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Orchard House School

United Kingdom, London

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees £12,369 - 31,110
Ages 3 - 11 years
Pupil numbers 398
Type Co-educational
Opened 1993
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Montessori Curriculum, British Curriculum
Taught languages French, Mandarin, Latin, Spanish
Strengths Performing Arts, STEM, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Lifestyle and Wellbeing
Stages Early Years, Primary School
Introduction

Orchard House School is a co-educational preparatory for ages 3 to 11 in West London. It follows The Learning Orchard curriculum, a programme blending Powerful Knowledge, Holistic Learning, Leadership and World Readiness with EYFS, Montessori, and a British-style framework. From Year 1, specialist teaching supports Art, Computing, Dance, Design & Technology, Drama, French, Music, PE, PSHE and Science, with STEAM projects in the Innovation Hub. Reading Explorer and Reading Scholar place reading at the heart of progress, supported by termly English, Maths and Science assessments. The school maintains small classes and a high staff-to-pupil ratio to tailor learning. In Year 6, Senior Schools & 11+ programme guides entry to senior schools, with cohorts achieving 150 offers and over 40 scholarships across day and boarding schools, including priority entry to Dukes senior schools within network. Facilities include a purpose-built early years centre, specialist rooms, libraries, and wraparound care from 7:30am to 6pm.

Priory House, Priory Avenue, London, W4 1TX

Vibes and Culture
The school has not added this information
The Essentials

Orchard House School has 398 pupils, instruction in English.

Location
Priory House, Priory Avenue, London W4 1TX. The school is in Chiswick, West London. It serves families across West London and beyond.

Stages
Ages 3 to 11; Nursery through Year 6.

Type
Co-educational prep school.

Pupil Nationality Mix
Pupils come from more than 21 countries, contributing to a diverse international community.

Additional learning support
Tailored English as an Additional Language (EAL) support from Reception upwards; 1-4 sessions per week; bespoke one-to-one or group EAL sessions.
Diving Deeper
The school has not added this information
Fees

Annual tuition at Orchard House School ranges from GBP 12,369 to GBP 31,110 for 2026/27.

Application & acceptance fees

- Registration fee: GBP 120 for general applications; GBP 100 for Nursery applications. This registration fee is non‑refundable.
- Acceptance deposit: GBP 3,000 payable when a place is accepted. The deposit is retained if a place is not taken up after acceptance. The deposit is returned when the pupil leaves the school provided all sums due (including any fees in lieu of notice where required) have been paid and the school's notice requirements have been met. When a place is accepted the deposit may be paid via a secure Stripe payment link or directly into the school's bank account.

Tuition fees (termly; three terms per academic year) — 2026/27 academic year

- Nursery (charged by session; minimum 5 sessions per week). Termly fees (from September 2026):
- 5 sessions per week: GBP 4,123 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 12,369).
- 6 sessions per week: GBP 4,940 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 14,820).
- 7 sessions per week: GBP 5,764 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 17,292).
- 8 sessions per week: GBP 6,587 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 19,761).
- 9 sessions per week: GBP 7,411 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 22,233).
- 10 sessions per week: GBP 8,234 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 24,702).
- One‑off additional Nursery session rate: GBP 82. Nursery fees are VAT‑exempt.

- Reception, Years 1 and 2: GBP 9,229 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 27,687). Fees for these year groups are quoted inclusive of VAT.

- Years 3, 4, 5 and 6: GBP 9,427 per term (annual equivalent: GBP 28,281). Fees for these year groups are quoted inclusive of VAT.

- Fees for sponsored (child student visa) pupils (2026/27, payable per term): Reception/Years 1 & 2 GBP 10,152; Years 3–6 GBP 10,370 (annual equivalents: GBP 30,456 and GBP 31,110 respectively). These sponsored‑student fees are charged per term and are VAT‑inclusive.

What the fees include / VAT

- Reception through to Year 6 fees include a hot cooked lunch and most daytime excursions (residential trips are excluded). Nursery lunchtime inclusion depends on the pattern of attendance. Reception–Year 6 fees are VAT‑inclusive; Nursery fees are VAT‑exempt under early years rules.

Wraparound care, clubs and optional charges

- Wraparound care (sessional charges, 2026 session information): Morning session (7:30–8:30) GBP 10 per session; Afternoon session (3:30–6:00) GBP 19 per session; afternoon sessions booked half‑termly in advance GBP 16 per session. (Wraparound session prices published with reference to 2025 rates and 2026 fees noted as TBC where listed; the school publishes the current sessions and booking options).
- Clubs and pre/post‑school activity charges from GBP 150 per activity (per the 2026/27 fees summary). Individual peripatetic music lessons (ten lessons of 30 minutes) start from GBP 320. Charges for clubs and music lessons are additional to tuition and are billed separately.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Fees are charged termly with three terms in each academic year (Autumn/September, Spring/January and Summer/April). Parents receive termly invoices.
- One term's fees (at the new academic year rate) are payable in advance on or before 1 March in the year of entry for a September start. Parents who accept an offer after 1 March prior to commencement, or who join mid‑year, are required to pay the first term's fees at acceptance alongside the deposit. A full term's notice in writing is required to withdraw a pupil; in the absence of such notice fees in lieu of notice are payable. For sponsored pupils, the first term's fees are payable on acceptance and subsequent termly fees must be paid before the first day of each term.
- The school increases fees at the start of each academic year; new rates are communicated to parents in advance of their coming into effect.

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not applicable. Orchard House operates as a day Nursery and Prep school for children aged 3–11. No boarding fees apply.

