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A small independent prep in Earlsfield, Wandsworth Preparatory School occupies The Old Library and caters for children aged 3 to 11. It is the sort of school where logistics matter as much as ethos, breakfast club begins at 07.30, lessons start at 08.30, and free after school care runs to 18.00, a combination that can be genuinely decisive for working families.
Leadership has also changed recently. Mrs Joanna Pache became Head from September 2025, and is named as the current headteacher on the Department for Education’s official records.
Academic outcomes are not published in the same way as state primaries, so parents typically judge a prep by curriculum quality, the day to day learning climate, and where pupils move on at 11. On that third measure, the school lists 2025 offers to a group of well known London independents including Whitgift School, Trinity School, Emanuel School, and Putney High School.
This is a school that presents itself as a close knit community with a strong emphasis on individual attention and confidence building. The language used by the school focuses on pupils becoming confident individuals with a passion for learning, and on character development alongside academic ambition.
There is also a clear community strand. The school describes regular showcases for parents, plus community events such as coffee mornings and charity activities, with named links to local organisations including Wandsworth Food Bank, Mind, and Sport in Mind. For families who value a school that integrates local service into normal school life, that matters because it signals that “community” is not only a marketing word, it is operationalised through repeatable events and routines.
Day structure is another part of “feel”, especially for younger children. School gates open at 08.15 for registration at 08.25, which is early enough to support calm starts, and pick up times are sensibly staggered by age, 15.30 for Pre Prep to Year 2, and 15.50 for Year 3 and above. That shape tends to suit families who want a busy, purposeful day without very late finishes for the youngest pupils.
As an independent prep, the school is not part of the same public results infrastructure that drives most state primary comparisons. The more useful lens is what the school teaches, how it teaches, and what that prepares pupils to do next.
Curriculum wise, the school states that its curriculum is designed with the National Curriculum expectations in mind, and it highlights specialist teaching in music from Reception to Year 6. It also signals a deliberate approach to writing, spelling, and drafting, with pupils encouraged to view themselves as authors and to edit and improve their work over time. The implication for parents is straightforward, this is a literacy driven prep that expects pupils to build habits of practice, feedback, and refinement, rather than relying on short bursts of exam technique late in Year 6.
The 11+ pathway is described in unusually concrete terms, which helps parents understand how early the school begins to socialise families into the London senior school system. The school’s own “11+ Journey” outline includes a Year 2 scholarship information meeting, a Year 5 long list meeting in November and short list meeting in June, and a Year 6 timeline that runs from autumn tests through to offers and acceptance deadlines later in the academic year. For families new to London admissions, that kind of roadmap can reduce uncertainty, and it signals that the school sees senior school transition as a structured process rather than an informal add on.
Destinations are where this approach is meant to land. The school lists 2025 offers to Whitgift School, Trinity School, Emanuel School, Ibstock Place School, Putney High School, Wimbledon High School, Streatham and Clapham High School, and Kingston Grammar. This is not a guarantee for any individual child, but it does indicate the peer group is routinely aiming at selective London senior schools, and that the staff are used to handling entrance exam preparation, interviews, and scholarship conversations.
The most useful teaching signal for parents is often how the school balances core skills with breadth, especially when 11+ preparation ramps up. Here, the school is explicit that it maintains its usual timetable during the 11+ preparation period rather than shifting into a narrow “cram” mode, and it points to forest school and climbing within that broader programme.
Class size information is described in general rather than numerical terms, but the school emphasises small classes and the use of teaching assistants, particularly in the early years where a class teacher is supported by a teaching assistant. That usually suits children who benefit from predictable adult presence and quick intervention, especially in the transition into Reception and Year 1.
At 11, the school positions itself as preparing children for selective senior school entry, and it publishes a recent list of offer holding schools (for 2025). The practical implication is that families should expect an 11+ culture by Year 5 and Year 6, including meetings about school shortlists, test timing, and interview preparation.
For parents who want a senior school pipeline but do not want their child’s primary years reduced to exam drilling, it is also relevant that the school states it keeps enrichment in place during exam season.
Entry is typically into Pre Prep Nursery (age 3+) or Reception (age 4+), with in year entry sometimes available. For Reception 2026, the school is currently signalling limited availability and encourages families to register interest early, with a meeting arranged with the Head following enquiry and registration.
Visits are an important part of the process. The school offers small group tours and private tours with the Head and team. In January 2026 it also ran an Open Week (26 to 30 January), which suggests a pattern of concentrated admissions visibility in late January, alongside tours across the year.
