The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
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A plaque commemorating artist Frank Dadd sits quietly in the school’s story, but the day to day feel is less museum piece and more modern prep with a clear set of behavioural anchors. Founded in 1929 and now co-educational, the school frames its identity around Care, Courtesy and Consideration, plus a more contemporary “six C’s” learning model that puts character and collaboration alongside academic habits.
This is a small, mixed independent school for ages 2 to 11, with an on-site nursery and one-form entry style year groups. That size shapes the experience: pupils are known well, leadership roles come earlier, and transitions are managed closely. The current headteacher is Mrs Vanessa Wood.
Academically, this is not a school where public exam metrics are the headline, and there are no published Key Stage 2 figures in the available results. The clearest external benchmark is inspection: in late January to early February 2024, the Independent Schools Inspectorate reported that the Standards were met across the required areas, including safeguarding.
The school’s values language is unusually explicit. Care, Courtesy and Consideration are presented not as a poster exercise but as a shared vocabulary that pupils are expected to apply in daily interactions. Alongside that, the “six C’s” model aims to build learning habits such as critical thinking and communication, which helps explain why the school leans into pupil voice and structured leadership opportunities in the upper years.
The building history is part of the identity, in a grounded way. The site is linked to Frank Dadd, who lived in the house on Springfield Road in the early twentieth century, and the school ties that heritage into an annual art and music festival. For families who value a sense of continuity, this is a school that can explain where it has come from, without letting tradition dominate what it does now.
Leadership and staffing feel intentionally visible. The school publishes a named leadership team, including assistant heads for curriculum and for pastoral care, plus a named SENCo. That clarity matters at small schools, where families tend to want a direct line to decision makers and quick adjustments when a child needs extra support or challenge.
There are no comparable primary performance metrics provided for this school, which is common for independent preps. Instead, outcomes show up through senior school transition and through how well the curriculum is implemented.
External review provides the most recent structured picture. The 2024 inspection describes careful curriculum planning across a wide range of subjects, appropriate support for pupils with SEND, and good progress from starting points, including in early years. It also flags an improvement point: ensuring pupils are consistently challenged to think and learn independently in a small proportion of lessons.
Senior school progression is presented as a practical endpoint for Year 6. The school publishes examples of offers to a mix of independent and maintained options, including selective pathways. For families, the implication is straightforward: the school is accustomed to guiding children through 11-plus style transitions, but it does so while keeping multiple routes open.
A useful way to understand the classroom approach here is to look at the school’s stance on technology. From Year 1, each child is described as having their own iPad, and the school links this to explicit teaching around safe, responsible digital habits. The practical examples matter more than the slogan: coding and debugging Lego robots, building websites, and designing an e-safety awareness game for younger users. For a child who learns well by making and iterating, this approach can strengthen independence and confidence with digital tools rather than treating them as a reward.
This does not appear to be “screens instead of basics”. The inspection narrative positions digital work as integrated with more traditional methods, which is usually the healthier version of edtech in primary years. Where it can fall down, in any school with strong resources, is consistency of challenge. The school’s next-step recommendation is a reminder to parents to ask how stretch is delivered across subjects and across classes, especially for confident learners who can coast if tasks are too scaffolded.
For pupils approaching Year 6, preparation for senior school entry is structured and explicit. The school describes extra classes outside normal curriculum hours and exam practice days at the start of September, plus preparation for interviews for those applying for scholarships. That can be a strong fit for families who want in-school guidance rather than leaving the whole process to tutoring, although it does signal a more purposeful upper-prep culture.
This is a through-to-11 school, so the key transition is Year 6 into senior schools. The school publishes examples of destinations and offers that include independent senior schools and local grammar options. Names listed in recent school communications include schools such as Whitgift, Royal Russell, Trinity, Caterham, and local selective routes such as Wallington Grammar, alongside a wider spread of maintained options.
The important nuance is that the school positions this as a “best fit” process, not a single track. In practice, that means families should expect conversations about aptitude, confidence, and what a child enjoys, not only what a child can pass. If your child is likely to thrive in selective environments, the school’s familiarity with tests and interviews is useful. If your child is better served by a strong local comprehensive, the school is already used to supporting that decision without making it feel like an alternative plan.
Because the school is small, transition support tends to be personalised. The trade-off is that the peer group heading into 11-plus style assessment can feel more concentrated, with fewer “it’s no big deal” voices in the room. Parents who want a lighter-touch approach to Year 6 should ask how the school balances preparation with protecting enjoyment of learning.
Admissions are described as welcoming enquiries throughout the year, with visits available on school mornings. For nursery and Reception, the school states that it does not run formal assessments; places are offered after registration and a taster morning. For Years 1 to 6, there is still no formal assessment, but applicants are expected to join their prospective class for a full taster day to check they can access the curriculum. That is a sensible, child-centred model for a prep, because it tests “can they settle and learn here” rather than “can they pass a paper”.
Open events are part of the picture. The school’s homepage advertises a spring term open morning on Friday 30 January 2026, which suggests a continuing cycle of termly events plus individual tours. If you are weighing timing, treat open mornings as a good first filter, then move quickly to a taster visit if you are serious, because small schools can fill places opportunistically across year groups.
For families shortlisting several independent preps in the area, it is worth using FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature to track what you have seen, then note which schools feel strongest on three things: stretch for your child, warmth of pastoral response, and how the school talks about the 11-plus pathway without inflating pressure.
