Preparatory school (United Kingdom)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school (usually abbreviated to prep school) is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools. While many prep schools prepare their students for entry to a range of senior schools, some are closely associated with a single school, such as Colet Court with St Paul's School. Most British prep schools are primarily day schools, but many also take boarders.
Some maintained grammar schools which are otherwise free have a fee-paying prep department. Examples include Sullivan Upper School in Holywood and Bangor Grammar School, Bangor, County Down, both in Northern Ireland.
This use of the term in the UK is different from United States and Canadian usage, where a "prep school" is a university-preparatory school for older pupils.
Boys' prep schools are generally for eight- to thirteen-year olds, when most pupils take the Common Entrance Examination for entry into a secondary independent school. Before the age of eight, the term "pre-prep school", a maintained primary school, is often used. Thus, most independently educated boys will go to a pre-prep school from the age of four or five until eight, then from eight to thirteen to a prep school, and from thirteen to an independent secondary school.
Girls' private schools in England tend to follow the age ranges of maintained schools more closely than those for boys. A girls' preparatory school will usually admit girls from the age of five, and they will continue to another independent school at eleven. However, as more girls now go on to formerly single-sex boys' schools which have become co-educational, the separation is less clear.
The Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools (IAPS) is the prep schools' heads' association serving the top 500+ independent prep schools in the UK and worldwide, with a total of 130,000 pupils. The IAPS is one of seven affiliated associations of the Independent Schools Council (ISC).
List of British Preparatory schools
Below is a list of British prep schools and their headmaster or headmistress as of 1 November 2008.
 |
- Abbotsford Preparatory School[1], Urmston, Manchester
- Aberdour School, Surrey
- Abingdon Preparatory School, Frilford, Oxfordshire
- Aldwickbury School, Hertfordshire
- Alleyn Court Prep School, Westcliff-on-Sea
- All Hallows Preparatory School, Shepton Mallet
- Aldenham Prep School, Elstree
- Aldro School, Shackleford, Surrey
- Alton Burn, Nairn, Inverness-shire
- Altrincham Preparatory School, Cheshire
- Amberley House School, Clifton, Bristol
- Andean House School[2]
- Ardvreck School, Crieff, Perthshire
- Ashfold School, Dorton, Buckinghamshire
- Ashdown House, East Sussex
- Aysgarth School, North Yorkshire
- Ballyclare Prep, Ballyclare, Ulster
- Barrow Hills School, Witley, Surrey
- Bancroft's School, Woodford Green
- Beaudesert Park School, Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire
- Bedford Preparatory School, Bedfordshire
- Beechenhurst School, Liverpool
- Beechwood Park Preparatory School, Markyate, Hertfordshire
- Belmont Mill Hill Preparatory School,Mill Hill, London
- Belmont Preparatory School[3], Holmbury St Mary, Surrey
- Berkhamsted School[4], Hertfordshire
- Bilton Grange[5], Rugby, Warwickshire
- Birkdale Preparatory School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
- Birmingham Blue Coat School, Edgbaston, Birmingham
- Brentwood Preparatory School, Brentwood, Essex
- Brockhurst and Marlston House School, Hermitage, Berkshire[6]
- Brooklands Preparatory School[7], Stafford
- Broughton Manor Preparatory School[8]
- Burys Court School[9] Leigh, Surrey
- Carleton House Preparatory School, Liverpool
- Caldicott School[10] Bucks - Simon Doggart
- Castle Court School [11] Wimborne, Dorset
- Caterham Preparatory School[12], Caterham, Surrey
- Cheam School
- Cheltenham College Junior School[13] Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
