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Prep schools in Camden

There are 28 independent prep schools in Camden: 6 girls', 4 boys', 18 co-ed. The median day fee is £25,740 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
28
Day fees
£11,310–£59,550 / year
Ages
2–19

Best-ranked prep schools in Camden

By Houseroom Index score

  1. South Hampstead High School
  2. Hereward House School
  3. University College School
  4. The Cavendish School
  5. St Anthony's School for Boys

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Every prep school in Camden

All 28 independent prep schools in Camden, A to Z.

Prep schools near Camden

Top-ranked prep schools in neighbouring areas.

From our area guide

Choosing a private school in Camden

Houseroom editorial team · Published 29 September 2026

Prep and pre-prep schools in Camden

Hampstead's boys' preps mostly run to 13. St Anthony's, a primarily Roman Catholic prep with a co-educational nursery, takes boys to 13 and publishes 11+ and 13+ offers from 2021 to 2026 that include Westminster, St Paul's, UCS, Highgate, City of London School and boarding schools such as Eton, Harrow and Winchester. The Hall School teaches boys from 4 to 13, admits at 4+ and 11+, and reports leavers at both Year 6 and Year 8.

Girls' preps generally finish at 11. Sarum Hall in Belsize Park takes girls from 3 and names destinations including Channing, South Hampstead, North London Collegiate, St Paul's Girls' and Francis Holland. St Mary's Hampstead, a Catholic school for girls from 2½ to 11 with boys in the nursery only, reports 100 offers and 29 scholarships for its 29 leavers in 2025/26, to schools including Highgate, Channing, Queen's College, North London Collegiate and Wycombe Abbey.

Devonshire House is co-educational from 2 to 13 and lists leavers going to South Hampstead, UCS, Highgate, St Paul's, Channing, Westminster and North London Collegiate among others. Trevor-Roberts is a small co-educational school for 5 to 13 year olds whose pupils move on at 11+ or 13+. In Camden Town, The Cavendish School takes girls from 3 to 11 and publishes a long destinations list spanning independent schools and state schools such as Camden School for Girls and Henrietta Barnett.

Two newer options are worth a look. Alleyn's Regent's Park near Regent's Park is a co-educational 3 to 11 prep that opened under the Alleyn's name in September 2025. City Junior School in Gray's Inn is a co-educational school for 7 to 11 year olds with close links to City of London School and City of London School for Girls; its website does not promise automatic transfer, so ask about progression.

Prep schools near Camden

Many Camden families also look just over the borough line. In St John's Wood, Arnold House is a boys' prep for 3 to 13 year olds whose leavers go on to schools such as Eton, Harrow, St Paul's and Winchester. To the north, Highgate School's junior and pre-prep sections admit at 4+ and 7+, and Channing in Highgate takes girls into its junior school at 4+.

To the north-west, The King Alfred School in Golders Green is a co-educational, all-through school with a progressive ethos, where Reception is the main entry point. It admits at 4, 11 and 16, and does not set entrance exams for early years entry.

Read the full guide →

Choosing a prep school in Camden

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 Camden: common questions

What are the best prep schools in Camden?
The highest-scoring prep schools in Camden on the Houseroom Index are South Hampstead High School, Hereward House School, University College School, The Cavendish School and St Anthony's School for Boys. The index weighs exam results, destinations, inspection and value.
How many prep schools are there in Camden?
Houseroom lists 28 independent prep schools in Camden.
How much do prep schools in Camden cost?
Day fees at prep schools in Camden range from £11,310–£59,550 a year, with a median of £25,740. 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.