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L'Ecole des Petits - Fulham

United Kingdom, London

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English, French
Fees £17,580 - 20,682
Ages 3 - 6 years
Type Co-educational
Bus Service Yes
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, British Curriculum, French Curriculum
Taught languages English, French
Strengths Visual and Creative Arts, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Preschool, Kindergarten
Introduction

L'Ecole des Petits - Fulham is an independent bilingual school catering to children aged 3 to 6. Established in 1977, the school operates from a renovated Victorian building that originally served as 'The Princess Beatrice Social Centre'. The curriculum merges the French educational system with parallel teaching from the English system, ensuring children are immersed in both languages daily. By the Grande Section (Year 1), students receive an equal number of instructional hours in French and English. Officially recognised by the French Ministère de l'Education Nationale and inspected by Ofsted, the school provides a structured bilingual foundation. Students receive instruction in early literacy, phonics (utilizing Oxford University and Collins decodable books), and mathematics, with humanities and physical education alternating between the two languages. L'Ecole des Petits offers a daily school bus service and provides a direct pathway for pupils to continue primary education at its sister school, L'Ecole de Battersea.

2 Hazlebury Rd, London SW6 2NB, United Kingdom

The Essentials

L'Ecole des Petits - Fulham has instruction in English, French.

Location
L'Ecole des Petits is located on Hazlebury Road in Fulham, a residential neighbourhood in South West London. The central London location provides easy access to local transport links and allows for regular day trips to nearby museums and historical buildings.

Stages
The school provides pre-primary education for children aged 3 to 6 years old. Classes are structured into Early Years and Pre-Prep levels, corresponding to the French Petite Section (Nursery), Moyenne Section (Reception), and Grande Section (Year 1). Children are grouped by their calendar birth year.

Type
L'Ecole des Petits is a co-educational, independent day school. It operates exclusively on a day-school basis and does not offer boarding facilities for any age groups.

Additional learning support
The school supports pupils with specific neurodivergent conditions, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, or ASD, using individual plans from UK or French authorities. Parents can fund a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) for daily classroom integration if required, though external provisions like speech or occupational therapy are not funded by the school. The teaching staff actively integrates any external specialists involved in a child's development into the educational plan.

Country affiliation
The school is strongly affiliated with France and delivers the French national curriculum in parallel with the English system.

Religious affiliation
The school has no religious affiliation and operates in accordance with the French Principle of Laïcity (secularism).

School day structure
The school day begins with arrivals between 8:30 am and 9:00 am, depending on the child's specific year group. The standard academic day finishes at 3:10 pm for younger years and 3:15 pm for older students. An optional late stay program is also available, which extends the school day until 4:00 pm.

Bus service
A daily private school bus service is available for students in the mornings and afternoons.
Fees

Annual tuition at L'Ecole des Petits - Fulham ranges from GBP 17,580 to GBP 20,682 for 2026/27.

Application Fees

Application fee details are not specified on the fees page.

Tuition Fees

Tuition includes art, music, and sports.

Petite Section (Nursery): GBP 5,860 per term for 2026-2027. GBP 17,580 for three terms.

Moyenne Section & Grande Section (Year 1): GBP 6,894 per term for 2026-2027. GBP 20,682 for three terms.

A 4-day week option (excluding Wednesdays) for 3-year-olds in the Petite Section is available at GBP 5,786 per term. Termly reductions are offered for families with three or more children attending full-time (15% reduction for the third child, 20% for the fourth).

Billing Schedule and Payment Terms

School fees are payable by the end of the first week of each term (early September, early January, and early April).

Boarding Fees

Not applicable, as this is a day school.

Other Costs

School lunch: Approximately GBP 210 to GBP 216 per term

Morning care (8:30-8:45 am): GBP 50 to GBP 52 per term

Optional after-school clubs: Invoiced separately at the beginning of each term based on participation

Occasional Wednesday morning attendance (for 4-day/week students): GBP 35 per session

Refund Information

Refund policies are not outlined on the school's fees page.

Fee Payment Options

Specific payment processing methods (such as bank transfers or credit cards) are not detailed. The school accepts Child Care vouchers for 3 and 4-year-olds and is registered for the government Tax-Free Childcare scheme.
Academics

L'Ecole des Petits - Fulham teaches Bespoke Curriculum, British Curriculum, French Curriculum for students aged 3 to 6.

Curriculum
L'Ecole des Petits follows a bilingual curriculum that directly integrates the French National Curriculum with parallel instruction from the English educational system. The pre-prep school caters to children through three main stages: Petite Section (Nursery), Moyenne Section (Reception), and Grande Section (Year 1). In the earlier years, the programme is primarily oral-based to build foundational communication and language skills in both French and English. Specific English phonics lessons are formally introduced during Moyenne Section and Grande Section. By Year 1, students receive an equal number of instructional hours in both languages, supplemented by specialist-led classes in art, music, and dance. The curriculum is officially recognised by the French Ministry of National Education and registered with the English Department for Education, holding an official exemption from standard English Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) learning requirements.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school supports SEL through its Personal, Social, Health & Citizenship Education (PSHCE) programme, which focuses heavily on the emotional health and welfare of the children. The curriculum is designed to help children understand and manage their emotions, become morally and socially responsible, and build respectful relationships.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
L'Ecole des Petits is a non-selective, mainstream school, not a specialist SEN institution. It supports pupils diagnosed with neurodivergent conditions, including dyslexia, dyspraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This support is guided by individual plans from UK or French authorities and is provided within the classroom, in small groups, or via one-to-one sessions.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school does not publicly disclose information regarding specific EAL (English as an Additional Language) standalone programmes. As an international bilingual school, the core curriculum naturally immerses all children in both French and English on a daily basis. The teaching is explicitly structured to support a multilingual audience, introducing adapted English phonics lessons in Moyenne Section (Reception) and Grande Section (Year 1).

