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Devonshire House Preparatory School

United Kingdom, London

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees £12,738 - 35,619
Ages 2 - 13 years
Pupil numbers 506
Type Co-educational
Opened 1989
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum
Taught languages French, Latin
Strengths Visual and Creative Arts, Languages, STEM
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Primary School, Middle School
Introduction

Devonshire House Preparatory School is a co-educational day school in Hampstead for ages 2–13, following the British curriculum. In the Early Years, the EYFS framework supports a play-based, scaffolded approach emphasising communication, personal and social development, physical development, and literacy and numeracy through integrated topics and expressive arts. French is timetabled from Nursery, with continued language learning across the age range. From Year 4, specialist teachers deliver the core curriculum, with a focus on reading, writing, and study skills. Read Write Inc. supports phonics from Nursery to Year 2. The STEM and Arts programmes cover science, IT, and the arts; science is taught as a single subject through Year 6 and then split into Biology, Chemistry and Physics from Year 7, with opportunities such as music scholarships and Art Scholars. The school has a strong arts offer (art, drama, music) with ensembles and theatre productions, including collaborations with venues like The Tabernacle Theatre. Devonshire House is affiliated with the United States Embassy, part of Dukes Education since 2022, and operates across four age-specific sites with extensive facilities and a broad Co-Curricular Programme.

2 Arkwright Road, London, NW3 6AE

Vibes and Culture
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The Essentials

Devonshire House Preparatory School has 506 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
2 Arkwright Road, London NW3 6AE. Located in Hampstead, North London, with access to public transport and local amenities. Serves families across North London.

Stages
Nursery, Pre-prep, Prep

Type
Co-educational

Pupil Nationality Mix
Around 30% of children are from overseas, from over 50 countries.

Additional learning support
SEND team with in-house SEND provision, including one-to-one learning development sessions and social and emotional support; liaises with local authorities, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists; inclusive and flexible approach to meet a range of needs.

Country affiliation
Affiliation with the United States Embassy

Religious affiliation
Non-denominational

School day structure
Wraparound care runs daily from 8am to 6pm for all children; includes Nursery After-School Care and Prep-School After-School Care; School Bus service available.

Bus service
Zeelo-powered school bus service with routes from Maida Vale, St John's Wood and South Hampstead, and from Queen's Park, West Hampstead and Finchley Road.
Diving Deeper
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Fees

Annual tuition at Devonshire House Preparatory School ranges from GBP 12,738 to GBP 35,619 for 2026/27.

Application & Registration Fees

- A non-returnable registration fee is payable on application: GBP 145 for Nursery applications; GBP 174 (inclusive of 20% VAT) for Reception and above.

Deposits

- A deposit is payable on acceptance of an offered place: Nursery Acorns deposit GBP 3,000; Nursery Oaks through to Year 8 deposit GBP 4,000. The deposit is refunded following a child's last term at the school, subject to the school's Terms and Conditions (and provided outstanding sums are settled and notice requirements are met).

Tuition fees (termly and annual)

- The figures below are the termly charges for the 2026–2027 academic year. Termly amount followed by the equivalent annual amount (three terms) is shown for each entry stage.

- Nursery Acorns (08:30–12:00, morning sessions): GBP 4,246 per term — GBP 12,738 per year. (No VAT).

- Nursery Acorns (08:30–15:00, full day): GBP 7,454 per term — GBP 22,362 per year. (No VAT).

- Nursery Oaks (0830–15:00): GBP 8,974 per term — GBP 26,922 per year. (No VAT).

- Reception: GBP 10,051 per term — GBP 30,153 per year. (Inclusive of VAT).

- Year 1 to Year 8: GBP 10,794 per term — GBP 32,382 per year. (Inclusive of VAT).

- Fees for international sponsored students (termly / annual): Reception GBP 11,056 per term — GBP 33,168 per year; Year 1–Year 8 GBP 11,873 per term — GBP 35,619 per year. (Inclusive of VAT).

Extra-subject charges (termly)

- Ballet (Nursery Oaks): GBP 300 per term.
- Ballet (Reception to Year 6): GBP 360 per term.
- Yoga (Nursery Oaks): GBP 300 per term.
- Yoga (Reception to Year 6): GBP 360 per term.
- Chess: GBP 396 per term.
- Judo: GBP 318 per term.
- Music and Voice: GBP 468 per term.
- LAMDA: GBP 450 per term.

What the tuition fees include

- Tuition, specialist teaching (arts, French, STEM, Games), school lunches (except Nursery Acorns part-time sessions), scheduled termly educational trips (except Nursery Acorns part‑time), general exercise books and stationery, pastoral care and use of school facilities including Forest School. VAT status is indicated where applicable.

Other costs and optional extras

- Optional extras are billed separately: uniform, wraparound care (before and after school), after-school clubs, school bus service, residential trips and certain optional activities. After-School Care is provided until 18:00 and is charged separately to tuition.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Fees are billed and payable termly, strictly in advance, and must be paid as cleared funds before the start of the term to which they relate. The first term's fees for September entry are due in full by the end of the Spring Term preceding that September entry. A full term's written notice, or fees in lieu, is required if a pupil is withdrawn; notice must expire at the end of a term. Late payment may incur an additional charge (GBP 100) and interest.

