Tatler UK - 10.2019

LONDON

PREP

REDCLIFFE

SCHOOL 

47 Redcliffe Gardens, SW10 9JH

Website redcliffeschool.com

Head Sarah Lemmon Pupils 120

day: 50 boys, 70 girls Ages 3–11

Term fees £6,390

Redcliffe may have celebrated its

70th birthday this year but its

founding values of kindness,

respect, tolerance and democracy

are still at the fore today. This

small but mighty school, described

by parents as ‘a secret jewel in

Chelsea’, has recently added

another string to its bow by

acquiring a playing field just a five-

minute walk away. Pupils were

ambitious when telling us what

they’d like to be when they grew

up – future MPs (with a pet

dachshund), coders and neurolo-

gists. Music is big (the school

boasts its own recording studio), as

is sport – pupils can try lacrosse,

fencing, curling and judo, as well

as the more traditional options.

Leavers move on to academically

punchy schools such as St Paul’s

and Latymer Upper.

PROSPECT HOUSE

SCHOOL 

75 Putney Hill, SW15 3NT

Website prospecths.org.uk

Head Michael Hodge Pupils 314

day: 169 boys, 145 girls Ages 3–11

Term fees £6,275

Pupils are astonishingly self-aware

at PH, with one stating, ‘I think

everyone feels very fortunate

to go to this school.’ Parents are

delighted with Head Michael

Hodge, and Mr Lennox in the

nursery is ‘outstanding’, accord-

ing to one parent whose daughter,

despite having moved up the

school, still pops to his classroom

most days to say hello. Fitbits

are the craze du jour and

a Forest School is in the pipeline.

Sports Day is a yearly highlight,

as is gingerbread decorating

at Christmas time. Leavers move

on to Putney High and Latymer

Upper, as well as a handful of

Surrey schools.

RAVENSCOURT

PARK PREP

SCHOOL 

16 Ravenscourt Avenue, W6 0SL

Website rpps.co.uk

Head Carl Howes Pupils 420 day:

210 boys, 210 girls Ages 4–11

Term fees £6,120

RPPS, on a quiet cul-de-sac a few

metres from the park, is very

proud of its cosy, local, familial

feel – almost every child who

starts in Reception stays on until

Year 6, siblings are given priority

for places and many families

walk to school. Head Carl Howes,

who joined in 2015, is particu-

larly proud of 2019’s 11+ results

(including 22 scholarships) – the

best yet under his headship.

Leavers move on to the likes of

Kew House (they have a very

close relationship but entry is not

automatic), Latymer and Not-

ting Hill and Ealing High School

• and there’s ‘healthy competi-
  tion’ with sister school Kew
  Green Prep. Last year, Ravenscourt
  Park Prep introduced a popular
  co-ed games initiative, which saw
  more of the girls choosing to play
  rugby than hockey.

ST JAMES PREP SCHOOL

ST CHRISTOPHER’S

SCHOOL 

32 Belsize Lane, NW3 5AE

Website stchristophers.london

Head Christine Lough

Pupils 238 day girls Ages 4–11

Term fees £5,250

‘Discreet and effective academic

rigour’ underpin this charming

prep in Hampstead, which sends

happy girls off to the likes

of Downe House, Oundle and

Godolphin & Latymer on a

smattering of academic, art and

music scholarships each year.

Christine Lough (previously

Head at South Hampstead Junior

School while her husband was

Head of The Hall School) wants

‘girls to leave here thinking that

they have had the best time of

their lives’. With a blogging club,

rose garden and the majority of

girls opting to wear cargo shorts

rather than skirts, it would be

hard not to have a blast. Girls play

football and cricket alongside net-

ball and rounders and May Day is

eagerly anticipated here, with

dancing around the maypole and

old-fashioned games (including

French-skipping and marbles)

followed by a slice of Victoria

sponge cake washed down with a

glass of lemonade. ]

REDCLIFFE

SCHOOL

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