Reception Entry
Reception is the main entry point to Hurlingham’s Prep School, with children joining us in September following their fourth birthday.
Entry to Reception is non-selective, with no formal assessment. We recognise that every child develops at their own pace, and our aim is to provide a happy, nurturing environment in which each child can grow in confidence and flourish.
We encourage families to register as early as possible, as places are offered in order of registration. There is no fixed registration deadline, and you are welcome to register your child at any time before their fourth birthday.
Offers are made approximately one year before your child is due to start, giving families plenty of time to visit us, get to know our community and make a confident, informed decision about this important next step.
When allocating places, priority is given to siblings of children already in the Prep School, followed by children attending our Nursery. Remaining places are then offered in registration date order. Following the acceptance deadline, any unfilled places are offered to families on the waiting list.
How Reception Entry Works
When to register and visit
Refer to your child's date of birth to find their entry year and what to do next:
Offer of places
We offer Reception places in June, one year ahead of their start. Offers are made in this order:
- Siblings of children currently in the Prep School
- All children in our Nurs
- All other families, in order of registration date
- After the acceptance deadline, we offer any remaining places to families on our wait list.
Transition to Reception
Hear from our Head of Pre-Prep, Mrs Vicky Beeson, about our transition programme for those joining us in Reception.
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Life in Reception
Children join one of three Reception classes, located in our Prep School on Putney Bridge Road. These calm and inviting classrooms connect to outdoor play areas and the Discovery Area. Our Reception classes are fully integrated into the Lower School but benefit from having access to unique spaces for exploration and discovery. All of the children have the opportunity to take part in Ballet and Karate, taught by experienced professionals.
Mornings begin with drop-off from 8.30am and home time at 3.00pm. We have wrap-around care available from 7.45am to 6pm, available to our Reception children. Our 5pm 'Tea Club' includes a hot cooked meal, and free-of-charge siblings club for those waiting for their older siblings' end of day; also for those using our afternoon Fulham bus, which departs at 4.00pm.
All children enjoy a healthy lunch, prepard by our in-house caterer and are currently working towards 100% UPF free meals. Our Reception cohort enjoy their own quiet, start to our lunch times and then dash out to play time, are are slowly integrated with our Lower School (Year 1 and 2) classes.
Moving up from Hurlingham Nursery
Many of our Reception children join us from Hurlingham Nursery, and with regular visits from our Prep team - from Mrs Beeson, to Miss Nicky for gymnastics, they arrive already knowing our teachers, routines and values. Children in our Nursery are guaranteed a place in the Prep School.
Visit to our Hurlingham Nursery
Come and see us
The best way to know if Hurlingham is right for your child is to visit. Our Open Mornings show the school at its busiest, with talks from our Proprietor and our Head, Simon Gould.
Upcoming Open Mornings:
10 February 2027
12 May 2027