A leafy, gated corner of Purley gives this girls’ prep a distinctive feel; it sits on the Webb Estate and uses its grounds seriously, from the 200m running track to the Multi-Use Games Area and performance hall stage. The scale is deliberately intimate, which can suit families who want every pupil known well and supported closely through the crucial 7+ and 11+ years.
Leadership is clearly defined. The Headmistress is Mrs Amanda McShane, and the current published inspection and school information emphasise both academic progress and personal development, alongside a strong safeguarding and wellbeing culture.
For many parents, the headline question is not GCSE tables (this is a prep, and it is not Ofsted-inspected), but which senior schools girls move on to. The school publishes a recent list of destinations including several highly competitive London and Surrey independents, plus selective routes where appropriate.
The setting does a lot of the work. Six acres in Woodcote Lane is generous for a small prep, and the facilities list reads like a school that expects pupils to be busy: sports field, a 200m running track, a newly built Multi-Use Games Area, a dedicated sports hall used for gymnastics and dance as well as PE, and a main hall with a raised stage for performances. A science laboratory and food technology room reinforce that this is not an “early years only” site, it is set up for confident prep-school breadth.
The daily rhythm is structured and calm rather than sprawling. Drop-off begins from 8:00am with pupils expected in class by 8:30am, which helps working families plan reliably. Pick-up is staged by year group, with younger pupils leaving earlier and the oldest juniors finishing at 4:05pm, giving more time for sport, clubs and enrichment in Years 5 and 6.
A key cultural feature is the “prep mindset” without the scale, which can be a strong fit for girls who gain confidence in smaller peer groups. It can also be a consideration for families seeking a bigger cohort and a wider social mix; this is a more contained setting by design, not a large-throughput junior school.
This is a girls’ preparatory school (ages 4 to 11) in the independent sector, so the most useful outcomes lens is readiness for senior school, including scholarship and selective-school preparation, plus the quality of day-to-day learning.
The latest Independent Schools Inspectorate inspection available for the girls’ school is an Educational Quality and Focused Compliance inspection dated November 2022, and it judged both academic achievement and personal development as excellent, while confirming that the required standards were met.
Parents comparing local options should treat this as a different category to state primaries. The most meaningful “results” here tend to be senior-school destinations, and the school publishes a list of recent offers that includes City of London School for Girls, James Allen’s Girls’ School, Godolphin and Latymer, Alleyn’s and others, which indicates successful preparation for selective and interview-based entry.
The curriculum story is one of breadth plus purposeful preparation for the next step. The facilities list alone suggests a school that expects practical, specialist-led learning to start early, with dedicated spaces for science and food technology rather than a single general classroom approach.
For families thinking ahead to 11+ and competitive 11-13 senior school entry, the most reassuring signal is that the school talks openly about that pathway and publishes a senior-school destination list, rather than keeping the process opaque.
A useful practical detail is how the day is shaped for older pupils. The later finish for Years 5 and 6 gives room for structured extension, sport, music, drama rehearsals, or targeted prep for senior school admissions without forcing everything into evenings.
For a girls’ prep, this is the section most parents read first. The school publishes examples of senior-school destinations offered to leavers in recent years, including Alleyn’s, City of London School for Girls, Godolphin and Latymer, James Allen’s Girls’ School, Croydon High School, Caterham, Bromley High School, and Downe House.
What that means in practice is that preparation is geared to the realities of London and Surrey entry routes: strong literacy and numeracy, confident interview communication, and comfort with tests where relevant.
It is also worth being clear about fit. A destination-driven prep can feel focused in Years 5 and 6. Many pupils enjoy that sense of momentum; others may prefer a less exam-shaped final primary phase. A visit and a frank conversation about how the school approaches 11+ preparation will quickly clarify which camp your child sits in.
Admissions are handled directly through the school, with a clear staged process: enquiry, visit, application, then (for school-age entry) a taster day used both for pupil experience and to assess suitability. A £125 non-refundable registration fee is published, and families are asked to return acceptance paperwork within seven days of an offer, alongside a £750 deposit (refundable under the school’s terms).
Open events are actively promoted rather than occasional. The school currently lists an Open Week in late April, with a Girls’ School open morning scheduled on Friday 24 April, and the pattern suggests these events are used to help families understand the day-to-day experience and ask detailed questions.
For parents planning a move, the practical takeaway is that independent admissions are not tied to a single national deadline in the way state Reception is. The best approach is to treat entry as “apply early, visit early”, particularly if you want specific year groups.
Parents can also use FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to track visit notes and compare options across the Croydon area as you shortlist.
