Casterton, Sedbergh Preparatory School

A prep where “day school” is only one of several ways to belong. With boarding options built into the middle years and an outward-facing co-curricular programme, this is a school designed for families who want breadth early, not just in activities but in independence, routines, and responsibility.

Leadership has also recently refreshed. Mrs Kate Martin took up the headship from 01 January 2025, bringing a clear signal of continuity plus change after the previous chapter.

Inspection evidence aligns with the school’s stated direction. The February 2025 Independent Schools Inspectorate visit confirms that the regulatory standards are met, including safeguarding, while also giving a detailed picture of teaching, boarding life, and pupil wellbeing across the age range.

This is a relatively small prep by independent standards, with a published capacity of 220 and an age range that spans nursery through to Year 8. That scale matters. It tends to mean children are known quickly, older pupils are visible to younger ones, and routines can feel cohesive across the site because the same values and expectations apply from the start.

The most distinctive cultural feature is the “all week” rhythm created by boarding. Even for day pupils, the presence of boarders changes the feel of a school week. Friendships are not confined to the school day; activities and house routines extend into evenings, and weekend provision sits naturally alongside weekday commitments. In the February 2025 inspection summary, the atmosphere is described as happy and purposeful, with staff and pupils relating positively in school and in the boarding houses.

The school also signals its identity clearly through its fees publication, which states “Founded 1525”. That historical anchor is meaningful mainly because it positions the prep as part of a long-established institution, rather than a standalone junior school.

With nursery provision on site, the early years experience is intended to feed into a longer journey. The admissions policy notes that children are not assessed for entry into the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which typically supports a lower-pressure start for families joining young.

As an independent prep, there is no requirement to publish Key Stage 2 performance tables in the same way state primaries do. That means the best evidence for academic quality comes from curriculum design, teaching practice, and external inspection narrative rather than headline exam metrics.

The February 2025 inspection evidence points to a well-planned curriculum delivered by typically skilled teaching, enabling pupils to make good progress. Importantly for a prep serving a wide age range, the summary notes that from Reception onwards, teaching is structured to build knowledge and develop intellectual, creative, and physical abilities, with feedback used to help pupils understand how to improve.

For pupils with additional needs, the same inspection summary states that teachers provide appropriate opportunities so that pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities can access lessons alongside peers. For parents, the practical implication is that support is framed as access to the mainstream curriculum, not separation from it, which can be a better fit for children who are capable but need adjustments or targeted help.

A prep’s academic story is also about habits. The inspection summary highlights a well-considered approach to behaviour, producing a calm and harmonious community, with poor behaviour and bullying described as rare and dealt with appropriately. That matters academically because predictable classrooms allow teachers to teach and pupils to concentrate, which is especially important in mixed-ability settings.

The teaching picture here is one of consistency and breadth rather than narrow acceleration. A recurring theme in inspection evidence is planning, feedback, and the steady build of knowledge from the earliest years.

For younger pupils, this tends to show up as strong routines in reading, writing, and early number, plus a deliberate emphasis on wider development. For older pupils, it becomes a question of how effectively the school prepares them for the next step, whether that is senior school entry at 13 or, for some, a move earlier or later depending on family plans.

There is also an explicit commitment to education beyond academics. The inspection summary references PSHE education, relationships and sex education, religious education lessons, and assemblies that teach pupils about social diversity and respect for others. For parents, this signals that personal development is not left to chance, it is timetabled and taught.

For a 3 to 13 prep, “destinations” means senior schools rather than universities. The admissions policy links the prep experience closely with the wider Sedbergh foundation, encouraging families visiting the preparatory school to also visit the senior school, and positioning the journey as something that can be planned as a through-route rather than a single transition at 11.

That said, families should assume that prep leavers make a range of choices depending on academic profile, boarding appetite, and geography. A sensible admissions approach is to ask directly about the most common pathways from Year 8 and what support is offered for families aiming at different senior school types, including selective, non-selective, day, and boarding options.

Boarding is not a bolt-on here, it is structured into the fee model and the week. From September 2025 (covering the 2025 to 2026 academic year), the school publishes multiple boarding patterns by year group, including tri-boarding, weekly boarding, and full boarding.

The boarding houses are a defining feature. The school identifies Beale House for girls and Cressbrook House within its prep boarding structure, and other school materials also refer to Thornfield in the boarding context, which together suggests a house system that shapes pastoral care and daily routine rather than simply providing beds.

A key strength, backed by inspection evidence, is the clarity of safeguarding practice in a boarding setting. Leaders are described as prioritising safeguarding, with appropriate safer recruitment checks and oversight, and the report states that relevant safeguarding standards are met.

Boarding is also where the main constructive critique sits. The February 2025 inspection summary notes that older boarders do not have sufficient supported opportunities to use free time for relaxation and the pursuit of their own interests. For parents, this is a useful prompt to ask how evening and weekend time is structured for Year 7 and Year 8 boarders, how independence is taught, and how staff balance supervision with autonomy.

