with a stunning aristocratic rural setting juxtaposed with a forward-thinking IT strategy that made educational mincemeat of the global pandemic, this school is a real belter. Add in a truckload of extracurricular opportunities, an impressive academic record, a focus on developing young people with kind hearts and a twinkly-eyed headmaster who exudes purpose, and you have a pretty attractive package.
Frensham Heights School, Farnham Whole School Mini Open Morning - 01 March 2023 Whole School Mini Open Morning - 22 March 2023 Whole School Open Morning - 13 May 2023 Frensham Heights is a Surrey day and boarding school with its focus firmly on the future. Since its foundation in 1925 it has sought to provide an alternative style of education based on mutual respect, tolerance and generosity of spirit that educates the whole child. Its invitation to ‘come and be you’ and insistence on inspiring each child to improve themselves – in any way – is a pleasure to see.
Great Ballard, Chichester Open Morning - 27 May 2023 Open Morning - 30 September 2023 Set just outside Chichester, this relatively new senior is the result of the organic growth of Great Ballard prep. Clever marketing, happy prep-school parents and word of mouth have resulted in a real buzz and demand for the senior school, which will grow to encompass GCSEs by 2024 (the school currently caters for Years 7, 8 and 9).
Heathfield School, Ascot Meet the Head - 07 February 2023 Meet the Head - 02 March 2023 Meet the Head - 07 March 2023 Open Morning - 10 March 2023 Meet the Head - 16 March 2023 Meet the Head - 20 March 2023 ‘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 about this all-girls, Ascot-based senior and prepare to be bowled over by an unashamedly girls-first ethos which puts its pupils at the forefront.
Marymount International School London, Kingston Upon Thames Open Morning - 22 April 2023 The first all-girls school in the UK to adopt the IB curriculum – both the Middle Years and Diploma programmes – Marymount International School offers a broad-horizon education from its leafy setting in Kingston upon Thames.
Queen Anne's School, Caversham, Reading Open Morning - 03 March 2023 Open Morning - 20 May 2023 There’s a wonderfully unconventional buzz about Queen Anne’s, a smashing little school that has a forward-thinking head and is leading the way when it comes to innovative learning. Girls here don’t need to be top of the class – just happy to step out of their comfort zone and throw themselves into the endless opportunities that come their way.
Stowe School, Buckingham Third Form Open Morning - 04 March 2023 Sixth Form Open Morning - 22 April 2023 Third Form Open Morning - 13 May 2023 No longer seen as a soft option, Stowe senior school has undergone a renaissance over the past two decades under the leadership of maverick head Dr Anthony Wallersteiner. It’s a place where individualism is encouraged, talent nurtured and eccentricity celebrated – and it all happens in one of the grandest and most beautiful school settings in the country. An education here is a huge privilege and reassuringly liberal. There’s a new breed flocking to Stowe – and it’s certainly not short of academic ambition.
The Marist School, Ascot Open Morning - 03 February 2023 Open Morning - 10 June 2023 Academics are top-notch, sports teams are embarrassingly successful, girls are articulate, kind and thoughtful and the extracurricular programme boasts 97 activities – there’s little doubt that The Marist is, to quote parents and teachers alike, going from strength to strength.
Thornton College, Milton Keynes Whole School Open Morning - 04 March 2023 Very much an all-through school, Thornton College is one family on one site with a focus on inclusive Christian values. Girls we met were confident, chatty and exceptionally well behaved – and nurture is well and truly baked in.

South West England

Prep Schools

Bryanston Prep, Blandford Forum Open Morning - 03 February 2023 Open Morning - 05 May 2023 It’s been a time of change for this bucolic prep school in rural Dorset: it’s returned to its 1950s co-ed roots (day boys were welcomed in 2020, and now make up 20 per cent of pupils); it’s been brought into the fold of big sibling Bryanston; and it’s got a new head all fired up with ambitious plans that the merger has made possible.
Cheltenham Prep School, Cheltenham Prep Open Morning - 11 February 2023 A thriving school with outstanding facilities of its own as well as some of the additional resources of Cheltenham College, Cheltenham Prep really does tick all the boxes. With a very visible and engaged headmaster to boot, this impressive school is surely – in the local racing parlance – a dead cert.
Clayesmore Preparatory School, Blandford Forum Whole School Open Morning - 25 February 2023 Whole School Open Morning - 13 May 2023 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.
Port Regis School, Shaftesbury Pre Prep Open Morning - 10 February 2023 Prep Open Morning - 04 March 2023 Pre Prep Open Morning - 05 May 2023 Prep Open Morning - 13 May 2023 Don’t be fooled by the turreted façade of Motcombe Park, Port Regis’ magnificent Victorian red-brick home: this is no draughty, creaky old school. It’s a place that shimmers and shines; hot on manners, hard work and integrity, yet dynamic and progressive. Brilliant new head Titus Mills arrived last year, tasked with reinvigorating Port Regis – if you’re expecting a sleepy country school, prepare to be blown away.
Stonar Prep School, Atworth Equestrian Open Morning - 08 March 2023 Once seen as the first choice for the horsey set thanks to its phenomenal equestrian centre, this all-through co-ed day and boarding school in rural Wiltshire now has a reputation for being academically ambitious, too.
Wells Cathedral Prep School, Wells Spring Open Morning - 11 March 2023 Summer Open Morning - 13 May 2023 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.
Westonbirt Prep School, Tetbury Prep Open Morning - 17 March 2023 Prep and Senior Open Morning - 05 May 2023 An academically inclusive prep where personal and social development are key. Westonbirt prep is known for its small class sizes, cosy family atmosphere and gentle encouragement. A rather special place – this is somewhere that focuses not just on academic achievement, but the all-round package.

