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Prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham

There are 15 independent prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham: 2 girls', 13 co-ed. The median day fee is £28,290 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
15
Day fees
£10,200–£47,733 / year
Ages
2–19

Best-ranked prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham

By Houseroom Index score

  1. Burlington House School
  2. Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School
  3. First Bridge School
  4. Bute House Preparatory School for Girls
  5. Parsons Green Prep School

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Every prep school in Hammersmith & Fulham

All 15 independent prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham, A to Z.

Prep schools near Hammersmith & Fulham

Top-ranked prep schools in neighbouring areas.

From our area guide

Choosing a private school in Hammersmith & Fulham

Houseroom editorial team · Published 29 September 2026

Prep and pre-prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham

Bute House Preparatory School for Girls allocates its 22 to 24 Reception places by ballot. Its main intake is at 7+, when 40 to 45 girls join Year 3. For that entry about 200 girls spend a morning at the school in January, doing activities that test reading, writing and maths broadly at Year 2 level. The school publishes no sample papers and warns parents that commercially sold 'Bute House papers' do not exist.

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School (4 to 11) also uses a ballot. Children registered by their first birthday go into it, siblings have priority, and successful families are invited to an informal admissions morning about 15 months before Reception starts. In 2025–26 its leavers held 233 offers. The most acceptances were at Ibstock Place (8), Godolphin & Latymer (7), Latymer Upper (6), Hampton (5) and Thomas's College (5).

Kensington Prep School, a Girls' Day School Trust school on Fulham Road for girls aged 4 to 11, is selective at every entry point, and the application deadline for 2027 entry is 23 October 2026. In 2026 its girls received 25 offers each from Putney High and Wimbledon High, 24 from Francis Holland Sloane Square and 20 from Godolphin & Latymer.

Thomas's Fulham (4 to 11) takes most pupils at Reception. Its 2026 11+ offers were led by Emanuel (15), Ibstock Place (9), King's College School Wimbledon (7), Harrodian (7) and Latymer Upper (5). Some pupils instead move to Thomas's Clapham or Thomas's Battersea for Years 7 and 8, having secured 13+ places through pre-tests in Year 6.

Parsons Green Prep (4 to 11) is an independent school that does not belong to a group, and names Emanuel, Francis Holland Sloane Square, Ibstock Place, Putney High and St James Senior Girls among its destinations. Fulham Prep (2 to 13, part of Inspired Education) runs its pre-prep on Fulham High Street and its prep on Greyhound Road, with leavers at both 11+ and 13+. Latymer Prep School admits 44 children at 7+, 22 boys and 22 girls, who then move on to Latymer Upper. St James Preparatory School in West Kensington has been co-educational since 2022.

Prep schools near Hammersmith & Fulham

Hammersmith Bridge leads to Barnes, where St Paul's Juniors takes boys from 7 to 13 on the St Paul's School site and The Harrodian School teaches girls and boys from 4 to 18. Across Putney Bridge, Prospect House School (3 to 11) is on Putney Hill.

To the east, Glendower Preparatory School on Queen's Gate is a girls' prep that names St Paul's Girls' School and Godolphin & Latymer among its top destinations. Coach routes from Putney High School and Ibstock Place School also pick up in Fulham and Hammersmith, which brings those schools within reach.

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Choosing a prep school in Hammersmith & Fulham

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 Hammersmith & Fulham: common questions

What are the best prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham?
The highest-scoring prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham on the Houseroom Index are Burlington House School, Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, First Bridge School, Bute House Preparatory School for Girls and Parsons Green Prep School. The index weighs exam results, destinations, inspection and value.
How many prep schools are there in Hammersmith & Fulham?
Houseroom lists 15 independent prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham.
How much do prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham cost?
Day fees at prep schools in Hammersmith & Fulham range from £10,200–£47,733 a year, with a median of £28,290. 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.