Devonshire House Preparatory School vs The Lyceum School

	D Devonshire House Preparatory School London, United Kingdom	T The Lyceum School London, United Kingdom
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year £12,738 - 35,619	Fees / year £24,630
Age range	Age range 2 - 13 years	Age range 0 - 11 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum	Curriculum British Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage)
Pupils	Pupils 506	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1989	Opened 1997
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location 2 Arkwright Road, London NW3 6AE. Located in Hampstead, North London, with access to public transport and local amenities. Serves families across North London.	Location The Lyceum is located at 65 Worship Street, London EC2A 2DU, in the City of London (EC2). It sits in central London. The school serves children aged 4-11. It operates as a co-educational independent school.
Stages	Stages Nursery, Pre-prep, Prep	Stages Nursery Provision; Reception; Prep School (Year 1 to Year 6; ages 4-11).
School type	School type Co-educational	School type co-educational independent school
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix Around 30% of children are from overseas, from over 50 countries.	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support SEND team with in-house SEND provision, including one-to-one learning development sessions and social and emotional support; liaises with local authorities, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists; inclusive and flexible approach to meet a range of needs.	Additional learning support SEND provision includes tailored learning plans and specialist support where needed. The SENDCo is Mrs Machado.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Affiliation with the United States Embassy	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation Non-denominational	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Wraparound care runs daily from 8am to 6pm for all children; includes Nursery After-School Care and Prep-School After-School Care; School Bus service available.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details Zeelo-powered school bus service with routes from Maida Vale, St John's Wood and South Hampstead, and from Queen's Park, West Hampstead and Finchley Road.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application & Registration Fees - A non-returnable registration fee is payable on application: GBP 145 for Nursery applications; GBP 174 (inclusive of 20% VAT) for Reception and above. Deposits - A deposit is payable on acceptance of an offered place: Nursery Acorns deposit GBP 3,000; Nursery Oaks through to Year 8 deposit GBP 4,000. The deposit is refunded following a child's last term at the school, subject to the school's Terms and Conditions (and provided outstanding sums are settled and notice requirements are met). Tuition fees (termly and annual) - The figures below are the termly charges for the 2026–2027 academic year. Termly amount followed by the equivalent annual amount (three terms) is shown for each entry stage. - Nursery Acorns (08:30–12:00, morning sessions): GBP 4,246 per term — GBP 12,738 per year. (No VAT). - Nursery Acorns (08:30–15:00, full day): GBP 7,454 per term — GBP 22,362 per year. (No VAT). - Nursery Oaks (0830–15:00): GBP 8,974 per term — GBP 26,922 per year. (No VAT). - Reception: GBP 10,051 per term — GBP 30,153 per year. (Inclusive of VAT). - Year 1 to Year 8: GBP 10,794 per term — GBP 32,382 per year. (Inclusive of VAT). - Fees for international sponsored students (termly / annual): Reception GBP 11,056 per term — GBP 33,168 per year; Year 1–Year 8 GBP 11,873 per term — GBP 35,619 per year. (Inclusive of VAT). Extra-subject charges (termly) - Ballet (Nursery Oaks): GBP 300 per term. - Ballet (Reception to Year 6): GBP 360 per term. - Yoga (Nursery Oaks): GBP 300 per term. - Yoga (Reception to Year 6): GBP 360 per term. - Chess: GBP 396 per term. - Judo: GBP 318 per term. - Music and Voice: GBP 468 per term. - LAMDA: GBP 450 per term. What the tuition fees include - Tuition, specialist teaching (arts, French, STEM, Games), school lunches (except Nursery Acorns part-time sessions), scheduled termly educational trips (except Nursery Acorns part‑time), general exercise books and stationery, pastoral care and use of school facilities including Forest School. VAT status is indicated where applicable. Other costs and optional extras - Optional extras are billed separately: uniform, wraparound care (before and after school), after-school clubs, school bus service, residential trips and certain optional activities. After-School Care is provided until 18:00 and is charged separately to tuition. