London


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-location">LOCATION</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="528" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1024x528.jpeg" alt="UCS junior branch " class="wp-image-14247" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1024x528.jpeg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-300x155.jpeg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-768x396.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>University College School is spread over three sites: Pre-Prep (4-7 years), just off the Finchley Road, <a href="https://www.ucs.org.uk/junior/welcome-to-junior/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Junior Branch</a> (7-11 years), close to Hampstead tube station and <a href="https://london.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/national-school-reviews/university-college-school-senior-branch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senior School and Sixth Form</a> (11-18), in leafy Frognal. It’s a short walk between all three and there’s very much a community vibe that links the schools, with younger years frequently making trips to the other premises and consequently, when it&#8217;s time for little ones to move up, it&#8217;s pretty seamless.&nbsp;</p>



<p>UCS Junior Branch (or JB as it’s affectionately known), is a boys&#8217; school tucked away on a hillside just off Hampstead High Street. Only posters encouraging pupils&nbsp;to walk to school give the game away, otherwise you could easily stroll past the iron gates and assume it’s a driveway to another mega mansion.&nbsp;The plot it occupies is substantial for the area and children (instantly recognisable in their smart red and black striped blazers), have plenty of outside space, which is so precious in a city school.&nbsp;</p>



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



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325140812UCS.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-15145" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325140812UCS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325140812UCS-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325140812UCS-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Pupils’ art work lines the entrance walls, which is a suitably pleasing and colourful introduction to this creative, fun school. I was shown around by Ted and Josh (Year 6), who clearly loved JB and told me that the 70+ clubs on offer meant that they were ‘never bored’. I was surprised by how calm the atmosphere was, pupils were consistently polite, opening doors, saying hello and visibly confident in the presence of adults.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Ted and Josh were particularly proud of the lovely library, where books are organised into age groups but also colours, to help everyone match their level. Tree stump cushions and curved blue sofas are very inviting and pupils clearly enjoy using the space, though reading’s very much encouraged throughout the school &#8211; I spotted a boy curled up on an outside bench contentedly reading while children nearby were playing ping-pong.</p>



<p>A large, well-equipped science lab has the added bonus of real life animals, like tarantulas, fish, lizards and skinks, which pupils volunteer to look after &#8211; some even come into JB to feed them in the school holidays.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The drama studio and in-house Little Acorn Theatre will keep young thespians busy, while the light and airy Art and Technology block is a real bonus for creatives, ditto the large music room and practice suites. Tech-wise there&#8217;s an ICT laboratory and Mac computers are used throughout. </p>



<p>Access to 30 acres of nearby sports fields and the huge UCS Active centre, with gorgeous pool, high tech gym and exercise studios, is a massive bonus.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-arts">THE ARTS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="701" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.39.41-1024x701.png" alt="" class="wp-image-14241" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.39.41-1024x701.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.39.41-300x205.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.39.41-768x526.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.39.41.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The Junior Branch&#8217;s art department is a magical place, filled with inspiring work. Particularly impressive during my tour were Pop Art-inspired kitsch clay pots (think Heinz Baked Bean cans and Muller Fruit Corner tubs) that I would genuinely have bought were they on sale. A wall of mythical beasts, sketched and then filled in with watercolour, were equally as impressive and way above the standard you&#8217;d expect from 7-11 year olds. I bumped into the Head of Art during my tour and came away with the impression she’s the main reason pupils are performing at such a high standard &#8211; her enthusiasm was palpable. </p>



<p>DT in the same building was another inspiring place with all the usual lathes and cutters, plus 3D printers, which my young tour guides were <em>very </em>keen on, proudly showing me the solar torches they’d recently designed and built.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Music has gravitas at UCS Junior Branch, around 96% of pupils play an instrument and there are all manner of choirs, bands and solo instruments on offer, plus regular concerts and assemblies to showcase their talents. I particularly liked the music room’s amphitheatre-style seating, allowing children to sit and listen to fellow pupils playing the wide range of instrument on display, from xylophones to piano and drums.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Budding actors get their chance to shine in the annual all-school play, previous performances have included <em>Oliver</em>, and there&#8217;s a separate Year 6 production to look forward to as well. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sports-nbsp">SPORTS&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="691" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.34.55-1024x691.png" alt="UCS junior branch " class="wp-image-14239" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.34.55-1024x691.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.34.55-300x202.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.34.55-768x518.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-at-12.34.55.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>When it comes to key sports (rugby, hockey, football, cricket and athletics), pupils have 30 acres of nearby playing fields at UCS Pavilion to run around on, meaning they have all the advantages of a countryside school whilst being close to the Centre of London, making it pretty unique.&nbsp;All pupils also have a weekly PE session in the Sir Roger Bannister Sports Centre.  </p>



<p>It&#8217;s the minor sports, however, that I found alluring. Whether it&#8217;s tennis, swimming, table tennis, fencing, karate, cross-country or golf, pupils have the chance to try such a staggering amount of sports and activities it would be virtually impossible not to find something to ignite a passion, which is probably why they excel in competitions such as EPSCA chess tournaments. </p>



<p>At break times, pupils dash around &#8216;The Cage&#8217;, a fenced, open air court with goals painted on the walls, and get competitive on the four outside ping-pong tables. </p>



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



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325135701UCS.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-15147" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325135701UCS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325135701UCS-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325135701UCS-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Really strong. It’s a selective school, so it’s hardly surprising pupils are way above the national average in core subjects, however it&#8217;s the progressive teaching methods that help maintain their academic prowess &#8211; every pupil is treated as unique and encouraged to embrace critical thinking, reasoning and individualism. &nbsp;</p>



