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Bassett House School

United Kingdom, London

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees £12,843 - 28,611
Ages 2 - 11 years
Pupil numbers 153
Type Co-educational
Opened 1947
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Montessori Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum
Taught languages French, Latin
Typical class size 16
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, Visual and Creative Arts
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Social and Hobbies
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Primary School
Introduction

Bassett House School is a co-educational independent prep in Notting Hill, London, welcoming children aged 2–11. It runs EYFS, the British Curriculum, Montessori and a bespoke curriculum delivered by teachers, drawing on international practices to balance flexibility with high standards. Core subjects include English, Phonics, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Religious Education, PSHE, Computing, French and Latin. French is taught with immersion, including a Form 6 week at a French château where staff speak only French; Latin enriches vocabulary and cross‑curricular links. Computing classrooms are equipped with iMacs and interactive whiteboards; pupils use iPads, MacBook Air laptops and Chromebooks in class. The school is co-educational throughout and part of the Dukes Education family. Facilities include the main building with ten classrooms, Bassett Bear House for Early Years, a music and drama studio, and Westway Sports Centre and Kensington Memorial Park nearby. The motto is Be the best you can be, always.

60 Bassett Road, London W10 6JP, United Kingdom

The Essentials

Bassett House School has 153 pupils, typical class sizes of 16, instruction in English.

Location
Bassett House School is located in Notting Hill, London. The address is 60 Bassett Road, London W10 6JP. It is an independent, co-educational prep school for girls and boys.

Stages
Nursery (Ages 2–4) and Prep (Ages 4–11)

Type
Independent, co-educational prep school

Additional learning support
Pastoral care with personal Pupil Plans for each pupil and a worry box; buddy system for newcomers; older pupils mentor younger pupils.

Country affiliation
England
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school has no boarding.

Uniform Requirement
The school has a compulsory uniform, with items available from Sogans. The uniform includes a blazer with the school badge, navy outerwear, and a navy PE kit; Nursery items have separate lists.

Food Options
Lunch is provided on site. Fresh hot lunch and fresh fruit are prepared on the premises and included in the fees, with an exception for Nursery pupils attending mornings only.

Governance and Ownership
Bassett House School is part of the Dukes Education family and retains its independence. The Chair of Governors is Aatif Hassan, and Dukes Education provides governance oversight and shared services.
Fees

Annual tuition at Bassett House School ranges from GBP 12,843 to GBP 28,611 for 2026/27.

Application & Registration Fees

- Registration fee (non-refundable): Nursery School £125; Reception – Year 6 £150, payable on application.
- Acceptance deposit: £3,000 payable at acceptance (paid via the online acceptance form). The deposit is retained if an accepted place is later cancelled or the child does not take up the place. The deposit is returned when a pupil leaves the school, subject to the school having received a full term's written notice and payment of all sums due; further detail on timing and conditions for return is set out in the school's admissions terms. One term's fees (at the current academic year rate) is payable on or before a child's first day at the school.

Tuition fees (termly) and equivalent annual amounts

- Nursery (termly / annual):
- Mornings only (5 mornings each week): £4,281 per term — £12,843 per year (3 terms).
- Five full days: £8,562 per term — £25,686 per year (3 terms).
- Optional afternoon attendance (regular through the term): £856 per term — £2,568 per year (3 terms) if taken each term.
- Occasional afternoon attendance (ad-hoc): £86 per afternoon (charged per session).

- Prep School (termly / annual):
- Lower School (Reception – Year 2): £9,234 per term — £27,702 per year (3 terms).
- Upper School (Year 3 – Year 6): £9,537 per term — £28,611 per year (3 terms).

- All fees quoted are inclusive of applicable taxes (including VAT) or levies where relevant. Nursery and school fees include a fresh hot lunch and fresh fruit prepared on the premises, except for Nursery children attending mornings only. Music, SEN and external club costs are set by independent providers and may be subject to VAT.

Wraparound care and optional tuition / clubs

- Wraparound care (Nursery 3+ only and Reception and above):
- Morning session (from 07:45): £9.00 per session.
- Afternoon session (up to 18:00): £22.50 per session.
- Afternoon session (following after-school clubs): £9.00 per session.
- Optional clubs and tuition (indicative starting prices):
- Pre-school and after-school clubs: from £160 (per term).
- Instrument lessons (10 sessions, 30 minutes): from £304.50 (per block).
- SEN tuition (30 minutes per session): from £56.50 per session.