The school frames wellbeing as central, and the inspection narrative supports a picture of staff being approachable and pupils feeling secure about who to go to if they have a problem. Safeguarding processes are presented as well organised, with trained designated safeguarding leads and appropriate recruitment checks. The ISI inspection confirmed that safeguarding Standards were met.
On the practical side, wraparound care is a meaningful part of pastoral provision for working families. Breakfast club and after-school care are described as embedded rather than bolt-on. For many parents, the real test is not whether the club exists, but whether it feels consistent with the school’s daytime expectations, calm routines, clear boundaries, and familiar adults.
SEND support is also named transparently: the school lists a SENCo within its published staff structure and states that specialist support can be offered where needed. In a small setting, this can work well when communication is fast and adjustments are made early, but it is also fair to ask what the limits are, particularly around physical accessibility, because small sites can have constraints.
Clubs are one of the clearest benefits of a small prep that still invests in specialist staff. The school publishes a structured programme with named activities and clear year-group access. Examples listed for Autumn Term 2025 include Chess (Years 3 to 6), Debating Club (Years 3 to 6), Crafty Creators (Years 3 to 4), Orchestra by invitation (Years 3 to 6), Board Games Club (Years 1 and 2), Drama (Years 3 to 6), and Story Club (Years 1 and 2). External paid clubs listed include Football, Judo, and Basketball.
The “why” matters. Chess and debating are not just enrichment, they map directly onto the school’s stated habits of thought and communication. Orchestra and drama, backed by named specialist leads in music and drama, are a good sign that arts provision is not dependent on a single enthusiastic generalist. For a child who needs a stage to build confidence, drama club can be a safer proving ground than whole-school productions.
Sports sit alongside this rather than overpowering it. The club list points to accessible options rather than a narrow elite pathway, and the culture described in school materials focuses on manners and responsibility as much as competition. Families who want highly intensive sport academies may find this lighter than they want, but for many primary pupils, breadth and consistency win.
Published school fees for 2025 to 2026 are shown as totals inclusive of VAT, per term. Reception totals are £4,590 per term. Years 1 to 6 totals are £4,836 per term. These totals are shown as comprising tuition fees, catering and subsistence provision, plus educational materials.
One-off charges listed include a £50 registration fee and a £700 school acceptance deposit. For pupils requiring a Home Office visa, a compliance management fee of £500 is listed.
Scholarships and bursaries are referenced as available, with a note that they apply only towards tuition fees and educational materials. The school also publishes sibling discounts and an annual payment discount, subject to terms.
Nursery fees vary by age and attendance pattern, and the school publishes these on its nursery fee information; it is best to check the latest document directly, especially if you expect to use funded hours.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
Term dates for 2025 to 2026 are published, with Autumn term running 3 September to 12 December 2025, Spring term 6 January to 27 March 2026, and Summer term 21 April to 10 July 2026.
Wraparound care includes breakfast club from 7.30am to 8.30am and after-school care running until 6.30pm. Nursery sessions are published separately, including term-time sessions (8.30am to 12.30pm and 1pm to 5pm) and all-year sessions (8am to 1pm and 1pm to 6pm).
For travel, the school positions itself as close to Wallington railway station and within reach of London commuting routes. A school bus service is referenced as available on request.
Small-school constraints. With a published capacity of 145, year groups are likely to be compact. That can mean close relationships and fast support, but fewer same-age friendship options if a child wants a very large peer group.
Technology is a real pillar. iPads from Year 1 and a strong emphasis on digital projects suit some children brilliantly. Families who prefer minimal device use should ask how screen time is managed and how handwriting, reading stamina, and mental maths are protected.
Year 6 can be purposeful. Extra classes and exam practice days for senior school entry are useful, but they can bring a more driven tone in the final year. Ask how the school keeps play, sport, and creativity prominent alongside preparation.
Fees plus extras. Published fees include several components, and there are additional charges for wraparound care and optional clubs. Clarify what your child is likely to use, then budget on a realistic rather than minimum basis.
This is a good-fit choice for families who want a small, values-led prep where pupils are known well, leadership opportunities come early, and senior school transition is guided in a structured way. It also suits children who enjoy learning through making, presenting, and building, because digital work is integrated into the curriculum rather than treated as an add-on.
The main question is fit, not reputation. If your child wants the buzz of a big cohort or you want a very low-tech primary experience, you may find the style mismatched. Families who are interested should use FindMySchool’s Map Search to compare journey times across nearby preps and to keep travel practical alongside educational preference.
The most recent independent inspection found that the Standards were met across the required areas, including safeguarding. The school is small and structured, with published wraparound care and a clear approach to behaviour built around Care, Courtesy and Consideration.
For 2025 to 2026, published totals inclusive of VAT are £4,590 per term for Reception and £4,836 per term for Years 1 to 6. The school also lists a £50 registration fee and a £700 acceptance deposit.
Yes. The nursery takes children from age 2 to 4, split into two groups, and publishes both term-time and all-year session patterns, including options that run up to 6pm.
The school states that it does not hold formal assessments for nursery and Reception. Places follow registration and a taster morning. For Years 1 to 6, applicants join the prospective class for a taster day so staff can check they can access the curriculum and settle in.
The school publishes examples of offers to a mix of independent and maintained options, including selective routes. Recent school communications list a spread that includes independent senior schools and local grammar offers.
Get in touch with the school directly
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