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Main image: Bede's Prep School 

Our latest regional focus takes us to the south-east of England, where we’re putting schools in the counties of Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire under the spotlight. In part one we zoom in on the rich offering of schools in Kent, Sussex and Surrey - these Home Counties are conveniently close to London, which means commuting to or from the capital can be an option for families, and they boast stunning landscapes and national landmarks. With the Garden of Kent, Surrey Hills and the South Downs all part of the package, bucolic countryside is covered, while Brighton offers an exciting seaside cocktail of culture and Canterbury a plethora of historical sites, including its awe-inspiring cathedral, while the whole coastline is a pick ’n’ mix of everything from the White Cliffs of Dover to Camber Sands. 

Read on to discover some of our favourite schools in this slice of the south-east, and watch out next week for part two, when we head to the shires of Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Sweeping them all up in one handy go-to is our bumper South-East Schools Guide, which will be ready to land in just a few weeks.

KENT

The Duke of York’s Royal Military School, Dover

Settings don’t get much more iconic than sitting atop the White Cliffs of Dover in 150 acres of beautiful Kent countryside with Dover Castle and the English Channel in your sights. It’s inspiring stuff, and when you add in its rich, centuries-old history of educating the children of the military, you get something very special indeed. 

The strong sense of belonging that magnetises pupils, staff, families and alumni into one big Dukie family is palpable, and no doubt the military-inspired values instilled in pupils from day one play no small part in this. Everyone is part of a whole, with team as well as individual effort commended. Academics are strong, sport is next-level and music offers something a bit different, with every pupil in Year 7 learning a military-band instrument. 

How to get there: The school sits right above the port of Dover with the town just a mile away. Canterbury is an easy 30-minute drive down the A2, and London is under two hours by car. The Eurotunnel is 20 minutes away in nearby Folkestone. 



Dulwich Cranbrook Senior School and Prep School, Cranbrook

Nestled in the beautiful Weald of Kent with a magical wood and nature reserve in its grounds, Dulwich Cranbrook is ideal for nurturing a love of learning and exploration. The grounds are extensive, and the school buildings – from the super-modern pre-prep to the grown-up, brand-new senior building with its own café at its centre – get children from nursery to Year 11 seamlessly. Sailing, climbing and biking in nearby Bedgebury Forest are all part of the co-curricular, and the surrounding Kent countryside provides the setting for the Drawing, Walking and Talking Club.

It's not surprising that it’s a popular choice with families who have moved out of London, especially with the fast train into the capital from nearby Ashford. The pretty village of Cranbrook is charming to wander around, and the wonderful Sissinghurst Castle Garden designed by Vita Sackville-West is less than five minutes from the school.  

How to get there: London is around 90 minutes away by car on the A21 and an hour by rail if you travel from nearby Staplehurst, which has direct trains to Charing Cross and London Bridge. Alternatively, Ashford, which is a half-hour drive, has regular fast trains into St Pancras that take less than 40 minutes. Minibuses ferry pupils in from surrounding villages.

 
Hilden Grange Prep School, Tonbridge

Located on a leafy residential street in the bustling market town of Tonbridge, Hilden Grange has form when it comes to delivering a holistic education that sees pupils bagging scholarships (many of them to nearby Tonbridge School) while also developing resilience, kindness and respect for other people. 

In the extensive grounds that stretch out behind the Victorian main school building are acres of sports pitches, playgrounds, a state-of-the-art Scandi-inspired space complete with a living roof, a fire pit for roasting marshmallows and even a hobbit house. Pupils spend lots of time outdoors, sport is for everyone and the performing arts are vibrant. It’s a winning formula that makes it a popular choice in the area, with places in Years 5 and 6 particularly in demand. 

How to get there: London is just over an hour away by car and half the time by train, with direct services from Tonbridge to Charing Cross and London Bridge. Tunbridge Wells with all its chichi attractions is a 20-minute drive away.

 
Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells

It feels like you’ve landed in the middle of the countryside when you enter Holmewood House’s 32-acre grounds – even though buzzy Tunbridge Wells is only 10 minutes away. There’s a forest school with its own teepee, a walled garden with chickens, an outdoor classroom adjacent to a pond and endless sports pitches and space for cross-country running. Indoors is just as mind-blowing, with a shooting range, an art room with a kiln, a wellness centre, a 350-seat theatre and an indoor swimming pool. 

Trailblazing head Ruth O’Sullivan is a passionate believer in a holistic approach that nurtures children’s emotional intelligence as well as academics; this sees every year group engaging in regular forest school and wonderful sensory spaces in the innovative new wellbeing centre. 

How to get there: London is easily accessible by train, and for boarders who live in the capital there’s a chaperone service to and from Charing Cross. Most families live locally in and around Tunbridge Wells and either walk, drive or make use of the school minibuses, which serve a sweep of local villages.