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are billed and payable termly, strictly in advance, and must be paid as cleared funds before the start of the term to which they relate. The first term's fees for September entry are due in full by the end of the Spring Term preceding that September entry. A full term's written notice, or fees in lieu, is required if a pupil is withdrawn; notice must expire at the end of a term. Late payment may incur an additional charge (GBP 100) and interest. Payment methods and options - Available payment methods include the school's direct debit arrangement and the school's international payment platform. Tax-Free Childcare is accepted for nursery fee payments. The school may refuse a payment if it is not satisfied as to the identity of the payer or the source of funds. Agreements with third parties to pay fees do not release parents from liability. Boarding - The school does not offer boarding; there are no boarding fees. Refunds and cancellations - The registration fee is non‑returnable. The acceptance deposit is refundable following a pupil's last term at the school, subject to the Terms and Conditions and provided all outstanding sums are settled and required notice has been given. If a pupil is expelled, there is no refund of the Acceptance Deposit or of fees for the current or past terms. If parents terminate with less than the required notice, a term's fees in lieu may be payable.	Fee details Application and registration fees - Registration (application) fee (non-refundable): GBP 120 payable on submission of the application form. Acceptance deposit - Acceptance deposit: GBP 5,000 payable on acceptance of a place. This deposit is retained until after the pupil leaves and is repaid without interest provided the school's notice requirements are met; the deposit is non‑refundable if a full term's notice is not given or if the application is withdrawn. Tuition fees (2026/27) — termly and per year group - Termly tuition fee (inclusive of VAT): GBP 8,210 per term. Annual equivalent (three terms) is GBP 24,630. - The termly tuition fee above applies to pupils across the school (Reception through Year 6); the same termly rate is charged for each year group. Mandatory termly additional charges - Termly lunch fee (inclusive of VAT): GBP 552 per term (GBP 1,656 per year). Extra-curricular and optional charges - Music tuition: Course of 10 half-hour lessons charged at GBP 298 per course; instrumental/vocal lessons and ensemble participation are invoiced shortly after the start of term. - Breakfast Club: charged at GBP 5.50 per morning on an ad‑hoc basis. - Before- and after-school clubs: fees start from around GBP 160 per term depending on the club; costs vary by provider and by term. - Educational visits: day trips and residential visits (Years 3–6 and occasional older-year trips to Europe) are charged separately; parents are notified in advance and costs are added to invoices. - Sibling discount: 10% reduction applies to the second and each subsequent child from the same family. This reduction does not apply to after-school activities, holiday clubs, educational visits or residential trips. Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are invoiced termly in advance and are due as cleared funds before the commencement of the school term to which they relate. If an invoice item is disputed, the balance must still be paid. - The school may offer installment facilities via third-party providers; arrangements may be available through Premium Credit/SFP for spreading payments. Any third-party payment agreement does not remove parents' liability for fees and the school may refuse third-party payments. - Late payment: the school may charge simple interest on overdue fees at up to 1.5% per month, calculated daily, and may recover costs (including legal costs) incurred in collecting unpaid fees. The school may exclude a pupil with three days' written notice if fees are overdue; prolonged exclusion may be treated as withdrawal without notice and a term's fees in lieu of notice will become payable. Notice, withdrawal and refund rules - To cancel acceptance of a place or to withdraw a child, one full term's written notice (matching the school term dates) must be given. If such notice is not given, a full term's fees are payable in lieu of notice. - Refunds of fees are not normally made for absence through illness, shortened terms, temporary school closures for adverse weather, or release from school before the normal end of term. Refunds are only made exceptionally at the Head's discretion in cases of genuine hardship. - The acceptance deposit is repayable when the pupil leaves provided one full term's notice has been given if leaving prior to the final term in Year 6; failure to give required notice can make the deposit non‑refundable. Boarding - Boarding is not applicable. The Lyceum is a day preparatory school for children aged 4–11. Other costs and potential extras - Uniform, specific clothing/equipment, photographs, damage charges, and other extras are charged as required. Extras and charges for trips, instrumental tuition, and certain additional teaching are invoiced as incurred. Parents are responsible for arranging and paying for any formal educational assessments required (for example, special educational needs assessments). Payment methods and practical notes - Fees must be paid as cleared funds before the start of term. Installment plans may be arranged through the school's finance partner (Premium Credit/SFP); other payment mechanisms (for example, direct bank transfer or card payment) are subject to the school's accepted methods and any third-party arrangements. The school may request identity evidence for anti‑money‑laundering checks when payments are made. Summary of headline amounts (2026/27) - Termly tuition fee (all year groups Reception–Year 6): GBP 8,210 per term. - Termly lunch fee: GBP 552 per term. - Music (10 half-hour lessons): GBP 298 per course. - Registration fee (non‑refundable): GBP 120. - Acceptance deposit: GBP 5,000.