Fulham Prep and Pre-Prep

Since 2022, Rebecca (‘Bex’) Tear BSc MA PGCE PGDip, previously head of Badminton School. She read chemistry at the University of Exeter, followed by a PGCE at UCL’s Institute of Education. She was head of sixth form and senior deputy head at Wycombe Abbey and before that taught at St George’s, Ascot. Along the way she completed a master’s in leadership in education and a postgraduate diploma in entrepreneurship at the University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School.

A whirlwind of energy, she teaches science in the prep and is very visible in and around the school’s senior, prep and pre-prep sites, zipping back and forth between them on her trusty fold-up bike (parked in reception when we arrived). ‘It’s a moment of quiet to think,’ she says. Clearly a good sport, she came third in the five-kilometre Santa Dash during her first year, sporting a Santa’s beard, and dressed up as a fox (from Fantastic Mr Fox) in a hunting outfit and full face paint for World Book Day. ‘You’ll have to get the Spider-Man outfit next time,’ joked the deputy head.

Moving from Badminton has been ‘a real sea change’ but she’s enjoying the opportunity to be part of an international group (Fulham belongs to the Inspired Group, which has 20 schools in London alone), sharing ideas with fellow schools. In the past some locals saw the pre-prep, prep and senior school as separate entities but she’s keen for them to be more connected and is working hard to highlight the school’s distinct offering. When she arrived the school’s core values amounted to 18 words – far too many for pupils to remember. She surveyed the whole school and pupils quickly came up with four key phrases – universal wellbeing, global responsibility, inquiry and innovation and positive engagement.

‘I really rate her,’ said a parent, praising her ‘very strong leadership’. ‘She’s very energetic and committed.’ Another said: ’She’s very receptive, very much at the forefront of the school and she makes time to see individual parents.’

Her husband is head of chemistry at Exeter School and they have two sons at university. Outside school she enjoys cycling, cooking, theatre and walking her two border terriers. An avid reader, at the time of our visit she’d just powered through Legacy: What the All Blacks Can Teaching Us about the Business of Life, a leadership book by James Kerr. ‘Everyone should read it,’ she says.

Leaving in summer 2025 to become head of Downsend.

Since September 2023, Ed Fielding (head of prep), previously head of primary at Nord Anglia in Hong Kong. He grew up in Surrey, attending Hinchley Wood, a state school in Esher. After his primary education degree at the University of Roehampton, he taught in a range of London schools, both state and independent. As well as his head’s role he teaches ‘a bit of games and citizenship’. His wife Jenny is a physiotherapist and they have three children, the elder two at the pre-prep. In his spare time he’s a keen tennis player.

Since September 2023, Joanna Copland (head of pre-prep), previously vice-principal of the Thomas’s group of schools and before that deputy head of Thomas’s Clapham for 14 years. She teaches nursery and year 1 children and is a firm believer that children want to be ‘happy and engaged’ at school. ‘If they are happy they will thrive,’ she says.

Non-selective. Main entry in reception is based on the date of registration, so the earlier the better. ‘It’s first come, first served,’ says the pre-prep head. No assessments for nursery and reception children but year 1 and 2 pupils attend a taster morning. In the prep, assessment includes an online test, activity day and interview.

On average a quarter leave after the pre-prep, heading for schools like King’s College Junior School, Putney High School, St Paul’s Juniors and Kensington Prep. The rest progress to Fulham Prep. Some leave after year 6, mainly for relatively local schools, while others head off at the end of year 8 to a mix of day and boarding schools. Recently, most to Fulham School, Harrodian, Queen's Gate and Putney High. Others to St Benedict's, St James Girls, Ibstock, Kew House, Fulham Boys and Francis Holland Sloane Square. ‘We pride ourselves on the diversity of schools they go to,’ says the prep head. Two scholarships in 2024.

Launched in 1996 with a single class by Jane Emmett, who’s still the safeguarding governor, the prep and pre-prep are on separate sites. The prep is housed in a magnificent building, closer to west Kensington and formerly the home of Holborn College. It was the setting for the Grange Hill TV series in the 1980s although today’s parents are probably far too young to remember Tucker Jenkins et al. Stunning library, with a vast wooden tree in the centre and a tree house on the mezzanine floor. We visited during book week and pupils were enthusiastically perusing new titles (The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey was a winner with year 3 and 4 children). The prep has an acre of outside space – a lot for a London school – including a football pitch and climbing wall.

The pre-prep occupies a renovated Victorian school on Fulham High Street (drop-off is at the much quieter back of the pre-prep). Inside it’s a delight, with large classrooms and a calm, pastel nursery. Two big outside play areas, with an Astro, a wooden pirate ship and a working garden, where children grow potatoes and herbs. A second, more recently renovated building houses classrooms, dining hall, hall for assemblies and drama, specialist teaching rooms, library and music room. The pre-prep and prep both offer wrap-around care – a boon for busy parents. Children can arrive at 7.30am and stay till 4.30pm or 5.30pm.

