The Lower School is the pre-preparatory department for boys and girls aged 4-8. It is based in two departments at 3 Garrad's Road SW16; and at  The Vicarage, 192 Ramsden Road and 50 Nightingale Lane SW12 (6 & 7 year olds). Although the buildings are different in style, the curriculum followed by both Lower School departments is exactly the same and they are run very much in tandem.

Boys leave the school at the age of 8, usually either to country prep schools or to our brother school Northcote Lodge. Girls progess automatically through to the Upper School, where they lead up to Common Entrance at either 11+ or 13+.

There are approximately 120 children at Garrads Road and 220 children at The Vicarage/Nightingale Lane, divided into the four year groups of Prep Class (4 year-olds) and Classes 1, 2 and 3, (5, 6 and 7 year-olds).

In the Lower School, our aims are twofold: first, to provide the best possible start to every child's educational career, which we define not just in terms of educational excellence, but also (by offering a wide range of subjects) to enable every child to shine at something, and to enjoy the experience of achieving. Second, as children vary widely in their abilities, to encourage every child, regardless of academic ability, whilst setting a very high academic standard for able children.