London


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where">WHAT? WHERE?</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="559" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide2.jpg" alt="pupil and a teacher at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6172" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide2.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide2-300x168.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide2-768x429.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Brighton College Kensington Prep is in the heart of London’s cultural fun zone – a stone’s throw from the world-renowned Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&amp;A and Hyde Park. Housed in an elegant terrace of Victorian four-storey properties, this nurturing co-ed Prep for children aged 2 to 13 years, boasts the best of London as a classroom with 174 art galleries and museums here alone.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It&#8217;s small – just 335 pupils – and class sizes of 16 are the norm. There’s room to expand to 360 across selected year groups and further expansion is on the cards with head teacher Lois Gaffney eyeing up neighbouring properties. More on this later.</p>



<p>Formerly known as Prince’s Garden Prep, the school is about to celebrate its first birthday as Brighton College Prep Kensington. Now part of the prestigious Brighton College family, including the Senior school of the same name, which was awarded the United Kingdom School of the Decade by <em>The Sunday Times</em> and Britain&#8217;s Most Forward-Thinking School by <em>The Week</em>.</p>



<p>Wondering how the school links to Brighton College? The children are taught the Brighton College way with a ‘London as classroom’ twist. The core curriculum model is the same, so expect a strong focus on academics and pastoral care to ensure the children grow and improve. There are exciting plans afoot at Brighton College Prep Kensington and the school is one to watch!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facilities">FACILITIES</h2>



<p>Located on Prince’s Gardens, just off Exhibition Road, the classrooms and learning spaces are set in four elegant townhouses, boasting high ceilings, large windows and period features. It’s an inspiring setting with Nursery and Reception on the ground floor, offering easy access to the all-weather playground.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-general">GENERAL</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="563" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide6.jpg" alt="pupils at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6167" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide6.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide6-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide6-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There are dedicated science labs, libraries, an art studio and a beautiful music room with drums, guitars and other instruments enticingly displayed beneath an original ornate ceiling. There’s also the creative Makerspace, a large space with craft and construction materials, and technical equipment such as 3D printers, a laser cutter and sewing machines.</p>



<p>The undeniable gem here, is the Secret Garden. In the far corner of the playground there’s an unremarkable wooden gate. Open it, and you find yourself in a wonderful two-acre space used for learning (mini beast hunt, anyone?), den-building and generally letting off steam. It feels unexpected and magical in the middle of London. Understandably, it’s a huge draw for city parents who want their kids to have space to run free.</p>



<p>An extended learning zone (parents agree their children can be taken off school grounds within agreed parameters) means the idea of London as a classroom is meaningful with football lessons on the astro pitch in Hyde Park and football, cricket and athletics on the grass in the same location (5 mins walk). The zone gives teachers the freedom to pop their pupils to nearby museums and galleries too – a strength of the school’s location and attitude to learning.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sport">SPORT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="559" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide1.jpg" alt="pupils playing sport at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6168" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide1-300x168.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide1-768x429.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Sport here is solid with all the usual suspects. Specialist sports lessons start in reception with competitive matches from year 3. There’s football, netball, rugby, hockey and cricket taught in nearby Hyde Park. Weekly swimming lessons are on the agenda from Y1 and there’s also the chance to try basketball, gymnastics and badminton.</p>