The published inspection framework for the girls’ school emphasises pupil wellbeing and safeguarding as core compliance areas, and the school’s own admissions process highlights “fit” as well as capability.
In daily life, the structured arrival routines and year-grouped departure times also help, particularly for younger pupils. Clear handover points and predictable transitions matter at this age, especially for children who can feel overwhelmed by busy settings.
For wraparound hours, the school operates breakfast provision from 7:30am (with children expected by 7:45am for breakfast) and after-school care to 6:00pm, which is helpful for working families who want continuity on-site rather than patchwork childcare.
The site itself enables breadth. Sport is clearly prioritised with the running track, MUGA and sports hall, while the main hall stage supports performance work, assemblies and productions.
Trips are named rather than described vaguely. Recent examples include Hampton Court Palace and Ashdown Forest, suggesting a mix of curriculum-linked history days and outdoor learning experiences, with residential trips for prep pupils lasting up to five days.
Clubs run before school, at lunch and after school, and the school positions co-curricular participation as an expected part of school life. For families juggling siblings across sites, there is also a practical operational detail: pupils can be shuttled between the boys’ and girls’ sites before and after school, and after-school care can be taken at either site depending on convenience.
Parents comparing local offerings can use FindMySchool’s Croydon Local Hub and Comparison Tool to line up practicalities, such as hours, co-curricular breadth, and fees, alongside other shortlisted schools.
For the 2025/26 academic year, the school publishes total termly fees (tuition plus compulsory lunch) for Cumnor Girls as follows: Reception £5,771 per term; Years 1 to 2 £5,805 per term; Years 3 to 4 £6,848 per term; Years 5 to 6 £6,996 per term. Tuition fees are stated as inclusive of VAT, with lunch exempt.
The school also states that, due to the age range, it does not currently offer a scholarship programme for entry, but it does offer means-tested bursary support in cases of financial hardship, accessed through the admissions route.
Wraparound care (breakfast and after school) is available at an additional charge, and transport is priced separately by travel band for the school buses.
Fees data coming soon.
Start and finish times are clearly published. Doors open at 8:00am, pupils are expected in class by 8:30am, and pick-up runs from 3:10pm (Reception) through to 4:05pm (Years 5 and 6).
Breakfast club operates from 7:30am, and after-school care runs from 3:15pm to 6:00pm. Holiday provision is offered via a partner programme, and a shuttle bus supports families moving between the boys’ and girls’ sites.
On transport, the school runs buses serving areas including Clapham South, Tooting Bec, Streatham, Upper Norwood and Caterham, plus several local routes around Sanderstead, Warlingham and Purley.
A small-school experience. The close-knit model suits many girls, but families wanting a large cohort, a bigger social pool, or a more “big primary” feel should pressure-test fit carefully at a visit.
Years 5 and 6 can feel focused. Senior-school destinations are a clear priority, and that can bring purposeful preparation that not every child enjoys.
Fees plus extras. Termly fees include lunch, but wraparound care, transport and some specialist tuition sit outside the core fee. Build a realistic full-year budget.
Open events matter. The school uses open weeks and tours as a key part of admissions. If you are aiming for a particular start point, treat visiting as a priority rather than a nice-to-have.
Cumnor House School, Croydon is a well-equipped, small girls’ prep with facilities that support serious sport, confident performance, and practical learning, plus a clear track record of leavers moving on to demanding senior schools. It suits families who want a structured day, strong preparation for the next stage, and a setting where staff can know pupils closely. The main decision is whether your child will thrive in a focused prep environment where senior-school readiness is a visible priority.
For a prep, the most useful indicators are inspection quality and senior-school outcomes. The latest ISI inspection (November 2022) judged academic achievement and personal development as excellent and confirmed the school met the required standards, and the school publishes a strong list of senior-school destinations.
For 2025/26, published total termly fees (including compulsory lunch) are £5,771 for Reception, £5,805 for Years 1 to 2, £6,848 for Years 3 to 4, and £6,996 for Years 5 to 6. Tuition is stated as inclusive of VAT.
The school states it does not currently offer an entry scholarship programme due to the age range, but it does offer means-tested bursary support in cases of financial hardship, discussed through admissions.
Drop-off begins from 8:00am, pupils are expected in class by 8:30am, and pick-up runs from 3:10pm for Reception through to 4:05pm for Years 5 and 6.
The school uses a staged process including a visit, application (with a published £125 registration fee), then a taster day for school-age entry. Open events are scheduled during the year, including an Open Week with a girls’ school open morning currently listed for Friday 24 April.
Get in touch with the school directly
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