St Hilary’s School Review 2026: Independent prep in Godalming, with a structured day and a strong scholarship pipeline

As a prep school, St Hilary’s does not sit in the same public-results framework as state primaries, and does not include ranked primary outcomes for this school. A more useful lens here is destination outcomes and scholarship patterns at 11+.

The school reports that its Year 6 cohort has been offered 26 scholarships across academic, art, music, drama and sport, alongside 6 exhibitions, within a wider set of offers made across 23 senior schools. For many families, this is the clearest published indicator of academic stretch plus breadth of co-curricular development, because competitive senior schools tend to award scholarships where performance is sustained rather than episodic.

St Hilary’s sets out an ambition to educate the whole child, explicitly covering academic, creative, spiritual, social, cultural, and physical development. The practical implication is that families should expect curriculum enrichment to be taken seriously rather than treated as optional gloss.

Inspection detail supports a broad curriculum. Pupils are described as developing strong linguistic and mathematical skills while also engaging with science, music, French, art and technology, with further extension options such as chess, martial arts and philosophy appearing in the curriculum description. For pupils who are curious and like variety, this kind of breadth can keep motivation high through the junior years.

The main developmental target identified by the inspection is consistency. It notes that in some lessons planning does not fully engage pupils or match needs and abilities as effectively, and where that happens, behaviour is not as strong and learning is affected. This is not a red flag in itself, but it is the kind of detail that is worth probing on a visit, particularly around how the school supports staff consistency and how it responds when lessons are not landing well.

Destination schools are varied, with the school naming a mixture of local and further-afield independent and state options. Examples listed include St Edmund’s School, Hindhead, Guildford High School, The Royal Grammar School, Charterhouse School, Churcher’s College, King Edward’s School, Witley, St Catherine’s School and Tormead School. The school frames this as a “right fit” approach, which usually indicates bespoke guidance rather than a single dominant destination route.

For families considering entry earlier than Year 6, it is helpful that the school also runs Year 3 external scholarships. This can create an early sense of academic momentum for high-ability pupils, but it can also signal a more demanding stretch for those who prefer a gentler pace.

St Hilary’s states that it accepts applications throughout the year, with main entry points at Nursery (from age 2), Reception (rising 5), and Year 3 (rising 8). For parents, the practical takeaway is that availability can be cohort-dependent, and mid-year vacancies can occur, but the main entry points are where planning is easiest.

Open events are clearly signposted and appear to follow a predictable pattern, with an “Experience Open Week” in early February and an open morning in late April, both requiring booking. Dates on the site should always be treated as the authoritative version for any given year, but the pattern itself is useful for forward planning.

For Year 3 entry specifically, the school publishes an assessment date for scholarships aimed at September 2026 entry, scheduled for Monday 24 November 2025. If scholarships are relevant to your child, that is a hard date to anchor around rather than relying on rolling admissions language.

The school day structure is a helpful proxy for how pastoral needs are handled in practice, because long, unstructured gaps often create pressure points for younger children. The published core hours are staged by age: early years sessions, then 8.30am starts across the school, with a later finish for Years 3 to 6. Wrap-around care runs from 7.45am to 6pm daily, booked termly, which will matter for commuting families and for parents working full time.

The inspection also highlights systematic work on wellbeing and positive behaviour, including anti-bullying strategies and pupil involvement in shaping community expectations. That combination usually suits children who like clarity and routines, and it can be especially supportive for pupils who benefit from predictable, consistent boundaries.

St Hilary’s publishes a termly clubs programme with a good mix of sport, creative activities, and skills-based sessions. Spring term examples include chess and board games, mindfulness colouring, Lego Club, Buzzy Bees Choir, drama clubs by phase, book clubs, touch typing, Linguascope Club, taekwondo, judo, skateboarding, junior and senior choirs, orchestra, and invitation-only groups such as string group, swim squad, and challenge club.

The way this is structured matters. There are offerings at lunchtime and after school, with separate pre-prep and prep options, which reduces the risk of clubs becoming “only for the oldest children”. For a pupil who is still figuring out what they enjoy, that breadth increases the chance they will find a niche early rather than waiting until senior school.

There is also a dedicated Tennis Academy page, signalling that tennis is a pillar sport with a distinctive identity rather than just part of a generic games programme. Families where tennis is a genuine interest, either as participation or pathway, will want to ask how coaching is integrated with the broader sports programme and how inclusive it is for beginners versus experienced players.

For 2025 to 2026, main school termly fees (including VAT where applicable) are published by year group: Reception £4,935; Year 1 £5,345; Year 2 £6,365; Year 3 £6,775; Years 4 to 6 £7,585. The registration fee is £120 (including VAT) and the deposit is £500 (refundable, not subject to VAT).

Lunch and snacks are listed separately at £560 per term, and the school also itemises some common extras, including peripatetic music lessons (£220 per term for 10 lessons), LAMDA lessons (£222 per term for 10 lessons, including VAT), and an iPad digital charge for Years 4 to 6 (£65 per term, including VAT). The most important parent implication is budgeting, headline fees are not the full picture for many children, especially in the older prep years.

On financial assistance, the school states that bursary support exists (via a bursary policy) and that scholarships are available at Year 3 entry, covering academic and co-curricular areas including music, creative disciplines and sport. It also references partnership work with the Royal National Children’s Foundation, which is typically relevant for families exploring supported places through that route.

Nursery Provision

Nursery and kindergarten provision is integrated into the school day structure, with morning and afternoon sessions shown in the published hours. Wrap-around care is also available from 7.45am to 6pm, which is a practical differentiator for working families who want continuity from early years into the prep pipeline.

The most useful admissions detail is that nursery is a key entry point, and that the school accepts applications throughout the year. For early years fee details, use the school’s published nursery and kindergarten fees document. Government-funded hours are available for eligible families, and it is worth checking how sessions align with funded entitlement if that is relevant.

Hours are clearly published, including wrap-around care from 7.45am to 6pm. Core teaching day timings vary by age, with Reception to Year 2 finishing at 3.30pm and Years 3 to 6 finishing at 4.00pm.

Transport support includes a morning minibus service with routes referenced to areas including Guildford and Grayswood, and the school notes it will consider additional destinations where demand supports it. It also states the service is not available to the youngest Early Years pupils.

Holiday provision is published, with clubs running in the Easter and summer holidays and covering ages 2 to 11. This is useful for parents who want childcare continuity within a familiar setting and staff team, particularly for younger children who can find “new camp” environments unsettling.

• Consistency of teaching. The latest inspection’s recommended next step is to ensure teaching quality is consistent so pupils apply themselves and behaviour expectations are met in every lesson. Ask how lesson quality is monitored and supported, especially across year groups.

• Fees plus extras. Termly fees are clear, but common add-ons include lunches and optional activities such as music and LAMDA, plus a digital charge in Years 4 to 6. Families should model a realistic annual budget rather than relying on tuition fees alone.

• Competitive pathways at key points. Year 3 scholarships and strong Year 6 scholarship outcomes can suit ambitious pupils, but some children prefer a less assessment-driven feel. Consider whether your child is energised by challenge or made anxious by it.

• Transport constraints for the youngest. The morning minibus service is not available to Early Years pupils, which may shape morning logistics for families relying on organised transport.

St Hilary’s suits families who want an all-through early years to prep experience with clear routines, long-day wrap-around care, and a culture that takes behaviour and wellbeing seriously. Academic ambition is present, especially through scholarships and senior school destinations, while the co-curricular programme is broad enough for most children to find a genuine niche. It will suit pupils who respond well to structured expectations and like trying a wide range of activities, and it will especially appeal to families targeting selective senior school outcomes.