<p>Boys have a form tutor, but also specialist teachers in key subjects like maths, English, science, history, geography, art, drama, DT, music, PSHE and PE. In addition, all pupils learn French and Spanish, plus can also opt to study Mandarin and German.</p>



<p>Even though the majority of pupils flow directly to UCS Senior School, many are still encouraged to take the 11+ as a useful measure of where they are at academically and are suitably supported throughout the process.</p>



<p>Not that it&#8217;s all serious classroom-based stuff, the more fun side of the school&#8217;s academic offering includes taking part in competitions, with pupils recently winning a National Maths Quiz Competition and coming runners up in a National Science Quiz. </p>



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



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="683" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/UCS_Day1_087-1-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="UCS Junior Branch " class="wp-image-14237" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/UCS_Day1_087-1-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/UCS_Day1_087-1-scaled-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/UCS_Day1_087-1-scaled-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/UCS_Day1_087-1-scaled-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>Mr Lewis Hayward is a very busy, competent, hands-on head. Formerly Deputy Principal at Highgate School for five years, when we met in his tranquil, light-filled office overlooking trees, the dad-of-two only had a short time to chat as he was due to teach French. A head who teaches? Yep, he’s made it a rule to teach all new entrants each year in a bid to get to know pupils and discover how they uniquely learn. Way more involved in school life than most sit-behind-a-desk heads I meet, Hayward believes teaching is <em>the</em> best way to understand, and ultimately help, pupils.&nbsp;This is a man who clearly walks the walk and I was genuinely impressed by his commitment to discovering what makes students tick. On the topic of single sex schools he believes it allows boys to have a longer childhood, which is a valid point. </p>



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



<p>The school&#8217;s environment team is on it, including making JB a plastic bottle free zone (well done kids). There&#8217;s also a wellbeing dog called Dudley who is very much a part of the JB team &#8211; children read to him and enjoy taking care of him.&nbsp;It should also be noted that UCS Junior Branch is REALLY big on school trips, whether it&#8217;s to Kew Gardens, France, Norfolk, ski trips or Spanish golf jaunts, your child is going to get the chance to expand their horizons considerably. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pastoral">PASTORAL</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125811UCS-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-15148" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125811UCS-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125811UCS-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125811UCS-1-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>It&#8217;s a 360-degree approach, with boys feeling safe and supported by both staff and fellow pupils. The framework of care is solid, including a buddy programme, peer mentoring, a School Council where pupils get to put forward ideas (and, more importantly, be heard), mindfulness and a gratitude scheme that&#8217;s part of the school&#8217;s core values. I love that boys are awarded certificates for random acts of kindness in weekly assemblies (apparently they&#8217;re highly prized!). </p>



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



<p>Only Year 6 pupils are allowed to bring&nbsp;mobile phones&nbsp;into UCS&nbsp;Junior Branch, which are handed in on arrival and collected at home time. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pre-prep">PRE-PREP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="462" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1024x462.png" alt="UCS pre-prep " class="wp-image-14249" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-1024x462.png 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-300x135.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown-768x347.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/09/Unknown.png 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p>The littlies are very much a part of the UCS Hampstead family. There are around 100 pupils from 4-7 Years at the start of their UCS journey, and while it&#8217;s very much about fun and play, there are specialist teachers in art, music, PE and French meaning pupils are already preparing for Junior Branch and getting used to moving around for lessons. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s a <em>very </em>nurturing environment with a high staff-to-pupil ratio (around one member of staff to every eight children), meaning pupils gets quality care and attention throughout the school day &#8211; there&#8217;s no danger of any issues being ignored or missed here. Just like JB, there&#8217;s head-spinning amount of clubs on offer (more than 50!), including UCS Beavers, Lego, fencing and sewing &#8211; talk about diverse. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-word-of-mouth">WORD OF MOUTH </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="665" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125500UCS.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-15149" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125500UCS.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125500UCS-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/london/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2025/10/KH180325125500UCS-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>UCS Junior Branch is very involved with the local community. The fact pupils have done things like give up their lunch break to help prepare food for a local homeless shelter, or donated the proceeds of their mini-enterprise stalls&nbsp;to charity, means its held in high regard. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrap-around-care">WRAP AROUND CARE</h2>



<p>Boys can arrive anytime after 7.45am and stay until 5pm Mon-Thurs (homework club), for no extra charge.</p>



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



<p>Realistic for its North London location. Autumn/Winter terms, £10,047; Pre-Prep, £9,165. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-isi-report">ISI REPORT </h2>



<p>The latest report (which covered UCS from Pre-Prep to Sixth Form) was glowing, saying &#8216;Leaders across the school ensure that teaching offers high levels of intellectual engagement and fosters a love of learning.&#8217; Read more <a href="https://www.isi.net/institutions/school/university-college-school-7201" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-verdict">VERDICT</h2>



<p>My ten-year-old tour guide Ted summed up the school neatly when he told me, ‘I used to wake up and just want to lie in bed and not go to school, but since joining UCS I can’t wait to go in’. And with such a happy atmosphere and a squillion clubs to choose from, who can blame him?</p>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> If you want your child to be kind, caring and inquisitive as well as academic, USC Junior Branch can be trusted with the task.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong> It’s single sex, which might not appeal if you’re pro co-ed.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Dare to disagree?</strong> See for yourself and <a href="https://www.ucs.org.uk/admissions/admissions-process/reception/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arrange a tour</a>. </p>


University College School Junior Branch & Pre-Prep

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