Sibling discounts

- Two children enrolled: 10% discount on tuition fees of the younger child (automatically deducted from the termly invoice).
- Three or more children enrolled: 5% discount applies to the youngest (third) child and 5% to subsequent children (automatically deducted from the termly invoice). Eligibility requires children to be full fee–paying pupils and to meet standard admission criteria.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Fees are billed termly. The school requires a term's written notice for the intended removal of a pupil; failure to give the required notice affects the return of the deposit and may require payment of the following term's fees. One term's fees (at the current academic year rate) is payable on or before the pupil's first day at the school. The deposit is refundable on leaving only if the school has received the required notice and all sums due have been paid; if the accepted place is cancelled before the child takes up the place, the deposit and any fees paid will be retained.

Refunds and cancellations

- The acceptance deposit (£3,000) will not be refunded if a child does not take up an accepted place. If a pupil leaves the school, the deposit will be returned no later than two weeks after the end of the pupil's last term provided one term's written notice was given on or before the first day of the pupil's last term and all sums due to the school have been paid. If such notice is not given, the deposit will not be returned unless the fees for the following term are paid in lieu of notice. Cancellation of an accepted place after acceptance will result in retention of deposit and any fees already paid.

Boarding

- Bassett House is a preparatory day school for children aged 2–11; no boarding provision or boarding fees apply.

Uniform and other compulsory items

- School uniform items (many crested items) must be purchased from the school's approved supplier, Sogans (orders online or in-store). The uniform list is specified by the school; prices for uniform items are set by the supplier and are not listed here. Personalisation and certain listed items are required to be purchased from the supplier.

Government schemes and concessions

- For children under five on 1 September, 1 January or 1 April, a Local Authority Grant (Minimum Funding Entitlement / Nursery Education Grant) may be applied to up to 15 hours' early years provision; parents who take the grant pay the difference between contracted hours and the grant where relevant. The school participates in childcare voucher schemes and accepts most companies' childcare vouchers and payments under the government's tax-free childcare scheme. Participation in the Local Authority Grant scheme is subject to change.

Fee payment methods (as stated by the school)

- The acceptance deposit is paid via the school's online acceptance form at the time of acceptance. The school accepts most companies' childcare vouchers and the government's tax-free childcare scheme for applicable payments. Specific merchant/payment methods (e.g., direct debit, bank transfer, credit card) are not itemised here; payment via the school's online form is required for acceptance deposits.
Academics

Bassett House School teaches EYFS (Early years foundation stage), British Curriculum, Montessori Curriculum, Bespoke Curriculum for students aged 2 to 11.

Curriculum
Bassett House School offers a rich and bespoke curriculum across the school, delivered by specialist teachers and designed to flexibly achieve excellent outcomes. The curriculum draws on best practices from international curricula to maintain flexibility while upholding high standards. English, Phonics, Mathematics, Science, Geography, History, Religious Education, PSHE, Computing, French and Latin are taught, with Computing classrooms equipped with iMacs and interactive whiteboards, and iPads, MacBook Air laptops and Chromebooks available for class use. French is taught with immersion and enrichment activities, including trips and a Form 6 week at a French château where staff speak only French; Latin enriches English vocabulary and supports cross‑curricular links. Bassett House is co-educational for ages 2-11, and pupils benefit from a co-educational environment; Year groups 1–6 have Curriculum Overview documents for Autumn 2025, Spring 2026 and Summer 2026, and the school is part of the Dukes Education family.

