Advertisement
Select search type
No locations matching your search. Try schools.
Showing results for

No articles matching your search.
Photo of Notting Hill Preparatory School
Reviewed

Notting Hill Preparatory School

Independent school · London, W11 1QQ
  • Primary/prep
  • Co-ed
  • Ages 4-13
  • From £27,755 pa
  • 440 pupils
We've reviewed this school • Unlock to access

No picture-perfect children here, just happy, articulate ones. Uncompromisingly loyal to its founding principles, school is progressing seamlessly towards its first quarter of a century. Not for the exam-driven conformist, it offers a visionary approach underpinned by impassioned staff. From straight under the M40 emerge decent, enquiring, kind and free-thinking members of society. Who would have thought?

Why read our school review?

Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.

Unlock to access

Overview & data

Pupil numbers
440 ·
Religion
None
Fees
£27,755 pa
Local authority
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council

Headteacher

Head

Maxine Shaw

Since September 2024, Maxine Shaw, previously head of Danes Hill. Degree in environmental science from QMUL, PGCE from Lincoln. Spent first 10 years teaching in the maintained sector, moving into the independent sector in 2001 when she became deputy


Entrance

Academically non-selective, in keeping with founding philosophy. Early registration encouraged. Vast majority start in reception. About 20 in each of three classes. Priority to siblings and children from Acorn Nursery, also part of Dukes. Waiting

Open days
Monthly

Exit

Two-thirds leave at 11+, progressing to eclectic assortment of schools both in central London and out in all directions. For girls, Francis Holland, Regent’s Park perennially popular, as is Godolphin and Latymer and South Hampstead. Both boys and


Latest results

There are no results to show for this school. Find out more.


Teaching & learning

14:1
Pupil to teacher ratio
18
Average class sizes

Learning support & SEN

0 %
Students with a SEN EHCP
35.9 %
Students with SEN support

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

At NHP, we pride ourselves on providing the best possible preparation for the world our young people are going into. Mobile phones are undoubtedly a huge part of that world, but we know that while they are learning and maturing, a smartphone is often much more of a hindrance than a help. We want our older pupils to be independent and this extends to travelling to and from school by themselves – but we stipulate that they must have a “dumbphone” for the journey. This helps NHP families hold off from handing over a smartphone until their children are ready!

Updated Jul 2024

Pupils

440
Number of pupils

Money matters

Slightly cheaper than similar schools. Up to four Foundation bursaries up to 100 per cent available to children joining year 7 from maintained sector. One bursary to child starting year 4, with exceptional talent in creative arts. Impressively,

Fee information
£27,755 pa

Our view

Started in 2003 by Jane Cameron, with aim of ‘creating a local co-educational prep school with strong partnerships between the school and the parents’ – and these boxes are still ticked, according to parents. Occupies three sites just off Ladbroke


The last word

No picture-perfect children here, just happy, articulate ones. Uncompromisingly loyal to its founding principles, school is progressing seamlessly towards its first quarter of a century. Not for the exam-driven conformist, it offers a visionary

Notting Hill Preparatory School school badge

What the school says

At Notting Hill Prep, the magic lies in our vibrant, thinking-centred culture where curiosity, kindness and challenge are woven into every aspect of school life. We are proudly forward-thinking without losing sight of timeless prep values - academic excellence, breadth of opportunity and character development.

From reception to year 8, our pupils are empowered to think critically, collaborate meaningfully and communicate with confidence and clarity - hallmarks of a genuinely outstanding education.

Our school stands out in its whole-child approach: children flourish academically, artistically and emotionally. Recently, our year 6 cohort received 135 offers from top senior schools in London and beyond (82 per cent conversion).

Our pupils are happy, confident in their own skin and not only willing to embrace a challenge, but not afraid of making mistakes on the way to success. Beyond results, pupils routinely reflect on their learning using metacognitive strategies; our adoption of Thinking School tools is not tokenistic but embedded in everyday practice across subjects and age groups.

We pride ourselves not just on high standards, but on our relentless pursuit of excellence through innovation and heart. This year we have expanded pupil voice initiatives, deepened curriculum richness and invested heavily in staff development.

