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Prep schools in Richmond upon Thames

There are 21 independent prep schools in Richmond upon Thames: 3 girls', 2 boys', 16 co-ed. The median day fee is £22,926 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
21
Day fees
£6,696–£37,998 / year
Ages
1–18

Best-ranked prep schools in Richmond upon Thames

By Houseroom Index score

  1. St Paul's School
  2. Lady Eleanor Holles School
  3. Kew Green Preparatory School
  4. The Unicorn School
  5. The Mall School

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Every prep school in Richmond upon Thames

All 21 independent prep schools in Richmond upon Thames, A to Z.

Prep schools near Richmond upon Thames

Top-ranked prep schools in neighbouring areas.

From our area guide

Choosing a private school in Richmond upon Thames

Houseroom editorial team · Published 29 September 2026

Prep and pre-prep schools in Richmond upon Thames

Kew alone has four co-ed preps that finish at 11. Kew College Prep is a co-ed charitable prep for ages 3 to 11; in its latest round 77% of applicants were offered a place at one or more of LEH, Latymer Upper, Godolphin and Latymer, Hampton, St Paul's, St Paul's Girls' or King's College School. Kew Green Prep reported 119 senior offers and 35 scholarships for its 2026 Year 6, and its pupils have priority places at Kew House and Maida Vale, the two senior schools in its group; Kew House draws the most offers in its published tables. Broomfield House and Unicorn School complete the Kew group.

If you want the 13+ route, King's House School in Richmond is co-ed from 2 to 13 and lets pupils leave at 11 or 13. Its published Year 8 destinations include Thomas's College, Hampton and St Paul's, plus a few boarding places at schools such as Charterhouse and Eton. Tower House in East Sheen is a boys' prep to 13 where boys sit ISEB assessments in Year 6 and Common Entrance in Year 8. The Old Vicarage School on Richmond Hill is a girls' prep to 11; its 2025-26 leavers were offered places at Godolphin and Latymer, Kingston Grammar, Francis Holland Sloane Square, LEH and St Catherine's, among others.

In Twickenham and Hampton, Newland House (3 to 13) sends pupils on at 11 and 13, with Hampton, LEH, St Paul's, Reed's, Epsom and Kingston Grammar among its listed destinations. Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep takes girls from 3 to 7 and boys from 3 to 11; a significant share of its Year 6 boys move up to Hampton, and it runs an assured-places scheme for boys from Year 2 to Year 5. Newland House and Kew College belong to the same trust, which brings assured-place pathways to Hampton for boys and to LEH for girls; Newland House says these began in September 2026.

The Mall took its first girls into Reception in September 2023 and expects to be co-ed in every year by September 2028; it describes itself as non-selective. Twickenham Prep is a co-ed prep in Hampton. Kneller Hall Junior School admits mainly at Reception, sits on Kew Foot Road and moves to Pope's Villa in Twickenham in September 2028. St Paul's also runs its own prep school in Barnes for boys, taking about 72 at 7+ and 36 at 11+ on the understanding that St Paul's is the family's first-choice senior school.

Prep schools near Richmond upon Thames

Families in Barnes, Sheen and Kew often look east into Putney and Roehampton. Prospect House is a co-ed prep for ages 3 to 11 overlooking Putney Heath, and Ibstock Place is a co-ed all-through day school on the edge of Richmond Park, so it removes the 11+ move altogether. Putney High School is the nearby GDST option for girls.

South of the park, Wimbledon is within reach of Ham and Kingston. King's College School has a junior school entered at 7+, 8+ and 9+, open to boys now and to girls at 7+ from September 2029, and Wimbledon High School allocates its Reception places by ballot.

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Choosing a prep school in Richmond upon Thames

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 Richmond upon Thames: common questions

What are the best prep schools in Richmond upon Thames?
The highest-scoring prep schools in Richmond upon Thames on the Houseroom Index are St Paul's School, Lady Eleanor Holles School, Kew Green Preparatory School, The Unicorn School and The Mall School. The index weighs exam results, destinations, inspection and value.
How many prep schools are there in Richmond upon Thames?
Houseroom lists 21 independent prep schools in Richmond upon Thames.
How much do prep schools in Richmond upon Thames cost?
Day fees at prep schools in Richmond upon Thames range from £6,696–£37,998 a year, with a median of £22,926. 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.