- Chinthurst School, Tadworth, Surrey
- Christ Church Cathedral School, Oxford - Martin Bruce
- Clifton College Preparatory School, Bristol
- Clifton Lodge, Ealing, London
- Colet Court, London - Tim Meunier
- Copthorne School[14],West Sussex
- Cothill House[15], Abingdon
- Cottesmore School, Crawley, West Sussex
- Coworth-Flexlands Preparatory School & Nursery[16], Chobham, Surrey
- Cranleigh Preparatory School, Cranleigh, Surrey
- Crowstone Preparatory School[17] - CPS Website,Rochford, Essex
- Crowstone Preparatory School[17] - CPS Website, Westcliff on-Sea, Essex
- Culford Preparatory School, Culford School, Bury St. Edmunds
- Cumnor House School, South Croydon, Surrey
- Cundall Manor School North Yorkshire
- Davenies[18] Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire - Mr C Watson
- Devonshire House Preparatory School, Hampstead, London
- Downsend School, Leatherhead, Surrey
- Downs School, Colwall, Hertfordshire
- Dover Court Preparatory School, Singapore[19]
- Dragon School, Oxford- John R. Baugh
- Duke of Kent School, Ewhurst, Cranleigh, Surrey[20]
- Dulwich Prep.[21], London - Stephen Rigby
- Dumpton School, Dorset[22]
- Duncombe School, Hertfordshire[23]
- Durham Choristers School, Durham - Ian Hawksby
- Durston House, London
- Durlston Court, Barton-on-Sea, Hampshire
- Eastcourt School, Ilford, London
- Eagle House School, Crowthorne
- Eaton House The Manor School, London
- Edge Grove, Aldenham, Hertfordshire
- Edgeborough School, Farnham, Surrey
- Elm Green Preparatory School, Essex
- The Elms School, Colwall, Herefordshire
- Elstree School, [Woolhampton], Newbury, Berkshire
- Exeter School, Exeter, Devon
- Fairfield Preparatory School, Loughborough
- Farleigh School, Andover, Hampshire
- Feltonfleet, Cobham, Surrey
- Foremarke Hall School, Repton, Derbyshire
- Forest Preparatory School, Walthamstow
- Fulham Preparatory School, [24], London
- Gayhurst School, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire - Mr. A Sims [25]
- Gilbert Inglefield House, Monmouth
- Glebe House School & Nursery, Hunstanton, Norfolk
- Gracefield Preparatory School, Bristol
- Great Ballard Preparatory School, Chichester
- Great Houghton Preparatory School, Northampton.
- Godstowe Preparatory School, High Wycombe.
- Grace Dieu Manor School, Leicestershire
- The Grange, Monmouth - Elaine Thomas
- Great Walstead School, Haywards Heath
- Gresham's Preparatory School, Holt, Norfolk
- Haddon Dene School Broadstairs Kent
- Hallfield School, Edgbaston
- The Hall School,[26], Hampstead, London
- Hall Grove School, Bagshot, Surrey
- Hampshire School, knightsbridge, London
- The Hamlets School, Liverpool
- Haslemere Preparatory School, Haslemere
- Haberdashers Aske boys school Preparatory department, Elstree
- Hazelwood School, Limpsfield, Surrey
- Heath Mount School, Watton-at-Stone, Hertfordshire
- Hereward House School, Hampstead
- Highfield School[27], Liphook, Hampshire
- Hilden Grange School, Tonbridge, Kent
- Hill House International School, Knightsbridge, London
- Holland House School, Edgware, London
- Holmewood House School, Kent
- Holmwood House School, Colchester, Essex
- Homefield School, Sutton, Surrey
- Horris Hill School, Berkshire
- Hurstpierpoint College Preparatory School, Sussex
- Kensington Preparatory School, Kensington, London
- Kew College, Surrey
- Kimbolton Preparatory School, Kimbolton
- Kingshott, Hitchin, Hertfordshire[28]
- Kingswood House School, Epsom, Surrey
- King's House School, Richmond
- The King's School, Ely Junior School[29], Cambs
- Kings School, Plymouth[30], Plymouth Devon
- Knighton House[31], Dorset
- Knightsbridge School Lennox Gardens, Knightsbridge London SW1[32]
- Lancing College Preparatory School at Mowden, Hove
- Liverpool College, Liverpool
- Lockers Park Prep School[33], Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire*
- Ludgrove[34], Wokingham
- Lyndon Preparatory School[35], Colwyn Bay
