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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Set on the edge of Chelsham Common, Warlingham Park School is an independent co-ed prep for pupils aged 2 to 11, with nursery and pre-school alongside Reception to Year 6. It is deliberately small, with a maximum capacity of 124, which shapes the day to day feel: familiar faces, fast communication with staff, and a school calendar that can flex around individual needs.
The school sits within the Inspired Learning Group (ILG), and the operational model is built around two big parent priorities: wraparound that genuinely covers the working day, and a broad, practical curriculum that makes strong use of its grounds. Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am and After School Care continues until 6pm, with a structured rhythm for arrivals, assemblies, pastoral time and clubs.
For families considering an independent prep without the scale or formality of a large traditional set up, the question here is not “Do they do everything?” but “Do they do the right things, well, for my child?” The evidence points to a school that is organised, outdoors oriented, and carefully run from a compliance and safeguarding point of view.
Warlingham Park’s identity is strongly tied to its setting. Outdoor learning is not treated as an occasional enrichment; Forest School starts in pre-school and runs weekly, linked to curriculum topics and delivered in a wooded area behind the school, with an outdoor classroom used for teamwork and group tasks.
That outdoors thread continues through the everyday details. The school explicitly references its chickens as part of the lived experience, which tells you something about the tone: hands on responsibility, practical routines, and a slightly more “roll up your sleeves” approach than purely classroom led preps.
Leadership is clear and visible. The current Head is Annie Ingrassia, and the wider senior team includes a Deputy Head, a Nursery Manager and a SENDCo.
For parents, that structure matters because the school spans nursery to Year 6, and the experience needs to feel coherent across very different ages.
A good way to understand the atmosphere is through the school’s own framing of the day. Pupils arrive from 8.20am, lessons begin at 9.00am, and the timetable is punctuated by assemblies or form time, reading buddies, and dedicated pastoral time after lunch. That level of timetable transparency usually correlates with predictable routines, which younger pupils tend to thrive on.
Because nursery provision starts earlier than the statutory school years, families often want to know whether the early years are simply “on site childcare” or genuinely integrated into a school culture. Here, the baby room is positioned as a specialist environment with a stated 1:3 adult to child ratio for ages 6 months to 2 years, and practical features such as a separate sleep room and kitchenette. Parents are updated via an app (Famly), and food is described as included in the monthly nursery fee, although the school does not publish a single figure in the same way as it does for school fees.
The nursery Ofsted inspection in March 2025 describes children as confident communicators and notes targeted support for children with additional needs, alongside a caveat that when staff cover other rooms they are not always fully aware of the curriculum intent for that room.
For parents, that combination often translates to a warm, language rich setting that will suit many children well, plus a sensible question to ask on a tour about how curriculum planning is shared across rooms when staffing changes.
Independent preps do not always sit neatly within the same public data framework as state primaries, and Warlingham Park’s published results here does not provide comparable KS2 performance metrics to analyse. Instead, the most reliable picture of academic quality comes from curriculum detail, destination outcomes, and external inspection.
The March 2025 ISI inspection confirmed the school meets the Standards and judged safeguarding arrangements to be effective.
That matters because it indicates the essentials are in place: compliance, governance oversight, and safeguarding processes that align with current statutory expectations.
For families weighing academic pace, a distinctive feature is the school’s explicit 11+ pipeline support. Preparation is described as beginning in Year 3 via reasoning exposure and regular tests, with more structured guidance in Years 4 and 5 (including parent sessions), plus weekly out of hours 11+ sessions from Spring Term in Year 5 through Autumn Term in Year 6.
The implication is straightforward: this is a prep that expects many pupils will sit entrance exams, and it builds a staged runway rather than a last minute scramble.
The educational pitch is practical and broad. The school highlights specialist spaces for Art and Design Technology, Cookery, Drama and Music, alongside a computer suite.
Those named facilities matter because they point to how learning is delivered. Cookery, for example, tends to translate into applied maths and science, sequencing, safety routines and independence, while a dedicated drama space supports speaking, listening and confidence building for pupils who might not shine in written work.
Outdoor learning provides a second delivery route. Weekly Forest School sessions tied to curriculum topics are likely to appeal to pupils who learn best through movement, concrete tasks and shared problem solving.
The best fit is often children who benefit from routine and calm expectations, but still need variety in how they learn.
In early years, the baby room and nursery pages emphasise the Early Years Foundation Stage, with messy play, songs, stories, outdoor play and consistent routines tailored to the child.
For parents, the key implication is continuity: children can start very young and experience a consistent ethos through to Year 6, rather than an abrupt shift when Reception begins.
For prep schools, destinations are one of the clearest real world indicators of how well the school prepares pupils, academically and pastorally, for the next step.
Warlingham Park reports destinations including scholarships to Trinity School, Woldingham School, and Bishop Challoner School, as well as places at Croydon High School and Bromley High School (both GDST). The list also includes passes for Kent 11+ routes, and placements at local state secondaries such as Riddlesdown, Warlingham and Oxted.
Two implications flow from this. First, the school supports both independent senior transitions and local state routes, which is useful for families who want optionality, not a single “one track” destination culture.
Admissions are positioned as straightforward and personal. The school describes a six step process: enquiry, visit, registration, a taster day for school applicants (with settling in sessions for nursery and pre-school after a formal offer), offer, then start.