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details Devonshire House offers a full co-educational prep curriculum for pupils aged 2–13. In the Early Years, the EYFS framework guides a play-based, scaffolded approach that balances child-initiated learning with adult-directed teaching and focuses on the three prime areas: communication and language development, personal, social and emotional development, and physical development, taught through literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world, and expressive arts and design. French is generously timetabled from Nursery, with language learning extended across age groups. From Year 4, the curriculum is delivered by specialist teachers, with a strong emphasis on reading and writing and a study-skills programme to prepare pupils for exams later on. Read Write Inc. is used from Nursery through Year 2 to support phonics and early reading. The STEM and Arts programmes span science, IT and the arts, with science taught as a single subject through Year 6 and then split into Biology, Chemistry and Physics from Year 7, and with specialist teaching in the arts (visual arts, music and drama) and opportunities such as music scholarships and Art Scholars to support talented artists.	Curriculum details Across all age ranges, pupils enjoy a diverse and exciting topic-based curriculum. The topic-based approach is integrated with the National Curriculum, providing broad cross-curricular opportunities that develop a strong work ethic, independent thinking and learning skills. Topics are taught across the curriculum with strong links where possible, and where links do not exist, lessons are taught discretely; this holistic approach enables pupils to immerse themselves in their topics and develop connections to the real world. The curriculum includes English, Maths, Spanish, Latin, Science and Drama, with Maths taught through Maths No Problem (Singapore mastery) and a focus on times tables using Times Tables Rock Stars. The school uses a blend of traditional and digital resources and AI-powered platforms to personalise learning and support 11+ preparation.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio —	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results Lower School outcomes show strong progress in phonics and reading: in Reception, 30% of pupils are six months ahead in phonics; 60% exceed age-related expectations in reading; over 80% are above the expected level in mathematics. In Year 1, more than 60% are above expected levels in phonics; 25% achieve Greater Depth in reading; nearly 50% in spelling; and over 40% in mathematics.	Exam results 11+ outcomes are strong with pupils consistently receiving offers to senior schools. In 2025/2026, 16 pupils sat exams and achieved 47 offers from 24 schools, with several scholarships awarded. In 2024/2025, 12 pupils sat exams and achieved 23 offers from 12 schools. In 2023/2024, 7 pupils achieved 15 offers from 9 schools and in 2022/2023, 14 pupils achieved 30 offers from 14 schools.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Leavers progress to a wide range of senior schools; Devonshire House is part of the Dukes Education family and offers guaranteed entry to Dukes senior schools, with places at schools including University College School (UCS), Highgate, St Paul's, and Channing. Senior school destinations also include a broad list of well-known London and regional senior institutions such as South Hampstead High School, Merchant Taylors' School, Mill Hill, North London Collegiate School, Wetherby Senior School and others, as detailed in the Year 6 and Year 8 destinations materials.	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented The Arts programme supports talented pupils, including an Art Scholars group to develop portfolios for prospective schools and interview practice. Talented musicians may receive internal music scholarships in Year 3, with ambassadors representing the school in performances and events.	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions 1. Visit Us. Open Mornings are offered to explore the Nursery and meet Upper School pupils; if you cannot attend, contact the Admissions Team to arrange a visit at your convenience. 2. Register Online. The online registration form must be completed and a non-refundable Registration Fee paid. The Registration Fee is £145 for Nursery applications and £174 (including VAT) for Reception and above. 3. Next Steps. After registration, the Admissions Team will be in touch to discuss the next steps for your child. 