Senior Schools

Canford, Wimborne Open Morning - 22 April 2023 Open Morning - 07 October 2023 It’s hard not to be blown away by the grandeur of Canford, a Sir Charles Barry-designed castle in the thick of 250 acres of Capability Brown parkland. But despite all this magnificence, both school and pupils are unstuffy and flash-free. Gearing up to celebrate its centenary in 2023, this is a brilliant all-rounder that looks outside of the bubble, aces exams and turns out wonderfully grounded young men and women with a real awareness of the world around them.
Clayesmore School, Blandford Forum Whole School Open Morning - 25 February 2023 Whole School Open Morning - 13 May 2023 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.
Dauntsey's , Devizes Open Morning - 06 May 2023 Dauntsey’s is a warm and welcoming centre of learning and adventure. Pupils are taught to be courageous but humble, an ethos to be cherished in a world full of competition and entitlement; they are lucky to be here and, refreshingly, they know it.
St Mary's Calne, Calne Open Day - 25 February 2023 Open Day - 13 May 2023 Small and nurturing, academic but not nerdy and brimming with laidback, nicely gung-ho girls, St Mary’s Calne is, says its head, ‘the best of the British boarding school tradition – with a modern twist’. Girls are equipped with firm foundations for life, leaving armed with bucketloads of confidence and self-esteem.
Stonar School, Atworth Equestrian Open Morning - 08 March 2023 Senior Open Morning - 20 May 2023 The freedom for pupils to be themselves is evident at this all-through, co-ed school tucked away in rural Wiltshire. Its ‘horsey’ reputation comes courtesy of a first-class equestrian centre, but in recent years it’s been shifting perceptions with increasingly impressive academic results.
Taunton School, Taunton Whole School Open Morning - 04 February 2023 This non-selective all-through senior has a global outlook and an adaptable approach, offering the IB alongside A-levels (plus BTECs in business and sport) in the sixth form, and a recently launched International Foundation Course for those whose first language isn’t English. It offers masses to get stuck into once the bell rings, from sports taken by ex-pro coaches to DT.
Wells Cathedral School, Wells Spring Open Morning - 11 March 2023 Summer Open Morning - 13 May 2023 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 well set up for getting the best out of every pupil, regardless of their talents. It’s also one of only four specialist music schools in England, and the only one to operate within the broader context of a traditional school.
Westonbirt School, Tetbury Senior Open Morning - 03 March 2023 Senior Open Morning - 18 March 2023 Prep and Senior Open Morning - 05 May 2023 Way back when, Westonbirt was considered more of a finishing school than the well-rounded, academically inclusive place it is today – and once you’ve busted through the myths, you’ll see what a special place this is. Known for its small class sizes, cosy family atmosphere and gentle encouragement, this is a school that doesn’t focus solely on exam success and academic achievement but the whole holistic package.

East of England

Prep Schools

Old Buckenham Hall , Ipswich Open Morning - 11 March 2023 Open Morning - 13 May 2023 Open Morning - 10 June 2023 In the heart of rural Suffolk, near Lavenham, this small, traditional co-ed school is a pinch-me-perfect place for children to grow up. Parents praise the ‘lovely ethos’ and ‘emphasis on kindness and politeness’ – something that stems from the ‘OBH Way’, a set of moral values created by the pupils. Well-regarded head David Griffiths joined from Daneshill School in 2018; since then he has made gentle changes, focused on improving the already solid academics and boosting the pastoral provision.