Mental Wellbeing
The mental wellbeing of pupils is addressed primarily through a supportive educational environment and the dedicated PSHCE framework. The school maintains a specific Mental Health Policy and implements a whole-school preventative approach to managing wellbeing concerns. Teachers are focused on building resilience, self-confidence, and a positive attitude toward learning in a safe space.

Safeguarding
L'Ecole des Petits implements a whole-school preventative approach to safeguarding to ensure that the protection and wellbeing of pupils remain at the forefront of all actions. The school has stringent guidelines in place, including a Safer Recruitment Policy that vets all staff thoroughly and a Whistleblowing Policy for reporting concerns. Digital safety is managed through a specific Cyberbullying Policy, which forbids the use of mobile phones by children on the premises and restricts internet access. Additionally, the school legally notifies the Local Authority of all new admissions and requests safeguarding records from any previous schools a child has attended.
Parent Experience

History
L'Ecole des Petits was founded in 1977 by Mme Otten to provide a structured French curriculum with bilingual elements, as no similar pre-primary schools existed in London at the time. The school initially operated out of a rented church hall in South Kensington before relocating in 1991 to a renovated Victorian building in Fulham. In 1995, it became the first independent nursery school in the UK to be officially recognised by the French Ministry of National Education. The founders later expanded their educational offering by opening a sister primary school, L'Ecole de Battersea, in 2005. In September 2024, ownership transitioned when the school officially joined Globeducate, an international network of bilingual and international schools.

Community
The school maintains a community connected through various social, cultural, and environmental initiatives. As a certified Eco-School within the Globeducate network, students and staff participate in globally recognised events such as Earth Hour alongside student-led sustainability projects. The community also includes an alumni association that organises reunions and social gatherings, such as pub quiz nights, to keep past pupils, parents, and staff in touch.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The school's parent-teacher association operates under the name L'Ecole Families (LEF) and functions as a voluntary, non-profit group. LEF serves as a welcome group for new families, answering questions and providing practical information to help them transition into school life. The association acts as a direct support system for non-academic issues experienced by the parent body. Throughout the academic year, LEF works closely with the school administration to coordinate community events and charitable initiatives on local, national, and international levels.
Reputation

Accreditations
Ministère de l'Education Nationale (Homologation): This signifies that the school is officially recognised by the French government and strictly adheres to the French national curriculum standards.

Agence pour l'Enseignement Français à l'Étranger (AEFE) Partner: This indicates the school is part of the official global network of French schools abroad, ensuring seamless educational continuity for French expatriate families relocating internationally.

UK Department for Education (DfE) Registration: This confirms the school is legally registered and permitted to operate as an independent educational institution in the United Kingdom.

Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) Inspected: This signifies the school is regularly assessed by the UK government's education watchdog to ensure it meets national standards of teaching, safety, and child welfare. The school currently holds a confirmed "Outstanding" rating across all inspection areas.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Request a Registration Package
Parents are advised to first contact the Registrar's office to request an official registration package. During this initial stage, it is highly recommended to book a school visit, which generally runs on Thursday mornings between October and May. Visiting the school prior to enrolling allows parents to familiarise themselves with the environment before making a commitment.

2. Submit Application and Registration Fee
Upon submitting the application, a one-off registration fee must be paid for each child to process the request. This fee is currently £95 for the Petite Section or £114 for the Moyenne and Grande Sections. Submitting the application and paying this fee ensures the child is officially added to the school's waiting list for their respective year group.

3. Receive and Accept an Offer
The school begins sending out formal place offers in October of the year prior to the child's intended start date. If parents choose to accept the offer, they must pay a non-refundable admission fee to proceed. This specific fee is £1,350 for the Petite Section and £1,620 for the Moyenne and Grande Sections.

4. Secure the Child's Place
To fully secure the child's place for a September intake, parents must then pay the first term's tuition fees in advance. This advanced payment is strictly required before the 1st of April in the year they plan to start. Completing this final payment step finalises the enrollment process in accordance with the school's official terms and conditions.

Scholarships
L'Ecole des Petits does not offer an internal academic scholarship programme, but financial aid options are available for eligible families. A school education grant can be applied for through the French Consulate, which is awarded depending on a family's personal financial circumstances. Additionally, the school provides built-in fee reductions for larger families, offering a 15% termly reduction for a third child and a 20% reduction for a fourth child attending full-time.

Waitlist
L'Ecole des Petits operates a structured waiting list system, with children automatically added as soon as their application and registration fee are received. The school applies specific priority rules to this list, giving first preference to siblings of current pupils (if registered within their first year of birth), followed by siblings or children of former pupils. Once priority applications are processed, all remaining new children are listed according to their registration dates, while also factoring in the length of time between the child's birth and when they were registered.
School Events
The school has not added events
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