We have performed more highly than ever before across all disciplines (Bebras challenge, pieces in art exhibitions, sports tournaments, UKMT maths challenge etc) Our success is shared - among staff, pupils and families who all take pride in the joyful, purposeful learning that defines us.

A recent standout initiative was our year 8 SDG game design project, where pupils created Scratch games to raise awareness of global issues they care about, from clean water to gender equality. Blending programming, design and research, they built interactive educational games and documented their process in digital workbooks. The project showcased technical skill, creativity and a strong sense of purpose, with pupils producing work that was thoughtful, polished and peer-reviewed. It was a brilliant example of how computing can empower young people to be both digitally capable and socially conscious.

Our core values – wonder, self- knowledge, community and challenge - are not abstract principles but lived daily across our school. We cultivate independent thinkers who care about the world around them, who take risks in their learning and who speak with confidence and empathy. From their earliest years, pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own thinking, to ask 'why' and to challenge respectfully. We explicitly teach metacognitive strategies and use visible thinking routines, Thinking hats and habits of mind as tools for deeper engagement. By the time pupils reach the transition to senior school, they are equipped not just with academic readiness but with self-awareness and a strong moral compass.

Senior schools regularly comment on our pupils’ maturity, self-direction and breadth of interests. Our leavers’ destinations consistently reflect the full range of individual talent, with children thriving at academically selective, arts-oriented and holistic schools alike.

Last updated 31 May 2025

Contact the school

Address

95 Lancaster Road
London
W11 1QQ
Get directions

Have you considered?

School data & information Notting Hill Preparatory School 95 Lancaster Road, London, W11 1QQ
440 Pupil numbers
18 Average class sizes
14:1 Pupil to teacher ratio

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

At NHP, we pride ourselves on providing the best possible preparation for the world our young people are going into. Mobile phones are undoubtedly a huge part of that world, but we know that while they are learning and maturing, a smartphone is often much more of a hindrance than a help. We want our older pupils to be independent and this extends to travelling to and from school by themselves – but we stipulate that they must have a “dumbphone” for the journey. This helps NHP families hold off from handing over a smartphone until their children are ready!

Updated Jul 2024

We do not receive results data for this school. Find out more.

Entry and exit data

We do not have entry or exit data for pupils at this school. Find out more


SEN overview

Notting Hill Preparatory School is a mainstream school. The school may provide support for students with special educational needs as detailed below. If you require more information on conditions the school can support, we encourage you to contact the school directly.

SEN statement

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Notting Hill Prep School has a well established Learning Support Centre that strives to be a centre of excellence. The department is very well resourced and employs a full time Special Needs Co-ordinator. The Learning Centre programmes cater largely for the needs of pupils with mild learning difficulties e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia and those children experiencing some speech and language difficulties.

The whole school is very well resourced in terms of IT equipment and the Learning Centre utilises a wide range of SpLD specific programmes, alongside assessment batteries, visual search and cognitive attainment programmes.

All pupils preparing for external examinations are able to partake in Thinking Skills and Study Skills programmes and workshops. Similarly, Gifted and Able pupils are able to access a wide range of software designed to stimulate, engage and challenge children. Perhaps the key to the success of the Learning Centre is that there is no stigma involved in using the facilities, as such a wide range and number of children throughout the school enjoy access to the facilities offered there.

0 %
Students with a SEN EHCP UK mainstream school avg. 3%
35.9 %
Students with SEN support UK mainstream school avg. 14.1%

SEN conditons supported

Schools report the conditions they might be able to support. Please note, this may not be a complete list. Find out more.

Conditions (Might cover/be referred to as) Provision
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), Social skills Yes
HI - Hearing Impairment Yes
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty Learning needs
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment Sensory processing
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic, Tics, Tourettes Yes
PD - Physical Disability Yes
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health Anxiety, Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health Yes
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication Selective mutism Yes
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty Complex needs
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Auditory processing, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting Yes
VI - Visual Impairment Special facilities for Visually Impaired Yes
Advertisement