The admissions policy describes the school as non-selective with no formal assessments, while still seeking paperwork from a transfer school where relevant and using a tour and interview as part of the process.
In practice, that usually means the focus is on fit and practical readiness, rather than entrance testing for entry into the school itself.
For 2026 entry, the website does not present a single fixed annual deadline in the same way many larger preps do. The safer working assumption is that places are offered as vacancies arise, with September as the main intake point. Families should plan early for the year group they want, particularly Reception and Year 3, which are common joining points in the local prep market.
The March 2025 ISI report describes a warm, welcoming environment and highlights values such as respect, perseverance and kindness being embedded through form periods, assemblies and PSHE.
That is useful evidence because it speaks to how behaviour and culture are maintained consistently, not only through sanctions.
Operationally, the day includes dedicated pastoral time after lunch, which is a practical sign that wellbeing is treated as a timetabled priority rather than an “if we have time” add on.
For pupils who need additional support, the school has a named SENDCo within the senior team.
If SEND is a significant factor for your child, a tour should include questions about how support is delivered day to day, and how it is coordinated between nursery and school, since the setting spans a wide range of developmental stages.
The co-curricular list is specific, which is what parents need. Current highlights include Choir, Gymnastics, Tae-kwondo, Yoga and Mindfulness, Board Games, Japanese Club, Chicken Care, Coding, Cooking, Spanish, and dedicated 11+ Preparation.
This is where the school’s character shows up clearly. Chicken Care and Forest School signal a practical culture, while Coding and Japanese Club point to breadth beyond the standard sports and arts staples.
For pupils, the implication is confidence through competence: repeated, structured activities that build real skills, not one off “fun days”.
For families specifically targeting exam routes, the 11+ club and exam preparation sessions are a meaningful differentiator. Weekly sessions with mock tests, practice papers and interview preparation are described, which can reduce the need for external tutoring for some pupils, or at least provide structure to what can otherwise become a chaotic year.
For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, published school fees (per term, inclusive of VAT) are £3,698 for Reception to Year 1 and £4,233 for Year 2 to Year 6.
That structure is important because it means the cost step up happens earlier than some preps, where fees increase later in juniors.
One-off charges listed include a £150 registration fee and a £500 acceptance deposit, plus a £500 compliance management fee for pupils who require a Home Office visa (non-refundable).
Wraparound and transport carry additional charges, and the school also lists per session pricing for breakfast and after-school options.
Bursaries are described as available and means tested.
If affordability is a key question, ask how bursary decisions are made, what evidence is required, and whether support is available for entry points beyond Reception.
Nursery fees are published separately by the school and vary by age and attendance pattern, so families should use the official nursery fees document for the most accurate, up to date picture.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
The school day is clearly laid out. Breakfast Club begins at 7.30am; pupils arrive from 8.20am; lessons start at 9.00am. The end of the day is 3.20pm for Reception to Year 2 and 3.30pm for Years 3 to 6, with after school activities from 3.30pm to 4.30pm and After School Care running to 6pm.
Transport links are a selling point for commuting families. The school highlights proximity to Upper Warlingham, Whyteleafe and Caterham stations.
Small school reality. A smaller prep can feel wonderfully personal, but it also means fewer parallel classes. For some pupils that is calming; for others it can feel socially limiting.
11+ culture. The school offers structured 11+ preparation and a dedicated club, which suits families targeting selective routes. If your preference is a low exam focus junior experience, ask how the school balances prep work with breadth and play.
Early years staffing consistency. The March 2025 nursery report flags that when staff cover other rooms they are not always fully aware of the curriculum intent for that room. Ask how planning is shared to keep learning consistent when staffing shifts.
Fee structure step up. Fees rise from Year 2, not only in juniors. Families budgeting across a multi-year journey should model that early increase.
Warlingham Park School suits families who want a small independent prep with meaningful wraparound hours, strong use of outdoor learning, and a clear pathway to both independent and state secondaries. The combination of Forest School, specialist rooms (including cookery and music), and a well-defined daily routine will suit pupils who thrive with structure plus practical learning outlets.
Who it suits: working families who need 7.30am to 6pm coverage, and children who respond well to a personal setting with active, hands on learning.
Warlingham Park School meets the Independent School Standards, and its March 2025 ISI inspection judged safeguarding arrangements to be effective. Families are likely to value the structured day, wraparound provision, and the school’s emphasis on outdoor learning and practical curriculum experiences.
For 2025 to 2026, published school fees (per term, inclusive of VAT) are £3,698 for Reception to Year 1 and £4,233 for Year 2 to Year 6. Nursery fees are published separately and vary by age and attendance pattern, so use the school’s nursery fees document for the current detail.
Yes. Breakfast Club runs from 7.30am and After School Care runs until 6pm. The published daily timetable also sets out arrival times, lesson start, and different end times for younger and older year groups.
The school reports destinations including scholarships and places at Trinity School, Woldingham School, Bishop Challoner School, Croydon High School and Bromley High School (GDST), alongside routes to local state secondaries such as Riddlesdown, Warlingham and Oxted, plus Kent 11+ pathways.
Admissions are framed as a visit led process: enquiry, visit, registration, then a taster day for school applicants, followed by an offer and onboarding. The admissions policy describes the school as non-selective with no formal assessments. For specific availability by year group, a visit and early enquiry are sensible because places can depend on vacancies.
Get in touch with the school directly
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