- Maidwell Hall, Northamptonshire
- Malsis School[36], North Yorkshire
- The Manor Prep School[37], Abingdon
- Marlborough House School, Hawkhurst, Kent
- Milbourne Lodge School[38], Esher
- Millfield Preparatory School, Street, Somerset
- Milton Keynes Preparatory School[8]
- Moor Park[39], Ludlow
- Moreton Hall Prep School, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk[40]
- Mount House School, Tavistock, Devon
- Mowden Hall School[41], Northumberland
- The New Beacon Preparatory School[42], Sevenoaks, Kent
- New College School, Oxford
- New Hall Preparatory School,Chelmsford,Essex
- Newland House Preparatory School
- Newton Preparatory School Battersea, London
- Norman Court Preparatory School, Salisbury, Wiltshire
- Northcote Lodge, Wandsworth, London
- Norwich School, Norwich, Norfolk
- Notre Dame Preparatory School
- Oakfield Sch. West Dulwich
- Old Buckenham Hall (OBH)[43]
- Orley Farm School, Harrow, Middlesex
- Orwell Park School, Nacton, Suffolk[44]
- The Old Malthouse, Langton Matravers, Dorset [45]
- Packwood Haugh School[46], Shrewsbury
- Papplewick School, Ascot
- Pennthorpe School, Rudgwick
- The Perse Preparatory School[47], Cambridge
- The Portsmouth Grammar Junior School[48], Portsmouth, Hampshire
- The Pilgrims School[49], Winchester, Hampshire
- The Plymouth College Junior School, Plymouth
- Port Regis[50], Dorset
- Pownall Hall School, Wilmslow, Cheshire
- Prebendal School, Chichester
- Prestfelde School, Shrewsbury
- The Priory School, Banstead, Banstead, Surrey
- Quainton Hall School, Harrow, Middlesex
- Ranby House School, Ranby
- Ripley Court Preparatory School[51], Surrey
- Rokeby Preparatory School, Kingston Upon-Thames, Surrey.
- Rossall Junior School
- Royal Masonic School, Rickmansworth
- Royal Russell Preparatory School[52], Croydon, Surrey
- Rudston Preparatory School, Rotherham
- Runnymede St Edward's School, Liverpool
- Rydes Hill Preparatory School, Guildford[53]
- The Royal School, Armagh[54], Armagh
- The Ryleys School, Alderley Edge, Cheshire
- S. Anselm's Preparatory School, Bakewell
- Salisbury Cathedral School, Salisbury - Paul Greenfield
- Shernold School, Maidstone, Kent.
- Shrewsbury House School, Long Ditton, Surrey
- St Bede's Preparatory School, Manchester
- St Catherine's Preparatory School, Bramley
- St Cedds School[55], Chelmsford
- St Christophers School[56], Hove
- St Colette's Prep School[57], Cambridge
- St Edmunds School, Canterbury
- St Edmunds School, Hindhead
- St Faith's School, Cambridge
- St George's School, Windsor Castle - Roger Jones
- St Ives School[58], Haslemere
- St John's Beaumont Preparatory School [59] Windsor
- St John's College School, Cambridge[60]
- St Joseph's In The Park, Hertford
- St Joseph's Preparatory School [61], Stoke-on-Trent
- Stoke Brunswick School, Ashurst Wood, Sussex
- St Martin's Ampleforth [62], North Yorkshire (formerly Ampleforth College Junior School and Gilling Castle)
- St Martin's Preparatory School [63], Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire
- Stonyhurst Saint Mary's Hall (formerly "St Mary's Hall, Stonyhurst"; "Hodder Place")
- St Piran's School, Maidenhead
- St. Ronan's School, Hawkhurst, Kent.
- The Schools at Somerhill, Tonbridge
- Sevenoaks Prep School: [64] Sevenoaks, Kent.
- Springmead Preparatory School[65],Beckington, Bath
- Staines Preparatory School,Staines
- Streatham and Clapham High Prep Department [66]
- Summer Fields School, Oxford[67]
- Sunningdale School [68]
- Sussex House School, London
- Sutton Valence Preparatory School, Kent [69]
- Tavistock and Summerhill Preparatory School, Haywards Heath, Sussex [70]
- The Mall School, Twickenham, London [71]
- Thorpe House School, Buckinghamshire [72]
- Town Close House Preparatory School, Norwich
- Vinehall School Robertsbridge
- Warminster Preparatory School, Warminster, Wiltshire
- Wellesley House School, Broadstairs,Kent
- Wellingborough Preparatory School [73], Wellingborough, Northants.