King’s School Rochester and Prep School, Rochester

This historic school sits in the heart of Rochester with the castle and cathedral looking down over it, the Medway River running alongside and the cute high street right on the doorstep. It’s a compelling campus with its mix of historic and modern buildings and wonderful outside space, including the charming Paddock playing field alongside which there’s a pool, shooting range and climbing wall. A short walk away is the Alps recreation ground, where there are more sports fields and a woodland outdoor-learning area. A short minibus-ride away is the school’s boathouse, where Year 7s upwards are expertly coached by a former international rower. 

It all feels a long way from the metropolis, but the high-speed train takes just half an hour to London, and with the railway station a short walk from the school, it couldn’t be easier to whizz to and from the capital. 

How to get there: As mentioned, the fast train to London is a swift 30 minutes, and desirable Whitstable is around 40 minutes in the other direction. By car, the A2 into London takes an hour or so. Five school routes bus pupils to and from Gravesend, King’s Hill, Maidstone, Rainham and Sevenoaks.

 
Saint Ronan’s, Hawkhurst

Surrounded by woodland and fields and nestled in its huge 250-acre estate, Saint Ronan’s in Kent’s beautiful High Weald is what you’d imagine if you were dreaming of the perfect rural prep. Pupils enjoy a Swallow and Amazons-style existence, collecting eggs from the school chickens, mucking out the donkeys’ stables and helping to look after the goats, sheep and pigs. There’s also bushcraft and mountain biking to enjoy, forest school and lessons on the beach in the summer, fishing in the school lake and a cross-country course that every school in the county looks forward to running. 

The deep countryside is the star here, but the village of Hawkhurst with its craft shops and New Orleans-style colonnade is five minutes away and Cranbrook is a 15-minute drive. 

How to get there: There are a couple of commutable stations to London within a 20-minute drive – Robertsbridge and Wadhurst – with trains running to Charing Cross in under an hour. The A21 into the capital takes around 90 minutes, with Tunbridge Wells on the same route just 35 minutes away.

 
Sevenoaks School, Sevenoaks

Located at the top of Sevenoaks high street but with its 100-acre campus beside a 1,000-acre deer park that makes up the grounds of the National Trust’s Knole House, this leading senior school gives you the best of town and country. Alongside bucolic bliss – there are nearly a dozen beautifully maintained gardens as well as an allotment tended by students – the school also boasts cutting-edge facilities, including an award-winning science centre with glass classrooms and a Rolls-Royce engine in the foyer and a performing arts centre comprising a concert hall, theatre, recital room, recording studio and drama studio. It’s the perfect educational setting and certainly sets the stage for the stellar outcomes of pupils – Sevenoaks School is one of the top IB schools in the UK.   

The high street of super-safe and friendly Sevenoaks is on the other side of the school gates, giving older pupils a measure of independence, and Years 10 to 13 also get involved in weekly local outreach activities, including supporting care homes and local primary schools. London is a quick 30-minute train ride away, while the coastal towns of Rye, Hastings and Eastbourne are all less than an hour away.

How to get there: Transport links are excellent with regular trains into London Charing Cross, Waterloo and London Bridge. Gatwick and the Channel Tunnel are within 45 minutes by car.

 
Somerhill, Tonbridge

There’s a Harry Potter-esque feel to this school just outside Tonbridge whose imposing Grade I-listed Jacobean mansion presides over 100 acres of rolling parkland. It’s cleverly co-ed and single sex, with pre-prep boys and girls learning together in a lovely old stable block in an atmospheric courtyard, and then from Year 3 moving into the big mansion where they have separate all-girls and all-boys lessons, following the same curriculum but benefitting from tailored, single-sex teaching methods. 

Cutting-edge engineering labs see all the pupils throwing themselves into a subject normally reserved for senior school, building rocket cars, designing gliders and even getting to grips with gastronomical engineering (watch out, Heston Blumenthal). There are also maths classes outdoors (measuring the angles of the Jacobean architecture), tons of sport (often coached by ex-professionals), art and drama (Shakespearean performances are staged outside in the summer) and beehives tended by members of the beekeeping club. No wonder places are in much demand, especially as the school’s location right next to the A21 makes it an easy drop for commuting parents. 

How to get there: Tonbridge is 10 minutes away by car, and from there you can hop on a half-hour direct train to Charing Cross or London Bridge. Tunbridge Wells is a 20-minute drive away.


St Lawrence College and Junior School, Ramsgate

Sandy beaches, clifftop views and a picture-perfect harbour are all part of the vista at St Lawrence College in vibrant Ramsgate. The coastal surroundings are fully utilised with running clubs along the harbour front, surf and paddleboard outings, and environmental activities that connect pupils with the natural world. 

Ramsgate itself is charming with its golden sands and fishing boats bobbing in the harbour, and artisan shops and cafés. It feels a million miles from the hustle and bustle of the world, with the chalk cliffs casting it in a dreamy light when the sun shines. 

