Notting Hill Preparatory School (NHP) is one of West London's most distinctive and highly regarded prep schools. Co-educational and independently-minded, it is known for a culture that places equal weight on academic achievement and creative development. Entry is available from Year 3 (7+) and the school is popular among families across Notting Hill, Kensington, Ladbroke Grove and Holland Park — some of the most competitive prep school territory in the capital.
About Notting Hill Prep
NHP is located on Lancaster Road, W11. The school educates children from Year R (4+) through to Year 8, and is resolutely co-educational throughout. It has built a reputation for being both academically stretching and genuinely nurturing — it takes creativity, the arts and outdoor learning as seriously as Maths and English, and its leavers have an unusually broad range of interests and capabilities by the time they move to senior school.
Senior school destinations from NHP include a wide range of selective independent schools: City of London School for Girls, St Paul's Girls', Queen's Gate, Latymer Upper, and co-educational schools such as UCS, Westminster and various boarding options. The school does not prepare children exclusively for one pathway, which suits families who have not yet fixed on a single senior school destination.
The 7+ assessment
NHP's main external entry point is 4+ (Reception) and 7+ (Year 3). The 7+ assessment typically takes place in January of Year 2, with registration in the autumn of Year 1. The assessment includes:
- Literacy activities — reading and writing tasks that reflect the school's values: expression, imagination and communication are valued as highly as technical accuracy.
- Numeracy activities — number tasks and problem-solving in a format appropriate for Year 2 entrants. NHP is looking for mathematical confidence and a willingness to engage with problems, not just procedural accuracy.
- Individual and group observation — observation sessions that allow assessors to see how children interact, respond to new challenges and engage with their peers. Given NHP's emphasis on all-round character, this component carries significant weight.
The school is transparent about valuing the whole child and not simply academic output. Children who show genuine curiosity, creative energy and social warmth are well suited to NHP's ethos — regardless of whether they are the strongest purely academic candidates in the room.
How selective is the 7+?
NHP is selective but takes a noticeably broader view of what it is selecting for than some of its neighbours. It is popular and oversubscribed, but the assessment is designed to identify potential across a range of qualities — not simply to rank children by academic achievement at age 6. Families who have been rejected by more purely academic 7+ schools may find NHP to be a better fit for a well-rounded, creative child.
When to start preparation
Because NHP's assessment places significant weight on whole-child development, preparation should be proportionate and balanced. Starting structured tutoring in the autumn of Year 1 — three or four months before the assessment — is appropriate for most families. Earlier preparation is warranted only if a child has significant gaps in literacy or numeracy that need addressing.
Families should resist the temptation to over-prepare, which can produce an anxious, mechanical child in the assessment — the opposite of what NHP is looking for. The preparation goal is confidence, breadth and natural enthusiasm, not exam-optimisation.
What to work on
- Reading for pleasure and breadth. NHP values children who engage with books imaginatively. Read widely across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and picture books (which are still entirely appropriate for 6 and 7 year-olds). Talk about what you read.
- Creative writing and expression. Encourage writing that is adventurous with ideas — funny stories, descriptions of imaginary worlds, letters from unusual characters. At NHP, a child who writes with personality and flair will stand out.
- Mathematical confidence. Fluency in mental arithmetic, counting in multiples, simple problem-solving. Maths puzzles and games build this more enjoyably than repetitive worksheets.
- Arts, music and creative interests. NHP looks for children with a genuine co-curricular life. Continued investment in music lessons, art, drama or sport is both intrinsically valuable and relevant to the assessment.
- Social ease. Children who are comfortable with unfamiliar adults and children, who can listen and engage in the group activities, are well placed for NHP's observation sessions. Playdates, group activities and team sports all contribute.
Senior school destinations
NHP children go on to a wide range of senior schools at 11+ and 13+. The school provides excellent preparation for London's top day schools and for Common Entrance to boarding schools. Families need not have decided on a senior destination when applying to NHP at 7+, and the school's broad curriculum keeps multiple options open.
Finding a tutor
Given NHP's holistic ethos, the most effective tutors for this assessment combine academic support with an understanding of the school's values. A tutor who only drills exam technique is unlikely to help a child present their best self at NHP.
Browse tutors with 7+ and early entry experience in Central London and West London, or use the parent portal to find tutors matched to the 7+ and your child's year group.