Age range. 3+–11 Co-educational.
Number in school. 180.
Fees per academic year (2025-2026). £10,650 (excl. VAT) inclusive of lunch, day trips, Spanish and instrumental lessons and personal insurance cover.
Located in the leafy suburbs of south Liverpool, Carleton House is Merseyside’s leading co-ed Preparatory School. We are a Catholic school that welcomes children of all faiths.
During our most recent external ISI Inspection (June 2025), Inspectors praised the school’s inclusive ethos, warm relationships and rich curriculum which stimulates curiosity and creativity. Pupils benefit from exciting cross-curricular projects, a wide range of clubs and activities, and thoughtful opportunities for spiritual growth and cultural understanding. The report reflects the high expectations, nurturing environment and inspiring teaching that enable our children to flourish both academically and personally.
‘Pupils are motivated and responsible towards their learning, listen attentively, ask thoughtful questions and make consistently good progress across the curriculum... Pupils demonstrate kindness in their interactions and behave in a calm and supportive manner towards each other.’
Carleton House Preparatory School ISI Report June 2025
Our school motto, ‘They can because they think they can’ truly embodies the spirit of Carleton House. Our school is a lively, vibrant community that gives its pupils a first-class education for the 21st century.
Small class sizes (maximum of 24) and a high ratio of teaching staff to pupils enable the well-qualified and experienced staff to provide individual attention in a friendly, caring atmosphere. We nurture the development of the whole child – academically, spiritually and in the sporting and cultural aspects of their lives. Through excellent teaching and the close relationship that exists between school and home, our pupils are challenged, encouraged and supported to achieve their very best.
The implementation of all National Curriculum subjects ensures a broad, well-balanced curriculum is followed, but great importance is given to Maths and English, as success in these subjects is central to development in other areas. Additional specialist teaching is provided for children requiring support across all subjects.
The children are taught Spanish throughout the school from Nursery to Year 6.
All children receive curriculum music lessons from our specialist teacher. Children in Years 3 to 6 benefit from instrumental music lessons through our external music tuition partner Pulse.
Children in Years 3 to 6 take part in weekly swimming and gym lessons at a local pool.
Emphasis is placed on high academic standards with our children being prepared for a variety of Entrance examinations at 11. A high percentage of our pupils successfully gain places at selective schools of their choice, with many gaining scholarships.
Our children are prepared for and take part in the English Speaking Board (ESB) examinations in Years 5 and 6, supporting their public speaking skills.
We place a high importance on the development of computing skills for all pupils, with children from Year 1 to Year 6 benefitting from specialist computing teaching in our newly refurbished computing suite. This is complemented through the use of iPads in class-based lessons.
A wide range of sports and extracurricular activities are offered to both boys and girls, including football, netball, cricket, rounders, chess, debate club, orchestra, cookery, singing and speech choir. The children compete in local sporting events as well as choral festivals and national quiz competitions.
Theatre and educational visits to enhance our curriculum are provided in all year groups. Our residential trips start in Year 3 with a one-night stay in Chorley, followed by a two-night stay in Shropshire in Year 4, a weekend in the Peak District in Year 5 and culminating in a week-long residential in Lockerbie in Scotland for our Year 6 pupils. These residentials provide field and adventure activities that help build confidence and self-esteem outside of the usual classroom environment.
Our open-door policy encourages positive engagement with our parents, with regular parent/teacher meetings and biannual written reports on pupils progress.
A thriving Parent–Teacher Association provides social functions for parents while raising funds for extra equipment for school and our chosen school charity.
After-school provision is provided by the ‘Kids Club’. This operates daily from 3.30 pm until 6.00 pm and school is open from 8.00 am for early drop-offs.
Parental visits are warmly encouraged, with a tour of the school given by our Year 6 pupils followed by an opportunity to meet with our Headteacher, Mrs Coleman.
Charitable status. Carleton House Preparatory School is a Registered Charity, number 505310. It exists to provide education for boys and girls.