<p>The school doesn’t have its own swimming pool or sports hall but (literally) next door is the Ethos Sports Centre, owned by University College London, with both facilities available. The school has regular access for swimming and PE lessons – the sports hall is a particularly generous space including a climbing wall.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creative-arts">CREATIVE ARTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="559" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide3.jpg" alt="music lessons at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6169" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide3.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide3-300x168.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide3-768x429.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There’s a buzz to the drama, music and art offering. The head of Performing Arts and Drama, trained opera singer Charlotte Hoather, oversees the school lessons, performances and LAMDA studies. Some 56% of pupils take either music or LAMDA lessons, and 15-20% take more than one. Many genres of music are on offer, including rock, pop, musical theatre and classical. There’s also an annual school opera and upper school musical with pupils creating props, designing and building sets, planning costumes and taking to the stage to perform of course.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During my visit, Y6 and Y7 are rehearsing <em>Pantastic</em>, a version of Peter Pan with the performance due to take place outside in their playground. A group of children also headed into the West End to see of <em>Wicked</em> at the Apollo theatre. Y3, Y4 and Y5 recently performed an adaptation of <em>The Last Aliens</em> by Scottish Opera.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For young Picassos and Grayson Perry’s, there’s a dedicated art room and some pupils recently had their work displayed in the Young Art Exhibition at the Royal College of Art. Proceeds from the sale of work in the show benefited childhood cancer research at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extra-curricular">EXTRA CURRICULAR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="560" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide7.jpg" alt="pupil learning guitar at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6173" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide7.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide7-300x168.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide7-768x430.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Boredom be gone! The school offers a wide array of clubs on offer, which vary by year group, and are a mix of paid for and free options. Try ukulele, drumming, modern dance, Mandarin, Italian, yoga, karate, fencing, knitting, public speaking, Warhammer, Lego and chess to name a few. Surely something to pique every child’s interest.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-academics">ACADEMICS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="662" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide4.jpg" alt="teacher and a pupil at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6170" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide4.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide4-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide4-768x508.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Brighton College Prep Kensington is a selective school that manages to balance academic ambition and kindness. Not an easy thing to pull off. It all starts with learning empathy in early years and develops into volunteering and working with local groups as the children get older.</p>



<p>For the selection process, Nursery-aged children are invited to a ‘stay and play’ session with their parents. For Prep entry, from Y1-Y8, there’s an assessment day including a meeting with a member of the Senior Leadership team and tests in English, maths and reasoning. Teachers are looking for intellectual curiosity not young Einsteins.</p>



<p>When I visit, the youngest children are studying mini beasts. There are caterpillars to observe on their journey to butterflies and a prized bee, found on a recent bug hunt and correctly identified as a bumble bee by a boy keen to share his learning with me.</p>



<p>As I move throughout the school, there’s lots of different types of learning going on and there’s plenty of good manners on show with children instinctively saying good morning and keen to answer questions. The head boy and girl who show me around are both charming and proud to show off their school.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="561" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide8.jpg" alt="Class at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6174" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide8.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide8-300x168.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide8-768x431.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There are discussions in English, experiments in science, and lucky Y4 are in the Makerspace creating the Seven Wonders of the World with cardboard, strings of lights and much enthusiasm. Y6 children were asked to research, write and market walking tours around South Kensington to raise money for charity &#8211; another example of innovative learning. The project taught the children how to research, public speaking and marketing skills in a real life setting of the city.&nbsp;</p>



<p>From September, for those at the top of the school, there’s a new ambitious Mini MBA programme to prepare Y7 and Y8 for the move to Senior school (and for life generally). The programme is divided into eight components including leadership, how to write a business plan and entrepreneurship. Expert visitors will be invited into school to give talks on their specialism. Leadership is the first one planned for September and will be delivered by a Gurkha.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There’s not a guaranteed entry into Brighton College for Senior school, but attending the Kensington site will certainly help if that’s an ambition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pastoral-care-nbsp">PASTORAL CARE&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The approach to pastoral care is considered and due to be strengthened further in September. There are programmes to encourage behaviour that benefits both individuals and the school community such as ‘Caught Being Kind’ in Pre-Prep and ‘Gold Tokens’ in our Prep Lower School which is the chance to vote for a treat. Children feel able to approach any teacher or staff member with concerns or use worry boxes, located in each classroom. Staff have access to Tooled Up resources to support them in their roles.</p>



<p>As part of Gaffney’s plans for the school, she’s hired additional senior staff who will be in place from September 2024. The roles include: a Senior Mental Health Lead, Mental Health first aiders, a Head of Adventure and Outdoor Learning and Head of Community and Partnerships.&nbsp;</p>



<p>From September, children in Y5-Y8 will be allocated a House Mentor and will attend tutor groups thrice weekly with other children. Groups will consist of around 8 – 10 children, all from the same house but from different year groups. Each House Mentor will look after their cohort acting as champion and supportive critic where needed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-send">SEND</h2>



