Are you really ready for Ken Prep?
/Last year, we prepared two girls for Kensington Prep and they both were offered a place. Of course, this was just one of several schools they were preparing for. Both girls we supported for Kensington Prep had over 12 months of assessment preparation. Both were offered places at other top schools, including NLCS, Glendower, and Westminster.
The main point of entry to Kensington Prep is the 4+. So, if this is the school you would like for your daughter, you should aim to prepare her to be more than ready — ready to go in, shine, and ultimately be offered a place.
Occasional places do arise, but they are incredibly rare. You can apply for these via the school’s website. However, as soon as you apply for an occasional place, preparation should begin immediately. What do most families do? They wait until the place becomes available and then start preparing their daughters. By that point, it is often too late.
Typically, schools give just 2–4 weeks’ notice for an occasional place assessment. You do not prepare properly for an occasional place assessment — any occasional place assessment — in 2–4 weeks. Have I seen success in that timeframe? Yes, of course. But it creates unnecessary pressure and significantly more work for everyone involved.
You can register your daughter from birth.
At the time of writing this blog, the website has not yet been updated for 2027 entry.
The 4+ assessments for Kensington Prep will take place in January 2027 (for 2027 entry). We are already preparing several girls for this assessment.
The school states that they are not “looking for girls who have mastered algebra.” I assume this is a dig at parents and teachers who prepare their children for this assessment. Smile, nod, and continue preparing your daughter. They also write: “Offers are based on an assessment of your daughter’s academic potential, ability and attitude,” and, “We are looking for girls — no matter their personality, introvert or extrovert — who are alert, curious, and enthusiastic about learning.”
You must prepare for all of that.
Siblings do not receive automatic entry and I am aware of siblings who have not passed this 4+ assessment.
With fees approaching £30,000 per year from Reception to Year 2, I would suggest investing a small proportion of that amount in ensuring your daughter is thoroughly prepared and has the strongest possible chance of success in this 4+ assessment. And if you choose not to, that decision is, of course, yours.
