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Prep schools in Barnet

There are 24 independent prep schools in Barnet: 5 girls', 4 boys', 15 co-ed. The median day fee is £23,961 a year. A prep (preparatory) school is an independent school for children up to 11 or 13, preparing them for entry to senior schools at 11+ or 13+. Many start at 3 or 4 with a pre-prep or nursery.

Updated September 2026

Schools
24
Day fees
£6,881–£37,470 / year
Ages
1–19

Best-ranked prep schools in Barnet

By Houseroom Index score

  1. Goodwyn School
  2. Ivy House School
  3. Annemount School
  4. Lyonsdown School
  5. St Martin's School

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Every prep school in Barnet

All 24 independent prep schools in Barnet, A to Z.

Prep schools near Barnet

Top-ranked prep schools in neighbouring areas.

From our area guide

Choosing a private school in Barnet

Houseroom editorial team · Published 29 September 2026

Prep and pre-prep schools in Barnet

Grimsdell sits within the Mill Hill School grounds, and its children usually move on to Belmont at 7. Belmont's main entry points are 7+ and 11+, and it assesses with computer-based adaptive tests followed by group interviews and problem-solving tasks. It presents itself as part of a single route to Mill Hill at 13, but it does not say on its website whether transfer is automatic, so ask.

Hendon Prep is a co-educational school for 3 to 11 year olds in the Blenheim Schools Group, with an automatic transfer route to Mount House. Its leavers also go to schools including Habs Boys, Habs Girls, North London Collegiate, Highgate, Channing, South Hampstead, Merchant Taylors' and St Albans.

In Edgware, Holland House is a co-educational school for 4 to 11 year olds that calls itself academically selective and fills Reception through a 4+ assessment. Its 2025/26 leavers went to schools including Habs Boys, Habs Girls, North London Collegiate, Northwood College, St Helen's and Queen Elizabeth's School, a state boys' grammar.

Mill Hill also has St Martin's and Goodwyn, two co-educational preps whose pupils leave at 11. Around Golders Green and Hampstead Garden Suburb, Ivy House takes children from 2 to 11 and belongs to the Inspired Education Group, and Annemount, founded in 1936, is a nursery and pre-prep for children aged 2 to 7.

Schools near Barnet

Several schools just outside the borough appear on Barnet preps' destination lists. North London Collegiate School in Edgware is a girls' school with entry at 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+ and a choice of A levels or the IB in the sixth form. Haberdashers' Boys' School in Elstree shares a campus with the girls' school and runs its own coaches.

To the south-east, Highgate School is co-educational with entry at 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+, and Channing in Highgate takes girls at 4+, 11+ and 16+. In Camden, South Hampstead High School and UCS are within reach of Golders Green and Finchley families.

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Choosing a prep school in Barnet

11+ or 13+ leavers

Prep schools split by leaving age. Most London girls' and co-ed preps run to Year 6 and prepare for 11+ entry; many traditional boys' preps run to Year 8 and prepare for 13+ entry to schools such as Eton, Harrow, Winchester and Westminster, often via pre-tests in Year 6. Check which a prep is built for before you apply.

Entry points

The main entry points are 3+ or 4+ (nursery or reception), 7+ (Year 3) and, at some boys' preps, 8+. Entry at 4+ is usually by informal assessment or registration order; 7+ usually involves reading, maths and reasoning tests. Registration often closes well over a year before entry.

What to compare

Look at leavers' destinations over several years, not one; how many pupils win senior-school scholarships; class sizes; how much of the week goes to sport, music and drama; and whether the school supports 11+ or 13+ preparation in the timetable or expects outside tutoring.

Prep schools in Barnet: common questions

What are the best prep schools in Barnet?
The highest-scoring prep schools in Barnet on the Houseroom Index are Goodwyn School, Ivy House School, Annemount School, Lyonsdown School and St Martin's School. The index weighs exam results, destinations, inspection and value.
How many prep schools are there in Barnet?
Houseroom lists 24 independent prep schools in Barnet.
How much do prep schools in Barnet cost?
Day fees at prep schools in Barnet range from £6,881–£37,470 a year, with a median of £23,961. Fees include 20% VAT since January 2025. Lunches, uniform and trips are usually extra.
What age do children start prep school?
Most prep schools take children from 3 or 4 into a pre-prep or nursery, with a second main entry at 7+ (Year 3). Some boys' preps also admit at 8+.
What is the difference between a prep school and a pre-prep?
A pre-prep teaches children from about 3 to 7. The prep school proper runs from 7 to 11 or 13. Many schools have both on one site, so children move up without a second admissions round.
Do prep schools prepare for the 11+ and 13+?
Yes. Preps that run to Year 6 prepare for 11+ entry to senior schools; preps that run to Year 8 prepare for 13+ entry, including the Common Entrance or a senior school's own assessment and any pre-tests in Year 6.