The prep is easily the largest part of Fulham School, with three or four forms per year group, each with their own tutor. Classrooms are big and bright – we joined a year 4 class learning about Roman numerals and a year 6 coding class doing Python programming (year 7s make websites and year 8s design apps). The prep recently bought a set of VR headsets so staff plan to use them in myriad ways, like looking at volcanos in geography or learning about the structure of the eye in science.

Setting for maths but no other subject. French and Spanish taught all the way through and Latin or classical civilisation added in year 7. Between years 5 and 8 some pupils stay on, others leave and new pupils join; the school’s solution is for everyone to follow the same curriculum, whatever their future destination. Specialist subject teachers from year 5. Small class sizes throughout – maximum of 20 in the prep and 18 in the pre-prep (but usually around 15).

The pre-prep buzzes with activity. On the day we visited, nursery children were merrily singing Five Little Speckled Frogs outside with their teacher while year 2s were busy chronicling their recent walk around the local area (we were very impressed that they could spell ‘aerial’ at such a tender age). French, music, dance and sport with specialist teachers from nursery upwards. Nursery and reception classes have their own teaching assistants while in years 1 and 2 there’s one across two classes. ‘My children absolutely love it,’ said a pre-prep parent. ‘There’s never been a day when they haven’t wanted to go in.’ With men currently making up just two per cent of the early years workforce in England and Wales it was refreshing to see three male teachers in the pre-prep (including the pre-prep deputy head). ‘It’s very important, especially for the boys,’ said a parent.

The prep caters for a range of learning support needs, including ADHD, dyslexia and ASD. ‘We work with families to identify the support that children need and put together a suite of support,’ says the head of prep. Learning support team, led by a SENCO who has been at the school for more than 20 years, offers help one-to-one, in small groups and in class. However, a parent told us that while children love the school and the teachers are very approachable they wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for those needing significant learning support.

Budding musicians take individual instrumental lessons and there’s a choice of orchestras and ensembles to join. The prep has an impressive five choirs so children of all ages and interests get involved. It also holds a singing assembly every Tuesday and an annual carol service at the local church.

The prep’s art room is light and airy, with all children encouraged to express their creativity. A keen focus on entrepreneurship throughout; prep pupils take part in the Fulham Traders project once a term, launching their own businesses (making and selling everything from tie-dye T-shirts to dog treats).’I want to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset at a young age,’ says the executive head. Prep school clubs run from 4pm till 5pm and include an optional, supervised homework club for years 4 to 8, robotics and pet club.

Even though the prep has a reasonable amount of outside space, it uses the 35-acre King’s House School Sports Ground in Chiswick for sport. Pupils were thrilled to spot the England rugby team training there recently and even more delighted when players donated their signed shirts. Main prep sports are football (boys and girls), netball, hockey, rugby, athletics, cricket and tennis. The majority get a chance to represent the prep in matches against other schools, although girls told us they’d like to see more tournaments.

Very clear pastoral structure in place so children know where to seek help. Form tutors are their first port of call but a counsellor visits the prep twice a week and the deputy head pastoral keeps a weather eye on pupils, particularly if they have low self-esteem or anxiety. ‘We aren’t an academic hothouse,’ he says. ‘We don’t pressurise children academically but they sometimes feel under pressure to go to certain schools. We are trying to prepare them for their future lives and giving them the tools to navigate the challenges they may face.’ The head is adamant that community and generosity of spirit are essential for wellbeing and pupils learn from the start that there is a wider world beyond school. The school welfare officer is a trained nurse and there’s an art therapist too.

House system in place throughout (houses have local connections – Bishops, Crabtree, Hurlingham and Peterborough). Clear rules on mobile phones. Up until year 5 children must hand them in on arrival at school. After that pupils put them in a box at the start of a lesson and get them back at the end.

Pre-prep and prep pupils are mostly local (from a two-mile radius). Some are dropped off by parents while older ones walk, cycle and scoot. The school runs shuttle buses between the three sites so parents with children of different ages don’t have to do multiple drop-offs. Smart navy uniform for all (boys wear ties) and we loved the nursery children’s chic navy and white gingham smocks. Food is cooked in-house (we can vouch for the excellent vegetarian curry) and there’s plenty of choice.

The pupils we met were smiley and polite. ‘There has never been a day when they haven’t been happy here,’ a parent told us. ‘There’s a really good community spirit,’ said a prep pupil. ‘I have never been bullied here. Everyone is encouraged and no one is ever left out.’ Two face-to-face parents’ evenings a year, though some would like to see more, and a number of new teachers joining recently.

Pupil voice is important – there’s a school council, with house reps for each age group, plus a head boy, head girl and prefects at the prep. Lots of international families and some children are bilingual. Thriving parents’ association – reps for every year group and a host of charity events.