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Prep schools in Westminster

There are 21 independent prep schools in Westminster: 5 boys', 16 co-ed. The median day fee is £30,525 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
£6,400–£50,268 / year
Ages
1–18

Best-ranked prep schools in Westminster

By Houseroom Index score

  1. Westminster Under School
  2. Wetherby Preparatory School
  3. Naima Jewish Preparatory School
  4. Eaton Square Prep School
  5. Eaton House Belgravia

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Every prep school in Westminster

All 21 independent prep schools in Westminster, A to Z.

Prep schools near Westminster

Top-ranked prep schools in neighbouring areas.

From our area guide

Choosing a private school in Westminster

Houseroom editorial team · Published 29 September 2026

Prep and pre-prep schools in the borough

Westminster Under School takes girls and boys at 4+, 7+ and 11+. About 60 children join at 7+, and the school is expanding Year 3 to three classes. The 11+ entry is a joint place: about 40 pupils a year join Year 7 at the Under School and move up to Westminster School in Year 9 without further tests. Children who joined at 4+ or 7+ sit the standard entry tests for Year 9.

In Marylebone, Wetherby Prep prepares boys for 11+ and 13+ Common Entrance. It reports five-year totals of 34 places at Eton, 32 at St Paul's and 21 at Harrow. From September 2027 it becomes co-educational as Wetherby Pembridge Prep, and applications from girls for Reception and Year 3 are already open. The group's Notting Hill pre-prep and Wetherby Senior School remain boys only.

In SW1, Eaton Square Prep on Eccleston Square is co-educational from nursery to Year 6. Its 2025-26 Year 6 received 81 senior-school offers and 12 scholarships at 11+. Eaton House Belgravia has a mixed nursery and single-sex classes up to age 8. It prepares children for 7+ and 8+ entry to schools including Westminster, St Paul's and King's College Wimbledon.

In the north and west of the borough, Arnold House in St John's Wood is a boys' school for ages 3 to 13. Its destination list includes Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Radley, Westminster and St Paul's. It says it will join the St Paul's School group from November 2026, with a supported route to St Paul's. Connaught House in Bayswater is a co-educational school for ages 4 to 11. Recent leavers have gone to St Paul's, St Paul's Girls', North London Collegiate, Latymer Upper, Godolphin and Latymer and Wycombe Abbey.

Two choir schools offer something different. Westminster Cathedral Choir School is a Catholic prep for boys aged 4 to 13, with day boys and boarding choristers; entry is at Reception, 7+ and 8+, and choristers join in Year 4. Westminster Abbey Choir School educates the boys aged 8 to 13 who sing in the Abbey choir.

Prep schools near Westminster

To the west, Kensington & Chelsea has a dense cluster of 13+ preps for boys, including Sussex House, St Philip's and co-educational Hill House. It also has girls' preps such as Glendower and Pembridge Hall that prepare for the 11+.

To the north, in Camden, The Hall in Hampstead is a boys' prep for ages 4 to 13 that lists Westminster and St Paul's among its destinations. South Hampstead High School takes girls from 4 to 18, with entry at 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+.

Read the full guide →

Choosing a prep school in Westminster

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 Westminster: common questions

What are the best prep schools in Westminster?
The highest-scoring prep schools in Westminster on the Houseroom Index are Westminster Under School, Wetherby Preparatory School, Naima Jewish Preparatory School, Eaton Square Prep School and Eaton House Belgravia. The index weighs exam results, destinations, inspection and value.
How many prep schools are there in Westminster?
Houseroom lists 21 independent prep schools in Westminster.
How much do prep schools in Westminster cost?
Day fees at prep schools in Westminster range from £6,400–£50,268 a year, with a median of £30,525. 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.