Admissions are best understood as relationship-led and visit-led. The admissions policy sets out a pathway that begins with enquiry, then a visit, then registration, with taster experiences available. It also states that candidates are not assessed for entry into EYFS, and that the school is non-selective on academic grounds until sixth form, though older entrants may be assessed to ensure correct teaching group placement.

The school advertises open morning windows periodically, giving families a structured opportunity to see the school and discuss fit. Families should confirm current dates and booking requirements directly with admissions.

Because this is an independent school with a mix of day and boarding pathways, demand can vary sharply by year group and by boarding pattern. Families who are location-sensitive should treat travel time as a core part of “fit”, not an afterthought. The FindMySchool Map Search can be useful for sanity-checking journeys and practical feasibility alongside academic and pastoral considerations.

Pastoral care is one of the clearest strengths in inspection evidence. The February 2025 summary points to a culture of positive relations between staff and pupils, supporting a happy and purposeful atmosphere, with behaviour handled through a considered approach that keeps the community calm.

Pastoral systems matter more in a prep with boarding, because duty of care extends beyond lessons. The safeguarding section describes trained safeguarding leadership, clear reporting routes, external agency liaison when required, and governor oversight through regular visits and documentation checks. For parents, this is a strong baseline, and it also suggests that pastoral leadership is understood as an operational discipline, not only a set of values.

Wellbeing is also taught, not assumed. The inspection summary references PSHE and assemblies covering respect, social diversity, and British values such as freedom of speech, plus a financial education programme beginning in Reception. These are concrete indicators that wellbeing and personal development are built into the timetable.

The co-curricular offer is designed to start early and then widen rapidly. The school’s own sports overview highlights early morning and break-time clubs, listing running, cricket, swimming, football, triathlon, athletics, and netball.

For boarders, the “life” side of school is inseparable from activities. The inspection summary refers to many organised recreational options in boarding, and also notes that boarders have opportunities to influence how their houses are organised, which is a useful marker of pupil voice at a practical level.

A final point is that optional extras are not hidden. Published schedules include specific charges for LAMDA, riding, tennis, and music tuition, which implies these pathways are active enough to justify clear pricing. For families, that usually indicates a programme with enough take-up to be normalised, rather than an occasional add-on.

Fees are published as termly figures “From September 2025”, which aligns with the 2025 to 2026 fee year. The schedule is detailed and unusually transparent, breaking out net fee, VAT, lunch, and totals.

Day fees (total including VAT) per term

• Reception: £4,056

• Years 1 to 2: £4,419

• Years 3 to 4: £6,213

• Years 5 to 6: £6,762

• Years 7 to 8: £8,326

Boarding fees (total including VAT) per term

• Years 3 to 4: tri-boarding £8,494; weekly boarding £9,820; full boarding £10,524

• Years 5 to 6: tri-boarding £9,043; weekly boarding £10,369; full boarding £11,072

• Years 7 to 8: tri-boarding £10,607; weekly boarding £11,933; full boarding £12,636

One-off costs before admission are also clear. The registration fee is £240, with acceptance deposits published for day pupils (£500) and UK boarders (£1,000), alongside overseas boarding deposits.

Optional extras are itemised, including music tuition, LAMDA, tennis, riding, learning support, and English as a foreign language support. This helps families budget realistically and ask the right questions about what is typical for a pupil of their child’s age and interests.

Nursery fees are not listed in the published termly schedule above; families should consult the school’s official information for early years pricing and any childcare voucher arrangements.

On financial help, the admissions policy confirms that bursary applications are welcomed from families who might otherwise struggle to meet fees, and it also notes scholarship awards in the application context. The practical message is that families should raise bursary and scholarship interest early, as part of registration, and treat any award as a process rather than an automatic discount.

Published documentation confirms a termly fee model and distinguishes day pupils from boarders, including meal pricing for additional day pupil meals and clear notice requirements for optional lessons.

Daily timings, wraparound care for day pupils, and transport arrangements are not consistently available in the publicly accessible sources we could verify due to intermittent access issues on the school’s website. Families should confirm start and finish times, after-school supervision options, and any minibus routes directly with the admissions team before committing to a plan, especially if both parents commute.

• Boarding autonomy in the top years. Inspection evidence points to a need for better supported opportunities for older boarders to use free time for relaxation and personal interests. Ask how evenings are structured in Years 7 and 8, and how independence is taught rather than simply expected.

• Cost is multi-layered. Termly fees are clearly published, but optional extras (music, LAMDA, riding, learning support) are also itemised. Families should ask what a typical term looks like for a pupil with their child’s interests, and budget accordingly.

• Entry is visit-led. Open mornings are advertised periodically, but many families will still prefer individual visits or taster experiences. If you need a place for a specific term or year group, treat early contact as essential.

Casterton, Sedbergh Preparatory School suits families who want a prep that blends broad curriculum ambition with genuine boarding infrastructure, and who like the idea of children growing into independence steadily rather than all at once. The fees schedule is unusually transparent, leadership is clearly defined from January 2025, and the latest inspection supports a picture of calm culture, strong safeguarding practice, and well-planned teaching.

Who it suits: children who will enjoy a busy week, thrive with structured routines, and benefit from a community where school life continues after lessons, whether as a boarder or as a day pupil closely connected to that rhythm.