Age range. 7 to 13.
Number of pupils. Boarding Boys: 39, Boarding Girls: 42, Day Boys: 127, Day Girls: 108.
Fees per term (2025-2026). Day: £5,410–£9,385; Day Boarding: £6,355–£10,330; Boarding: £9,670–£12,390; International Boarding: £10,875–£13,735. (All fees incl. VAT).
Dean Close Preparatory School is a nurturing, co-educational school underpinned by its Christian values. Located on the same beautiful campus as Dean Close School, pupils benefit from access to outstanding shared facilities. These include a 25-metre swimming pool, amphitheatre, shooting range, performance hall, 550-seat theatre and chapel. Extensive playing fields, floodlit Astroturf hockey pitches, hard tennis courts and a fully equipped sports hall – complete with a large gymnasium and dance studio – provide exceptional opportunities for sport and wellbeing. In September 2025, the School proudly opened a brand-new cricket nets facility, further enriching its outstanding sporting provision. The Prep School also has its own dedicated teaching areas and Music School, alongside Centenary Hall, the atrium of which forms a welcoming entrance to the School and provides a warm, professional space in which parents and visitors are greeted. This impressive, contemporary building houses a 360-seat theatre, eight versatile teaching rooms across two floors, and dedicated Drama spaces designed to nurture confidence and creativity. This building also features a modern Music suite connected to the Music School, offering six specialist practice rooms, including a dedicated guitar room.
Two additional classroom blocks enhance the School’s academic provision: one includes ten specialist teaching rooms, two laboratories and a computer centre; the other houses eight purpose-built classrooms, day house facilities, a well-resourced Library, and an Art and Technology block. A separate dining hall and kitchens complete the campus, ensuring a vibrant and inclusive community environment where pupils can learn, create and flourish.
Although the Preparatory School is administered by the same Board of Governors as the Pre-Prep and the Senior School, it has its own Head and staff. There are 47 teaching staff who either hold degrees or diplomas in education including a dedicated Director of Music, Director of Sport and Director of Drama. The Music department is also supported by a team of excellent peripatetic music teachers specialising in a variety of instruments and, in all sports, professional coaches encourage children to reach their potential.
Pupils follow a broad and stimulating curriculum. In Year 3, the majority of lessons are delivered by the pupils’ class teachers; however, a number of subjects are taught by specialist teachers. As pupils progress through the School, they are taught by an increasing number of subject specialists. Subjects taught are English, Mathematics, Science, French, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Computing, PSHCE, Art, Design Technology, Music, PE and Games and Drama. Forest School is also taught in Years 3 to 6 and Latin and Spanish are introduced in Year 7. The academic curriculum is based upon an Independent Year 7–9 curriculum for Years 7 and 8.
The School has three boarding houses: one for girls, one for boys and a mixed boarding house for the younger children. Each boarding house has a team of resident Houseparents, Tutors and a resident matron. The school also has a dedicated Flexi-boarding house offering day pupils the opportunity to board on an occasional basis.
Day pupils belong to one of three houses, each providing a welcoming home within the school. Under the care of a Houseparent, the houses bring together boys and girls from Year 3 to Year 8, fostering a strong sense of community and encouraging friendships across all year groups.
The main games for boys are rugby, hockey and cricket, and for girls, hockey, netball and cricket. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 have the option to play tennis instead of cricket in the Trinity Term. Swimming, tennis, athletics and cross-country running are also taught and use is made of the School’s covered play area. Horse riding is available nearby.
A wide range of additional activities and clubs are also available: art, chess, Christian unions, fencing, football, gymnastics, dance, nature time and origami, to name but a few.
With a Prep School population of 316, the sense of family-like community is developed in such a way that it is possible for every child to know each other and to be individually known, valued and cared about.
The Prep School offers a general 7+ Scholarship for pupils joining in Year 3, recognising ability, potential, attitude, and work ethos. At 11+ (entry into Year 7), Academic, Art, Drama, Music, and Sports Scholarships are available. The School also educates the Choristers who sing Evensong in Tewkesbury Abbey.
Charitable status. Dean Close School is a Registered Charity, number 1086829. It exists to provide education for children.