Prospect House School vs The Lyceum School

	P Prospect House School London, United Kingdom	T The Lyceum School London, United Kingdom
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year £11,100 - 27,885	Fees / year £24,630
Age range	Age range 3 - 11 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 265	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1960	Opened 1997
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Putney Hill, London SW15 3NT. The Lower School (Nursery–Year 2) is at 76–78 Putney Hill, SW15 6RB, and the Upper School (Year 3–Year 6) is at 75 Putney Hill, SW15 3NT, overlooking Putney Heath in southwest 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 to Year 6 (ages 3–11).	Stages Nursery Provision; Reception; Prep School (Year 1 to Year 6; ages 4-11).
School type	School type Co-educational independent preparatory school.	School type co-educational independent school
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix —	Pupil nationality mix —
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The school provides a fully individualised learning programme with a high teacher-to-pupil ratio and a comprehensive pastoral programme to support wellbeing.	Additional learning support SEND provision includes tailored learning plans and specialist support where needed. The SENDCo is Mrs Machado.
Country affiliation	Country affiliation —	Country affiliation —
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure Pupils are registered at 8:30am. The formal school day ends at 3:30pm (Lower School) and 4:00pm (Upper School), with after-school clubs for a further hour. Wraparound care runs from 7:40am to 6:00pm.	School day structure —
Bus service details	Bus service details Bus service includes routes 14, 37, 39, 85 and 93 stopping near the Lower School at Putney Hill; 424 stops at Putney Hill or Putney Heath. For the Upper School, buses 39, 93, 170, 493, 639 and 670 stop near Green Man (Stop R) or Putney Hill; 424 stops at Putney Heath. Both sites are within a short walk or bus ride of Putney Hill stops.	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Application / Registration Fee - A non‑refundable registration fee of GBP 100 is payable when you register your child. Acceptance Deposit - An acceptance/placement deposit of GBP 3,000 (inclusive of VAT) is payable on accepting an offered place. The deposit is held by the school as a long‑term deposit and is returned when the child leaves the school, provided the school has received payment of all sums due. The deposit is held without payment of interest. Tuition fees — academic year 2026–27 (termly) - Nursery (five mornings each week): GBP 3,700 per term. Optional afternoon attendance is charged as follows: 1 afternoon/week GBP 740; 2 afternoons/week GBP 1,480; 3 afternoons/week GBP 2,220; 4 afternoons/week GBP 2,960; 5 afternoons/week GBP 3,700. Occasional afternoon sessions for Nursery: GBP 70 per session. - Reception: GBP 8,225 per term (incl. VAT). - Year 1 and Year 2: GBP 8,700 per term (incl. VAT). - Years 3, 4, 5 and 6: GBP 9,295 per term (incl. VAT). Billing schedule and payment terms - Fees are invoiced on a termly basis. Termly fees are payable on or before the first day of each term. Fees are increased with effect from the start of each academic year; changes are normally announced to parents in the Easter holidays. Payment methods and arrangements - Registration payments are taken via the school's online payment service (Stripe) during the registration process. The acceptance deposit may be paid by bank transfer direct to the school's bank account or by Stripe; the deposit is held in the school's general account. The school accepts childcare vouchers and the government Tax‑Free Childcare scheme towards Nursery fees. Boarding - Boarding is not applicable. Prospect House operates as a day preparatory school for children aged 3–11. Other charges and optional extras - Before/after‑school clubs: from GBP 95 per term. - Morning wraparound care: GBP 5 per day. - Afternoon wraparound care (Nursery–Year 2): GBP 15 per day; (Years 3–6): GBP 10 per day. - Individual music lessons (10 × 30 minute lessons): GBP 305 per term. - Residential trips (Years 3–6) and ski trips are charged separately and billed in advance. - Uniform and related clothing/equipment are additional costs; a second‑hand uniform shop and occasional sales operate to help families with uniform purchase. - Specialist services (for example, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, or dedicated one‑to‑one support if required by an Education, Health and Care Plan) may incur additional charges. Refunds and cancellation - The registration fee is non‑refundable. The acceptance deposit is held as a long‑term deposit and is returned when the child leaves the school, subject to the school having received payment of all sums due. The acceptance/offer paperwork sets out a 14‑day cancellation right in limited circumstances where the contract has been concluded entirely at a distance. Refunds for short courses or immersion programme fees follow the refund provisions applicable to those programmes and are reimbursed using the same payment method unless otherwise agreed. Discounts and financial support - A sibling discount scheme is available for families with three or more children enrolled; current rates are available from Admissions. The school accepts eligible government‑funded childcare hours (15 or 30 hours) for 3–4 year‑olds and accepts childcare vouchers and Tax‑Free Childcare for Nursery fees. Scholarships (academic, art, drama, music and sport) and means‑tested bursaries are available for entry into Years 3–5. Notes for parents - Termly figures above are the published tuition charges for the 2026–27 academic year and cover core day‑to‑day provision stated as included (hot lunch for full‑day pupils, morning snack, workshops and non‑residential trips). Optional extras and ad‑hoc charges listed above are billed separately. For payment of deposits and invoices, use the bank transfer details provided in the offer/acceptance paperwork or the school's Stripe payment links where indicated.	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 The curriculum runs from Nursery and Reception through to Year 6, combining core academic subjects with a wide range of creative subjects, languages and sport, alongside an Early Years approach. Elements of the Curiosity Approach, Reggio Emilia and Montessori are woven into the classroom, and outdoor learning is a key part of the experience. In Reception, the learning model blends child-led discovery with structured teaching, with specialist lessons in sport, French and lower-school music. Progression from Reception to Year 1 is supported by observation, assessment and individualised tracking, with Tapestry used to share observations with parents. The curriculum includes English, Mathematics and Science; French is taught from age 3, Latin in Years 5–6, Geography, History, PSHCE, Wellbeing, Drama, Music, Computing and PE, with specialist staff contributing to learning across the year groups.	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 Approximately 1:7.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results —	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 —	Higher education progression —
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented Gifted and Talented provision includes a pathway in art, sport and music from Year 3; there is a Gifted, Able and Talented Policy.	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 STEP 1. Visit us. Choosing the right school for your child is an important decision. Prospect House offers private tours on most weekdays during term time with flexible dates and times, and virtual headteacher meetings are available if an in-person visit isn't possible. The main entry points are Nursery (3+) after the third birthday and Reception (4+) in September after the fourth birthday. STEP 2. Register. Register via the online process by completing a form and paying the registration fee of £100 (inclusive of VAT). By registering you formalise your interest and secure your child's position on the waiting list for the chosen start date. STEP 3. Offer of a place. Places are offered in registration date order with priority given to siblings. For Nursery (3+) and Reception (4+), offers begin about twelve months before the start date; if spaces are filled, additional applicants are placed on the waiting list. Once an offer is made, you are invited to revisit the school and ask questions; the information pack includes details on how to accept the place via the online form. Acceptance of the place must be accompanied by a deposit payment of £3,000. STEP 4. Settling in. Before starting Prospect House, children are invited to induction events to familiarise themselves with the environment and classmates. A key event takes place in late June for new starters, giving them a chance to meet teachers and peers, with a headteacher talk for parents. Throughout the first term Curriculum Sessions are run for each year group, and an Introduction to Phonics for Early Years parents is offered. Class teachers keep in touch closely with families to ensure a smooth transition, and the Head of Admissions is Claire Richardson.	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 —	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 The school operates a waiting list. Places are allocated in registration date order with priority given to siblings; when all spaces are filled, subsequent applicants are placed on the waiting list.	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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