Orwell Park School, Ipswich Open Day 10:00am - 04 February 2023 Orwell Park is undoubtedly academic and takes sporting achievements very seriously – but at the same time, there’s also a real understanding of the need to develop independent learners with curious minds and a kind attitude.

Senior Schools

The Leys School, Cambridge Open Morning - 04 February 2023 Open Morning - 22 April 2023 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

Malvern St James Girls' School - Prep, Great Malvern Working Open Morning - 03 March 2023 Malvern St James is one of only a handful of all-through, all-girls boarding-schools in the UK. Pupils from the age of four are carefully nurtured in a warm and confidence-building environment that is unashamedly all about the girls.
Repton Prep, Derby Whole School Open Morning - 04 March 2023 Pre-Prep Open Morning - 15 March 2023 Whole School Open Morning - 13 May 2023 Pre-Prep Open Morning - 24 May 2023 A stunning rural location in the heart of England. The leafy campus, with the historic Foremarke Hall at the centre, is aesthetically impressive and has a buzzy feel.
The Elms, Malvern Open Day - 18 March 2023 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. A mother once described The Elms to us as ‘just the best school on the planet’ – we have to agree.
Witham Hall Preparatory School, Stamford Pre-Prep Stay & Play Session - 03 February 2023 Pre-Prep Open Morning - 24 February 2023 Open Morning - 04 March 2023 This co-ed village prep near Stamford in Lincolnshire seems to have cracked the formula for providing a near-perfect education, as testified by the fact that it draws in families from a wider-than-usual catchment area, with numbers growing consistently for more than a decade.

Senior Schools

Denstone College, Uttoxeter Open Morning - 20 May 2023 There’s a celebratory mood at Denstone, which is currently gearing up to mark its 150th birthday this year. Set in 100-acres of wonderfully rural Staffordshire, the school is popular with families who take advantage of an extensive network of buses to bring pupils in each day from the surrounding towns and villages, but a hit with those further afield too: Denstone was one of the first schools to pioneer horizontal boarding, meaning pupils sleep in houses according to age groups – and create lifelong friendships along the way.
Malvern St James Girls' School, Great Malvern Working Open Morning - 03 March 2023 Malvern St James is one of only a handful of all-through, all-girls boarding-schools in the UK. Pupils from the age of four are carefully nurtured in this warm and confidence-building environment, which is unashamedly all about the girls.
Uppingham School, Uppingham Open Day - 11 March 2023 Open Day - 22 April 2023 Sixth Form Open Day - 29 April 2023 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, 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

Brackenfield School, Harrogate Open Day - 02 March 2023 A small, co-ed day prep and nursery in the leafy suburbs of Harrogate, Brackenfield was once a family home and still feels like one. The head, Joe Masterson, has woven pastoral values – kindness, honesty, respect – into the fabric of the school, from the classroom to the sports field, and it shines through in the children, who are happy, confident and respectful.
Giggleswick Junior School, Settle Junior Open Afternoon - 03 February 2023 Senior and Junior Open Afternoon - 01 May 2023 ‘Throw yourself in’ is the motivating ethos at this small prep school in the Yorkshire Dales, and there’s plenty for the 70-odd boys and girls to get stuck into, inside and outside the classroom. From French and philosophy lessons to singing in the chapel and cross-country through the 215-acre campus shared with the senior school, pupils are gently stretched in all directions.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall, Clitheroe Open Doors - 04 March 2023 Open Doors - 29 April 2023 Stonyhurst is the oldest Jesuit school in the world and religion forms the backbone of St Mary’s Hall, its prep. The school is known for its superb boarding, innovative curriculum and great sense of community.

Senior Schools

Giggleswick School, Settle Senior and Junior Open Afternoon - 01 May 2023 ‘One big family’ is how a sixth-former describes Giggleswick, located in the Yorkshire Dales. Couple this with its recently coined tagline – ‘Don’t just go to school, throw yourself in!’ – and you get a good sense of what this place is about: rolling your sleeves up, getting stuck in and going for it (no-nonsense Yorkshire pragmatism runs through its veins), all facilitated by superb pastoral care.

Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe Open Doors - 11 March 2023 We challenge you to find a more soul-stirring school setting than this one. Surrounded by scenery that inspired JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth, Stonyhurst is the oldest Jesuit school in the world, and its Grade I-listed, part-Elizabethan, part-Victorian pile is thought to be Europe’s largest building after the Palace of Versailles. With religion forming the backbone of the school – and a fantastic mix of students from all cultures and backgrounds – the result is a brilliantly inclusive, outward-looking community proud to be part of one of the country’s leading Catholic schools.

Scotland

Prep Schools Senior Schools

Global Schools

The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), Ampang Hilir School Open Day - 22 February 2023