- Westbourne House School, Chichester, Sussex
- Westbrook Hay School, Hemel Hempstead, Herts
- West Hill Park School, Titchfield, Hants
- Westminster Abbey Choir School, London - Jonathan Milton
- Westminster Under School, London
- Winchester House School, Brackley, Northants
- Windlesham House School, Washington, West Sussex [74]
- Winterfold House School, Kidderminster, Worcestershire
- Witham Hall School, Lincolnshire
- Wilmslow preparatory school, Wilmslow, Cheshire
- Woodford Green Preparatory School, Woodford Green, London
- Woodleigh School, Langton, Malton, North Yorkshire[75]
- Worksop College, Worksop
- Yardley Court, Tonbridge
Former UK prep schools
|
- Ascham St Vincent's School
- Bridgeway School for girls London
- Bishop's Court School for Boys
- Emscote Lawn Preparatory School (Warwick)
- Hawtreys
- Nevill Holt
- Ravenscroft School (Somerset)
- St Cyprian's School
- Temple Grove School
- West Downs School
- Seafield Park, Fareham, Hampshire.http://www.newellsonline.net
- Seafield Park,Endsleigh, Milton Abbott, Nr Tavistock, Devon.http://www.newellsonline.net
- Newells School. Lower beeding, Nr Horsham, Sussex. http://www.newellsonline.net
See also
- Independent school
- Boarding school
- Education in England
- School and university in literature, in particular Pamela Hansford Johnson's novel The Honours Board (1970)
References
- ^ abbotsfordprepschool.co.uk
- ^ andeanhouse.org
- ^ belmont-school.org
- ^ berkhamstedcollegiateschool.org.uk
- ^ biltongrange.co.uk
- ^ [1]
- ^ brooklandsschool.com
- ^ a b mkps.co.uk
- ^ buryscourtschool.co.uk
- ^ caldicott.com
- ^ [2]
- ^ caterhamprepschool.co.uk
- ^ cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk
- ^ copthorneprep.co.uk
- ^ cothill.net
- ^ coworthflexlands.co.uk
- ^ a b crowstoneprepschool.com
- ^ davenies.co.uk
- ^ dovercourt.edu.sg
- ^ dukeofkentschool.org.uk
- ^ dcpslondon.org
- ^ dumpton
- ^ [3]
- ^ fulhamprep.co.uk
- ^ [4]
- ^ hallschool.co.uk
- ^ highfieldschool.org.uk
- ^ [5]
- ^ kingsschoolely.co.uk
- ^ kingsschool-plymouth.co.uk
- ^ knightonhouse.dorset.sch.uk
- ^ knightsbridgeschool.com
- ^ lockerspark.herts.sch.uk
- ^ ludgrove.com
- ^ rydal-penrhos.com
- ^ malsis.com
- ^ manorprep.org
- ^ milbournelodge.co.uk
- ^ moorpark.org.uk
- ^ moretonhall.net
- ^ mowdenhall.co.uk
- ^ newbeacon.kent.sch.uk
- ^ obh.co.uk
- ^ orwellpark.co.uk
- ^ oldmalthouseschool.co.uk
- ^ packwood-haugh.co.uk
- ^ perse.co.uk/prep
- ^ pgs.org.uk
- ^ pilgrims-school.co.uk
- ^ portregis.com
- ^ ripleycourt.co.uk
- ^ royalrussell.co.uk
- ^ rydeshill.com
- ^ royalschoolarmagh.com
- ^ stcedds.org.uk
- ^ stchristophershove.org.uk
- ^ stcolettes.com
- ^ st-ives.surrey.sch.uk
- ^ stjohnsbeaumont.org.uk
- ^ St John's ::: Introduction
- ^ stjosephsprepschool.co.uk
- ^ ampleforth.org.uk
- ^ St. Martins Preparatory School | Welcome | Tel - 01472 878907
- ^ sevenoaksprep.kent.sch.uk
- ^ springmead.com
- ^ web site
- ^ summerfields.oxon.sch.uk
- ^ sunningdaleschool.co.uk
- ^ [6]
- ^ [7]
- ^ [8]
- ^ [9]
- ^ wellingboroughschool.org/prep
- ^ windlesham.com
- ^ woodleighschool.com
newellsonline.net http://www.newhallschool.co.uk
External links
- Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools
- Independent Schools Council
- The Prep Schools Guide 2008/09
|