4. Entry Points & Requirements. The main points of entry are Acorns (2+), Reception (4+), Year 3 (7+), and Year 7 (11+). 5. Joining Our Nursery (Acorns & Oaks). There are no taster sessions or assessments required to secure a place for Acorns. Offers for Acorns are made year-round for upcoming years; Oaks offers are extended one year in advance, and children in Nursery receive an automatic place in Reception. 6. Joining Reception (4+). There are no assessments required to secure a place in Reception; your child will be invited to taster events several times during the year preceding entry. Offers for Reception are made in the Spring Term preceding the proposed academic year of entry. 7. Joining at 7+ (Year 3). The admissions process includes a Taster event; offers for Year 3 are made in the Spring Term preceding entry. 8. Joining at 11+ (Year 7). A Taster Morning and an Assessment are conducted before offering a place; there is also an online Get to Know You session for Year 7/8 before an offer is made. 9. Visa Sponsorship & References. For families seeking visa sponsorship, an online interview with the child and accompanying adult is conducted before an offer. 10. Offers & Parental Commitment. Offers reflect a combination of merit and fit, and parental commitment to the School's ethos is an important factor. 11. Waiting List. If places for the following September are filled, applicants are kept on the waiting list for the relevant year group, and places may be offered to waiting-listed children if vacancies arise.	Admissions 1. The Lyceum educates children aged 4 to 11, with most pupils joining in Nursery or Reception; entry to other year groups is possible where spaces exist, across five entry points from EYFS to Year 6. 2. Registrations are accepted from birth; a registration form must be completed and returned with a copy of the child's birth certificate or passport and a non-refundable registration fee (£120 via the online form). The Registrar is responsible for registrations. 3. Before an assessment, parents are encouraged to visit the school (open mornings or individual tours); offers are communicated after these visits, typically within a week of the event. 4. Foundation Stage entry (Nursery/Reception) involves an informal assessment and a meeting with the Headmistress and the Head of EYFS to assess social, physical and emotional readiness. 5. Year 1–2 entrants may spend a morning in their class; no formal examination is required if space allows, but pupils are expected to demonstrate good behaviour and social fit. 6. Year 3 entry is selective, with an interview with the Headmaster; the school offers two scholarships for Year 3 entry, with successful candidates expected to remain until the end of Year 6. 7. For Years 4–6, places may be available; entrants may participate in a taster session and sit a short online Maths and English test (GL Assessment) plus an updated report from their previous school. 8. After assessments, outcomes may be a firm place offered, a place on a waiting list, or no place offered. 9. If a place is accepted, a deposit is required (deposit amount varies by entry point) and a signed acceptance of Terms and Conditions and Parent Contract by a set date; the deposit is refundable on leaving the school with appropriate notice. 10. Scholarships are available: two scholarships may be awarded from the 7+ examination and interview process, one for academic excellence and one for Creative Arts, with up to a 10% discount on fees; scholarships remain active until the end of Year 6 provided there is continued excellent progress.
Scholarships	Scholarships Devonshire House offers academic and music scholarships to children entering Year 3, and the first year of the Upper School (Year 4). Scholarships are awarded based on results of scholarship examinations held in the Summer Term, and are open to external candidates. Bursaries are available to pupils who meet entry standards and who have the potential to contribute to the School community but require financial assistance with fees.	Scholarships Two scholarships may be awarded as a result of the 7+ examination and interview process: one scholarship for academic excellence and one for Creative Arts, with up to a 10% discount against the school's fees. Scholarships remain active through to the end of Year 6, provided the pupil maintains excellent progress. The Year 3 entry policy confirms two scholarships are available for entrance at Year 3, with the expectation that successful candidates remain until the end of Year 6.
Waitlist	Waitlist If places for the following September are filled, applicants are kept on the waiting list for the relevant year group, and places may be offered to waiting-listed children if vacancies arise.	Waitlist The school maintains a waitlist for admission; past cohorts show entries with waiting list positions alongside offers. For example, the leavers' destinations data reports waitlisted places in multiple cohorts, indicating that a waitlist exists as part of the admissions process.
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