Payment methods and options

- Available payment methods include the school's direct debit arrangement and the school's international payment platform. Tax-Free Childcare is accepted for nursery fee payments. The school may refuse a payment if it is not satisfied as to the identity of the payer or the source of funds. Agreements with third parties to pay fees do not release parents from liability.

Boarding

- The school does not offer boarding; there are no boarding fees.

Refunds and cancellations

- The registration fee is non‑returnable. The acceptance deposit is refundable following a pupil's last term at the school, subject to the Terms and Conditions and provided all outstanding sums are settled and required notice has been given. If a pupil is expelled, there is no refund of the Acceptance Deposit or of fees for the current or past terms. If parents terminate with less than the required notice, a term's fees in lieu may be payable.
Academics

Devonshire House Preparatory School teaches EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum for students aged 2 to 13.

Curriculum
Devonshire House offers a full co-educational prep curriculum for pupils aged 2–13. In the Early Years, the EYFS framework guides a play-based, scaffolded approach that balances child-initiated learning with adult-directed teaching and focuses on the three prime areas: communication and language development, personal, social and emotional development, and physical development, taught through literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world, and expressive arts and design. French is generously timetabled from Nursery, with language learning extended across age groups. From Year 4, the curriculum is delivered by specialist teachers, with a strong emphasis on reading and writing and a study-skills programme to prepare pupils for exams later on. Read Write Inc. is used from Nursery through Year 2 to support phonics and early reading. The STEM and Arts programmes span science, IT and the arts, with science taught as a single subject through Year 6 and then split into Biology, Chemistry and Physics from Year 7, and with specialist teaching in the arts (visual arts, music and drama) and opportunities such as music scholarships and Art Scholars to support talented artists.

Exam Results
Lower School outcomes show strong progress in phonics and reading: in Reception, 30% of pupils are six months ahead in phonics; 60% exceed age-related expectations in reading; over 80% are above the expected level in mathematics. In Year 1, more than 60% are above expected levels in phonics; 25% achieve Greater Depth in reading; nearly 50% in spelling; and over 40% in mathematics.

Higher Education Progression
Leavers progress to a wide range of senior schools; Devonshire House is part of the Dukes Education family and offers guaranteed entry to Dukes senior schools, with places at schools including University College School (UCS), Highgate, St Paul's, and Channing. Senior school destinations also include a broad list of well-known London and regional senior institutions such as South Hampstead High School, Merchant Taylors' School, Mill Hill, North London Collegiate School, Wetherby Senior School and others, as detailed in the Year 6 and Year 8 destinations materials.

Gifted and Talented
The Arts programme supports talented pupils, including an Art Scholars group to develop portfolios for prospective schools and interview practice. Talented musicians may receive internal music scholarships in Year 3, with ambassadors representing the school in performances and events.
Wellbeing
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Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
1. Visit Us. Open Mornings are offered to explore the Nursery and meet Upper School pupils; if you cannot attend, contact the Admissions Team to arrange a visit at your convenience. 2. Register Online. The online registration form must be completed and a non-refundable Registration Fee paid. The Registration Fee is £145 for Nursery applications and £174 (including VAT) for Reception and above. 3. Next Steps. After registration, the Admissions Team will be in touch to discuss the next steps for your child. 4. Entry Points & Requirements. The main points of entry are Acorns (2+), Reception (4+), Year 3 (7+), and Year 7 (11+). 5. Joining Our Nursery (Acorns & Oaks). There are no taster sessions or assessments required to secure a place for Acorns. Offers for Acorns are made year-round for upcoming years; Oaks offers are extended one year in advance, and children in Nursery receive an automatic place in Reception. 6. Joining Reception (4+). There are no assessments required to secure a place in Reception; your child will be invited to taster events several times during the year preceding entry. Offers for Reception are made in the Spring Term preceding the proposed academic year of entry. 7. Joining at 7+ (Year 3). The admissions process includes a Taster event; offers for Year 3 are made in the Spring Term preceding entry. 8. Joining at 11+ (Year 7). A Taster Morning and an Assessment are conducted before offering a place; there is also an online Get to Know You session for Year 7/8 before an offer is made. 9. Visa Sponsorship & References. For families seeking visa sponsorship, an online interview with the child and accompanying adult is conducted before an offer. 10. Offers & Parental Commitment. Offers reflect a combination of merit and fit, and parental commitment to the School's ethos is an important factor. 11. Waiting List. If places for the following September are filled, applicants are kept on the waiting list for the relevant year group, and places may be offered to waiting-listed children if vacancies arise.

Scholarships
Devonshire House offers academic and music scholarships to children entering Year 3, and the first year of the Upper School (Year 4). Scholarships are awarded based on results of scholarship examinations held in the Summer Term, and are open to external candidates. Bursaries are available to pupils who meet entry standards and who have the potential to contribute to the School community but require financial assistance with fees.

Waitlist
If places for the following September are filled, applicants are kept on the waiting list for the relevant year group, and places may be offered to waiting-listed children if vacancies arise.
School Events
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