Exam Results
Our Year 6 pupils achieved outstanding 11+ outcomes, with offers from a wide range of London independent schools and several pupils receiving multiple offers, including a scholarship. Pupils have previously received offers from St Paul's Girls' School, City of London School for Girls, Francis Holland School Regent's Park, Alleyn's School Hampstead, Ibstock Place School, The Harrodian School, Emanuel School, University College School and Wetherby. In recent years, over 90% of our pupils have received offers at senior schools.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school embeds social and emotional learning in its pastoral care and PSHE programme. Pupils learn to manage emotions and develop empathy through a thought-provoking PSHE and RSE curriculum, with topics on consent, harassment, healthy relationships and wider society. Leaders emphasise the well-being and safety of pupils; pupils feel safe at school and actively discuss emotions, self-awareness and resilience. A personal Pupil Plan is used to monitor happiness and well-being, and a worry box provides a confidential channel for concerns. The buddy system supports newcomers, a growth mindset approach helps with friendship issues, and a house system promotes teamwork, belonging and community involvement through whole-school events and charitable activities.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school has a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDCo) who liaises with staff, pupils and parents to create learning plans and apply a graduated approach. If a pupil has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), provision is tailored to meet those needs. The school recognises that some EAL pupils may have SEN needs and ensures equal access to SEN provision. There is an English as an Additional Language (EAL) co-ordinator and a More Able and Talented (MAT) co-ordinator to support a broad range of needs. Staff development ensures provision for SEND and EAL is appropriately delivered and coordinated.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school values all languages and cultures; all languages, accents and cultures are equally valued. The school has an EAL co-ordinator who monitors progress toward English proficiency and maintains an assessment tracker. A language questionnaire is completed by parents on entry to identify home languages, exposure to English and other language needs. Staff differentiate teaching to meet EAL needs, using group work to promote authentic communication, with some guided or one-to-one sessions if appropriate, and allowing newly arrived children time to absorb English (including a recognised silent period). In EYFS, bilingual support and opportunities to hear home languages are provided, with opportunities for children to use their mother tongue alongside English.

Mental Wellbeing
The school places a strong emphasis on mental wellbeing within its PSHE provision and safeguarding framework. The PSHE and RSE curriculum addresses emotions, relationships, consent and harassment, helping pupils discuss and understand their mental health in mature terms. Leaders encourage pupils to recognise and manage their own emotions and to develop empathy, self-confidence and resilience. The ISI inspection notes that the school meets standards for pupils' physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing, with pupils describing their mental health in mature, self-aware ways. A culture of wellbeing is underpinned by safeguarding policies and staff training.

Safeguarding
The school operates a formal safeguarding framework with a designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies; CPOMS is used to log concerns and track follow-up. Concerns are reported immediately through established procedures, with referrals made to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) when appropriate. The safeguarding policy, adopted by the governors, applies to all staff and volunteers and covers safeguarding in all school activities, including external providers and off-site activities. Safeguarding records are shared with receiving schools as needed, and the board assigns a safeguarding governor to oversee policy and practice. Staff receive safeguarding training and are required to acknowledge the policy annually; the school conducts an annual safeguarding review and maintains ongoing safeguarding coordination with partner agencies. The NSPCC helpline is available for staff, and safeguarding arrangements extend to service-level agreements with external organisations.
Parent Experience

History
Bassett House School was founded in 1947 and is one of Notting Hill's oldest Prep Schools. It is a co-educational school in Notting Hill for girls and boys aged 2-11. The motto is 'Be the best you can be'. The school is part of the Dukes Education family.

Community
Bassett House School is a small, welcoming Notting Hill community with a big heart. World Book Day on March 5, 2026 featured a dress-up parade and reading activities. Red Nose Day fundraising in April 2025 used a 'crazy hair day' and raised £465. Bassett Life is the weekly school newsletter sharing highlights of learning and achievements across the school.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Main building at 60 Bassett Road houses ten classrooms and an outside play area, with Upper Prep pupils based there. The building was rebuilt in 2001 to create bright, airy rooms. St Helen's Church hall around the corner provides a professional stage and assembly hall, a gymnasium, a kitchen and a garden play area. Bassett Bear House is the Early Years home with Nursery aged 3+ and Reception aged 4+ in three light classrooms and a large interactive learning zone. There is a basement music and drama studio for the whole school, along with smaller group spaces. Kensington Memorial Park is a short walk away for outdoor time and Westway Sports Centre offers additional sports facilities nearby.

Sports Facilities
Westway Sports Centre provides state-of-the-art facilities including the largest climbing wall in London. It includes an LTA Accredited tennis performance centre and eight outdoor floodlit 3G football pitches with floodlit cricket lanes. These facilities support the school's PE and Games program. Kensington Memorial Park is nearby and used for outdoor time.

Academic Facilities
Main building houses ten classrooms and an outside play area, with Upper Prep pupils based there. Bassett Bear House is the newly renovated Early Years home featuring Nursery aged 3+ and Reception aged 4+ in three light classrooms and a large interactive learning zone. A basement music and drama studio provides arts spaces for the whole school, along with smaller group tutorial spaces. Bassett Bear House is designed to support early years with dedicated spaces for child initiated learning.

