Ages 
A genuinely lovely prep school with well-mannered and well-rounded pupils who achieve great things across a fabulously broad range of disciplines without seeming arrogant or elitist. A wonderful start to any child’s educational experience.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 277 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Religion
- C of E
- Fees
- Day £11,535 - £24,645; Boarding £27,615 - £35,685 pa
- Local authority
- Somerset County Council
- Linked schools
Headteacher
Head
Heidi Berry
Since September 2025, Heidi Berry, who brings over 14 years of leadership experience, together with a master’s degree, an MBA in senior leadership and extensive expertise as a current school inspector. She was educated in Jersey, where her love for
Entrance
Nursery from 2 years old, virtually full, with staff warning parents to beware that they will never want to take their children out of the school once they start. Many move from nursery to pre-prep and numbers grow with the year groups. An annual
- Open days
- Please see website for details
Exit
Almost all to King’s College at 13+, with one to Sherborne Prep in 2025, and 35 scholarships. King's College places offered before Common Entrance by the end of year 7. On the very rare occasions staff feel that King’s College would not be the right
Latest results
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Teaching & learning
Learning support & SEN
Boarders
Around 20 children board full time; 60 per cent are international students (mainly Chinese), with plenty of others taking advantage of the school’s open flexi-boarding offering. Most boarders are in year 5 and above, and boarding houses are split by
Mobile phone policy
A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.
Mobile phone policy
Provided by the school and not part of our review Children are not to have mobile phones in school. Boarders benefit from having their mobile phones in the boarding house at certain times to facilitate communication with friends and families.
Pupils
Money matters
Generous arrangements are available for Forces families, and scholarships, open to all, are awarded at 11+. They continue through the college, subject to annual review.
- Fee information
- Day £11,535 - £24,645; Boarding £27,615 - £35,685 pa
Our view
King’s Prep is your archetypal stunning prep; tick long sweeping drive, glorious parkland setting, honey-coloured Georgian façade and rich history dating back to the 1700s. What is notable, however, is that the atmosphere inside is far from pompous;
The last word
A genuinely lovely prep school with well-mannered and well-rounded pupils who achieve great things across a fabulously broad range of disciplines without seeming arrogant or elitist. A wonderful start to any child’s educational experience.