For parents juggling multiple schools, a practical tip is to treat availability as the constraint rather than a fixed deadline. The school’s messaging for September 2026 is about places filling rather than a single published cut off date.
Pastoral structures are visible in staffing. The school lists an Assistant Head (Pastoral) who is also the Reception Teacher and Safeguarding Lead. For families, that matters because it suggests that safeguarding and pastoral leadership are integrated into daily school life, not separated as a remote compliance function.
On the compliance side, the most recent Independent Schools Inspectorate material change inspection (February 2024) reported that the relevant standards were met, including safeguarding. This is not the same as an outcomes grade, but it is a useful reassurance on baseline systems, policies, and leadership oversight.
This is one of the school’s strongest publicly evidenced areas because it publishes a specific club list and connects enrichment to the working day rather than treating it as optional extras that require separate wraparound providers.
After school clubs listed include Lego Construction, Multi Sports Club, Science Club, Karate Club, Football Club, Chess Club, Drama Club, Cookery, Art Club, Homework Club, Choir, Running Club, Ballet, Mini Coders, and Coding. That mix is practical for parents because it spreads across sport, performance, STEM, and supervised homework, so after school time can be both childcare and development.
The school also describes an enrichment programme that has included weekly forest school sessions, cookery classes, climbing sessions, and later horse riding experiences. The implication is that enrichment is timetabled and planned as part of the pupil experience, rather than offered only to a subset of children.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
Hours are clearly published. Breakfast club runs from 07.30; gates open at 08.15, registration is 08.25 and lessons begin at 08.30. Finish times are 15.30 for Pre Prep to Year 2, and 15.50 for Year 3 and above.
Wraparound is a core feature. The school states that wraparound care is provided to 18.00 at no additional charge, and it also notes breakfast options, including a made to order breakfast for £2.50.
Location context is straightforward, the school places itself near Wandsworth Common, which is useful for families planning the school run on foot, bike, or short car journeys.
Fees for 2025 to 2026 are published as £6,194 per term for Reception to Year 6, inclusive of VAT. Lunch is charged separately at £475 per term for Reception to Year 6. One off charges include a £75 registration fee and a £2,000 acceptance deposit, with the deposit retained and returned when the child leaves subject to conditions.
The fee information published by the school does not set out bursary proportions or scholarship values, so families who need financial support should ask for the current policy and what is realistically available for their child’s entry point.
Places can be tight in key entry years. The school is already signalling limited spaces for Reception in September 2026, so early enquiry matters if this is a serious option.
Expect an 11+ culture by Year 5. The school’s own timeline includes long list and short list meetings, testing in the autumn of Year 6, and an exam and offers sequence through the year. That is supportive for many children, but it can feel intense for others.
Costs extend beyond tuition. Lunch is a separate termly charge for Reception to Year 6, and families should also budget for typical extras such as clubs, trips, and individual activities depending on choices.
Inspection reports are compliance focused. The most recent ISI activity relates to standards and safeguarding, which is important, but it is not a public exam outcomes measure.
Wandsworth Preparatory School is built around two linked promises, a structured academic pathway towards selective London senior schools, and practical family support through long hours and integrated wraparound. Its published destinations list shows a clear senior school direction, while the detailed clubs and enrichment programme suggest breadth remains part of the experience even in the 11+ years. Best suited to families who want a small prep with a London 11+ roadmap, and who value wraparound as part of the core offer rather than an add on.
For a small independent prep, the key signals are curriculum quality, pastoral systems, and senior school destinations. The school publishes a 2025 list of senior school offers including Whitgift School, Trinity School and Emanuel School, and it also offers extensive wraparound and clubs which are often a proxy for a well organised day to day experience.
Fees for 2025 to 2026 are published as £6,194 per term for Reception to Year 6, inclusive of VAT, with lunch charged separately at £475 per term. A £75 registration fee applies, and the acceptance deposit is £2,000.
The school invites families to enquire and register interest, after which it arranges a meeting with the Head. It has indicated limited spaces for September 2026, so families should register interest as early as possible and book a tour where they can.
Breakfast club runs from 07.30. Gates open at 08.15, registration is at 08.25 and lessons begin at 08.30. Pre Prep to Year 2 finishes at 15.30; Year 3 and above finishes at 15.50, with free after school care available daily until 18.00.
The school lists 2025 offers to a range of London senior independents including Whitgift School, Trinity School, Emanuel School, Putney High School, Wimbledon High School, Streatham and Clapham High School, Ibstock Place School, and Kingston Grammar.
Get in touch with the school directly
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