Extra Curricular Facilities
The school offers a broad co-curricular program, including Performing & Creative Arts, PE & Games, Clubs and Trips. These activities complement the academic program and provide a varied timetable of experiences outside the classroom.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school follows the National Curriculum from Key Stage 1 and provides a broad, balanced academic program. It extends learning through specialist teaching across subjects and a curriculum enriched by visits, workshops and a strong cocurricular footprint. From Years 4–6, reasoning is supported with online tools such as Atom Learning, Mangahigh and Times Tables Rockstars, and French is taught using Language Angels. Some pupils follow 11+ examination syllabuses as part of the curriculum, with targeted support for entrance to senior schools.

Arts & Creative
Arts are central to Bassett House; every child is a performer with involvement in class assemblies, nativity plays, year-wide theatre productions and festive services. The music program offers class lessons, a choir, an orchestra, instrument ensembles and individual tuition, with visiting teachers available. Art education covers painting, drawing, sculpture and digital media, with gallery visits, Royal Academy life drawing workshops and an annual Art Week Showcase. The school also runs drama and performing arts clubs.

Cultural & Language
A language-immersion experience includes a week-long trip in France at an outward-bound château where only French is spoken. French is taught using Language Angels, and cultural learning is supported by gallery visits and related workshops.

Social & Hobbies
Weekly clubs cover art, animation, coding, cooking, chess, drama, fencing, horse riding, martial arts, netball, swimming and yoga. Pupils can join the school chamber choir, senior and junior choirs and instrumental ensembles, and participate in media clubs such as Bassett Radio and Bassett's Big News newspaper club.

Community & Service
Charity activity features carolling for charity and Harvest Festival participation as part of school life, reflecting community-minded events. PSHE and the school's values promote respect for others and responsibility within the wider community.

Leadership & Professional
The school develops qualities of teamwork and leadership through its extensive programme of extra-curricular activities. Leadership recognition includes the weekly Head's Award and other accolades celebrated in Celebration Assemblies such as the Golden Spoon award, with house points and formal public praise reinforcing leadership and achievement. The Senior Leadership Team provides guidance and oversight to ensure consistent, values-driven practice across the school.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
PSHE topics reflect the school's aims and ethos and encourage respect for others; these lessons prepare pupils for their role in wider society. The curriculum builds self-esteem, confidence and transferable skills for life-long learning. A values-driven environment and the strong cocurricular programme—combined with regular educational visits and clubs—support pupils' wellbeing and holistic development.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the language of instruction with a focus on reading and writing. French is taught with immersion across the curriculum, with competitions and cinema trips, and a Form 6 week at a French château. Latin is taught to enrich English vocabulary and support learning across subjects. EAL support is provided for pupils whose first language is not English, with bilingual support where possible, and a language questionnaire is used to tailor support to enable full curriculum access.

Bilingual Teaching
No formal bilingual program is described; immersion-based French instruction is used.

Immersion Programs
French instruction uses immersion across the curriculum; there are French competitions and trips to see French films, and by Form 6 pupils spend a week at a French château with staff speaking only French.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Bassett House School publishes an Admissions Policy. A copy of the prospectus is available from the school office and can be sent on request. Tours of the school are conducted by the Headmistress. Open mornings or afternoons are held throughout the year to allow families to see the school in operation. To arrange a visit, contact the Admissions Department.

2. Bassett House School invites families to register their child. For Nursery and Reception, registrations are accepted from birth, allowing early interest to be noted. Registrations can be submitted after birth. The registrar handles registrations and inquiries as part of the admissions process.

3. After registration, the school will arrange either a personal tour or a virtual meeting with the Head. For younger children, the assessment focuses on the ability to integrate with the existing class rather than on academic achievement. The school is non-selective for entry to Preschool and Reception. Assessments are designed to support a good fit within the class.

4. When an offer of a place is made, acceptance is via an online form and a deposit of £3,000 is payable on entry to secure the place. The school provides instructions on how to accept the offer and complete the online steps. Offers are made in accordance with meeting the relevant entry requirements and providing the necessary information.

5. Before the first day, induction events are offered for Nursery or Reception to help children settle in. For Nursery and Reception, induction events provide time to meet the teacher. Children joining Year 1 to Year 6 attend a Taster Day to meet classmates and teachers and experience a day within the school.

6. The main entry points are Nursery (3+) and Reception (4+). The Preschool entry occurs after the child's third birthday. The school does not test very young children and is non-selective for Preschool and Reception. Priority is given to siblings of current pupils and to applicants from other Dukes Education institutions.
School Events
The school has not added events
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