Other costs to budget for

- School uniform: a full uniform is required and official items are obtainable from the appointed supplier (School Blazer or named suppliers listed on the uniform pages). Uniform costs are separate and charged by the supplier. Second‑hand uniform sales are organised by the parent community at intervals.
- Residential trips, external outings requiring fees, specialist peripatetic lessons beyond the school's basic provision, some clubs and some equipment or examination costs are charged in addition to tuition. Music lessons and clubs are charged separately as noted above.

Refunds and deposit handling

- The registration fee is non‑refundable. The GBP 3,000 acceptance deposit is retained if the accepted place is not taken up. The acceptance deposit is refundable when the pupil leaves the school provided the parent has given the required written notice, all outstanding sums have been paid and any fees in lieu of notice have been settled; the deposit will be returned following the pupil's final term (the school's terms provide for the deposit to be returned no later than two weeks after the end of the child's last term, subject to the stated conditions).

Fee payment options

- Deposit payments may be made via a secure Stripe payment link or by direct bank transfer to the school account. The school accepts most companies' childcare voucher schemes and also accepts payments under the government tax‑free childcare scheme. A monthly payment scheme is available for spreading payments; details are arranged with the Finance Team. These payment routes allow card payments where processed via Stripe and standard bank transfers where paid into the school account.

Sibling discounts and bursaries

- Sibling discount: 10% discount on the tuition fees of the younger child when two children from the same family are enrolled. For three or more children, a 5% discount applies to the third child and to subsequent children; discounts are deducted automatically from the termly invoice.
- Means‑tested bursaries are available from the Orchard House School Educational Trust (OHSET); bursaries may cover up to 100% of fees and may also assist with uniform, trips and other essentials. Application timelines and eligibility guidance are published by the school and OHSET.

If you need a plain listing of the exact per‑term and annual figures above (for database entry), use the termly amounts listed and calculate the annual equivalents by multiplying each termly figure by three. The figures above reflect the school's published 2026/27 fee schedule and associated terms and conditions.
Academics

Orchard House School teaches Bespoke Curriculum, EYFS (Early years foundation stage), Montessori Curriculum, British Curriculum for students aged 3 to 11.

Curriculum
The Learning Orchard curriculum blends Powerful Knowledge, Holistic Learning, Leadership and World Readiness to build curious, adaptable learners who are prepared for senior school and beyond. It offers specialist teaching from Year 1 across Art, Computing, Dance, Design & Technology, Drama, French, Music, PE, PSHE and Science, with STEAM projects and coding introduced in the Innovation Hub. Reading Explorer (KS1) and Reading Scholar (KS2) place reading at the centre of progress, developing vocabulary, reading fluency and comprehension. Termly assessments in English, Maths, Science and Reasoning from Year 1 feed into individual targets and allow staff to tailor the curriculum to each pupil, with results shared with parents. In Year 6, the Senior Schools & 11+ programme prepares pupils for senior school entry, and the most recent cohort achieved 150 offers and 42 scholarships across 27 leading day and boarding schools, with priority entry to Dukes senior schools as part of the Dukes Education family. A high staff-to-pupil ratio and small classes support personalised attention.

Student Teacher Ratio
Small classes and a high staff-to-pupil ratio support personalised attention.

Exam Results
Senior Schools & 11+ programme equips pupils for senior school entry. The most recent Year 6 cohort received 150 offers and 42 scholarships across 27 leading day and boarding schools, with priority entry to Dukes Education senior schools.

Higher Education Progression
Pupils progress to senior schools through the Senior Schools & 11+ programme, with strong 11+ outcomes and priority entry to Dukes Education senior schools.
Wellbeing
The school has not added this information
Parent Experience
The school has not added this information
Facilities
The school has not added this information
Extra-Curricular Activities
The school has not added this information
Languages
The school has not added this information
Reputation
The school has not added this information
Admissions

Admissions
1. Registration and waiting list. The school acknowledges receipt of the registration and the child's name is placed on the waiting list for the preferred year. Offers are made in Nursery in batches starting in early spring, with priority entry given to applicants connected to Orchard House or Dukes Education. After these batches, remaining places are offered in order of registration at the Head's discretion. If no places are available, registrants remain on the waiting list for future vacancies. 2. Nursery entry, deferrals, and occasional places. Nursery entry offers begin about 18 months before start and are issued in batches, with priority entry given to applicants connected to the school or Dukes Education. Deferrals to Reception are possible; deferral requests must be in writing and places are allocated on a deferral order. Occasional places in other year groups are dealt with on an individual basis and subject to assessment, including requests for latest school reports and may include an entrance assessment. 3. Priority entry and siblings. Priority entry is given to applicants with a connection to Orchard House, Chiswick & Bedford Park Prep School, or Dukes Education. Sibling priority exists: the younger child may be prioritized if registered at the same time as the older or within 3 months of birth. Where an older child has left the school, siblings yet to join will no longer enjoy priority status. 4. Accepting a place, deposits, and conditions. To accept an offer, parents complete the acceptance form and pay a £3,000 deposit; acceptance becomes confirmed when both are received. The deposit is non-refundable if the pupil does not join, and it is refundable within two weeks after the end of the last term if departure was notified and all fees have been paid. One term's fees are payable in advance for the upcoming academic year, by March 1st; if acceptance occurs after March 1st, first term's fees are due with the deposit. When finalising the offer, the school may request reports or references and will consider any special educational needs, EAL requirements, and the child's right to reside in the UK.

Scholarships
Bursaries are awarded and funded by Orchard House School Educational Trust (OHSET), a registered charity which works closely with, but independently of Orchard House School. Orchard House School does not offer scholarships based on academic, musical or sporting achievement.

Waitlist
Registration is acknowledged and the child's name is placed on the waiting list for the preferred year. When a place becomes available, offers are made in order of registration, with priority given to applicants with a school connection in Nursery. If no places are available, the child remains on the waiting list for future vacancies.
School Events
The school has not added events
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