How to build a prep school shortlist

A useful prep school shortlist makes the next step easier: deciding which schools to contact and visit. Start with your child’s needs and the realities of your week. You can refine the list as you learn more.

Separate essentials from preferences

Write two short lists before opening another prospectus. Essentials are the things a school must be able to offer. Preferences are things you would welcome but could discuss.

• Essentials might include the intended entry year, a workable journey, suitable support or a particular boarding arrangement.

• Preferences might include an activity your child enjoys, a smaller setting or the feel of the grounds.

Be specific. “A manageable journey” becomes easier to compare when you have tried the route at school-run time. “Good support” needs a conversation about your child and the staff who would work with them.

Check the practical fit early

Contact admissions before committing to several visits. Confirm that the school caters for the relevant age group and ask about places for your intended start date. A directory profile helps you find an option; it does not confirm a vacancy.

Ask for the current fee schedule and a quotation showing what is included. Note transport, wraparound care, meals, trips and activities where these are charged separately. Keep any unanswered questions beside the figures so you can follow them up.

Keep the same notes for each school

Use a simple comparison note with the same headings each time. It can be a page in a notebook or a document you share within your family.

• Entry: year group, proposed start date, availability and admissions steps.

• Routine: journey, drop-off, collection, clubs and any weekend commitments.

• Learning and support: what the school has confirmed and who you spoke to.

• Costs: current quotation, extras and points still to clarify.

• Your child’s view: what interested them and what concerned them.

• Next step: a visit, a follow-up conversation or a decision to set the school aside.

Use reports to shape your questions

Ask each school for its latest inspection report and check the date and the age range or provision covered. Read the findings alongside your own questions about teaching and school life. The report-search services below cover schools within their respective remits; ask the school for the right inspectorate if it is not listed.

Make the list manageable

Choose a small group you have time to explore properly. There is no need to keep a school on the list if an essential requirement cannot be met. Equally, leave room for an option you had not considered if a conversation suggests it could suit your child.

After each visit, compare what you found with your original essentials. Notice where a strong first impression is supported by clear answers, and where you still need more information.

Start with the school directory and use “Add to shortlist” to save options on this device. Keep your detailed visit notes separately.

If you would like to talk through the options, contact the WBS team.