<p>For pupils that need SEN support, specialists visit on a weekly basis including play, OT and speech therapists. Dan Wood is safeguarding lead (and Head of the Upper School).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-head">THE HEAD</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1301" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide9.jpg" alt="Head teacher of Kensington Prep Lois Gaffney" class="wp-image-6171" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide9.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide9-231x300.jpg 231w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide9-787x1024.jpg 787w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide9-768x999.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Lois Gaffney is well versed in the Brighton College way having held senior roles at Handcross Park and Brighton College Prep Singapore – she was founding Deputy Head from 2020-2022. She’s focused and ambitious and has lots of plans for Brighton College Prep Kensington. She’s dynamic but approachable and fizzing with what can be achieved here.&nbsp;</p>



<p>She’s busy building her team with some key staff members recruited from within the Brighton College family. The team members I meet match her energy and you can tell they are just getting started with a shared vision for what they want to create. There’s a feeling that they know what’s possible and can’t wait to make it happen for their pupils.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Gaffney is considering future expansion of the school by taking on more space in the local area. She says the school is constantly evolving and to stay tuned for future announcements. September 2024 will be the first Y8 at Brighton College Prep Kensington.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-word-on-the-ground">WORD ON THE GROUND</h2>



<p>Parents are excited about the changes taking place at the school, which will benefit their children. Dynamic, inspiring and innovative are all words I hear.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quirks">QUIRKS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="557" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide5.jpg" alt="pupils talking at Kensington Prep" class="wp-image-6175" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide5.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide5-300x167.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2024/10/Slide5-768x428.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Maybe not the quirkiest of quirks but all children at Brighton College Prep Kensington learn chess from Y1 with ambitions to become known as a chess school. The idea is to help with strategic thinking and maths skills and gives non-sporty kids a chance to shine.</p>



<p>There’s a huge pelican in reception made by the staff and pupils to represent ‘Pelican Pathways’, a reward system for academic progress and community involvement, which runs across Brighton College schools. It’s a points-based system which celebrates the children’s achievements in and out of school.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transport">TRANSPORT</h2>



<p>It’s just a 10-minute walk from both South Kensington and Knightsbridge Underground stations and Victoria Station is 15 minutes away by public transport. From Y1, you can opt for the school bus service for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up dependent on demand.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mobile-phone-policy">MOBILE PHONE POLICY</h2>



<p>There’s a zero-tolerance approach to mobile phones and they are banned in school. However, the school is going further than that. Gaffney has told parents that she’s going to be providing what she calls ‘brick’ phones for Y6, Y7 and Y8 from September. These also won’t be allowed in school, but the children can use them on their journey and at home to text and call friends and family. She’s seeking to support and empower parents, giving them an opt out and to create community action to challenge children receiving smartphones from a young age. Phones are handed into reception in the morning and collected at the end of the school day.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fees">FEES</h2>



<p>Termly fees are: Nursery, £7,830 (Full time); Reception – Y2, £9,887; Y3 – Y6, £10,532 and Y7-Y8, £11,131. The cost is higher than average for London day schools, but you are paying for Brighton College excellence and many will think that’s well worth it. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> Bright and curious kids ready to become the best version of themselves. This is a school of action, so kids need to be prepared to get involved and have a go at everything.</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> It’s academically selective so kids need to be able to keep up. Anyone who prefers all facilities under one roof.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Dare to disagree?</strong> Book onto an <a href="https://www.brightoncollegeprepkensington.co.uk/open-mornings/?utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_campaign=19554081098&amp;utm_content=g&amp;utm_term=brighton%20college%20prep%20kensington&amp;_gl=1*ce5uvy*_up*MQ..&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw-JG5BhBZEiwAt7JR6ySJ5kKpx8f_ogr9XV5deGDZKREipCwRpFfzR7aYb2ZQEBKeMkgiSBoCmS8QAvD_BwE">Open Morning</a>, there is a Nursery Open Morning on 30 Jan 2025 and an all years event on 1st February 2025. If you are interested in a Sep 2025 entry, contact the Admissions Team by <a href="mailto:admissions@brightoncollegeprepkensington.co.uk">email</a> or call 020 7591 2628.</p>


Brighton College Kensington Prep, Kensington

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