How to get there: London Bridge is a 75-minute train ride away. By road, it’s under two hours via the M2. School bus routes run from Whitstable, Dover, Sandwich and Herne Bay
 

Sutton Valence School and Prep School, Maidstone

Everything is within easy reach of this historic school that dates back to Henry VIII’s reign: it sits in beautiful countryside, is just an hour from central London and the coast is within easy reach. The peaceful rural setting is a wonderful backdrop to learning, with pupils enjoying outdoor lessons and lots of sport, as well as a strong CCF programme. 

There’s a strong family feel, with flexible boarding available to fit in with parents. Pupils come from Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Bromley and Chislehurst, among other commutable areas, as well as from overseas, so there’s a wonderful multicultural buzz that adds to the uplifting, happy atmosphere here. 

How to get there: London is around 90 minutes by car down the M20 and Canterbury is under an hour down the M2. Trains from nearby Headcorn run into Charing Cross and London Bridge and take around an hour.
 

The King’s School Canterbury and Junior King’s, Canterbury

Set within the centuries-old precincts of Canterbury Cathedral, King’s – the oldest school in Europe – offers something unique with its ancient buildings, contemplative cloisters and immaculate gardens. It’s inspiring stuff, akin to the dreaming spires of Oxford, and the senior school does have a university feel to it, with medieval Canterbury to explore beyond its ancient walls. Pupils at Junior King’s have a more rural offering, with 80 idyllic acres just outside the city to enjoy, the River Stour running through the grounds and an Elizabethan manor and tithe barn at its heart.  

It's no wonder it’s becoming an increasingly hot ticket for Londoners – pupils move from junior to senior school seamlessly and Canterbury is easy to get to from the capital by car and by train. Boarding, which starts in Year 5, can be full, weekly and flexi, with the kind of facilities any Harry Potter fan would dream about. 

How to get there: The M2 links Canterbury with London with the drive taking around 90 minutes. Trains are frequent, and fast services whizz you into St Pancras in under an hour.

  
The New Beacon, Sevenoaks

Sitting in its own 22 acres of gorgeous countryside on a quiet road in leafy Sevenoaks, this all-boys prep offers the best of both worlds. Outdoor learning is big, with woodland areas, a duck pond, beehives, forest school, a weather station and alfresco classrooms, while the merger with Tonbridge School has opened up the senior school’s fantastic facilities and mentoring opportunities to pupils. 

The rural setting belies the school’s accessibility, both by road and rail. The town centre and railway station are a short walk away and a minibus service picks up from the station as well as other pick-up points around town.

How to get there: Transport links from Sevenoaks are excellent with regular trains into London Charing Cross, Waterloo and London Bridge. Gatwick and the Channel Tunnel are within 45 minutes by car.



Tonbridge School, Tonbridge

This superstar all-boys school sits at the top of Tonbridge’s high street and is wonderfully integrated into the town, with pupils volunteering at local festivals, inviting local schools to participate in events and tirelessly fundraising for good causes, including the local homeless charity Porchlight. It has occupied its 150-acre grounds since 1553, so the relationship has deep roots – and the school’s community spirit is just one of the things that sets it apart. Others include astounding academics, enviable sporting prowess, state-of-the-art facilities and some of England’s most beautiful countryside where the boys enjoy endless outdoor pursuits.

Tonbridge itself has been voted the happiest place to live in the South-East, and it’s also easily commutable with London just 40 minutes away by train. 

How to get there: London is just over an hour away by car and half the time by train, with direct services from Tonbridge to Charing Cross and London Bridge. Tunbridge Wells. Sevenoaks and Orpington are all easily accessible, with many day boys commuting from them by train.



SURREY

ACS Cobham International School and Lower School, Cobham 

The jaw-dropping grounds at this IB super-school are nothing short of spectacular: acres of sports pitches, fields and a track fit for Olympians, a ‘village’ for younger pupils, an Ancient Greek-style amphitheatre and facilities that rival those you’d find on an American university campus. It’s hard to believe it’s all inside the M25 and a stone’s throw from the A3 – no wonder it’s as popular with local families as it is with expats. The IB education is second to none and the cultural diversity enriching, with every pupil celebrated for who they are. 

It’s just six minutes by car to affluent Cobham with its historic park and mill that sits on the banks of the River Mole, and is surrounded by wonderful National Trust sites, woods and commons.  

How to get there: By car, you can get to London via the A3 in an hour and 10 minutes depending on traffic; there’s also the M25 option, and Heathrow and Gatwick are just 30 minutes away.

 
ACS Egham International School and Lower School, Egham

Based in 36 acres of idyllic Surrey countryside, this leading IB school offers a wonderfully rural, engaging and fun-filled learning environment within easy reach of London. The leafy campus is on the edge of the quintessentially English Windsor Great Park, but within the school it feels like a perfect little global village with 46 nationalities represented. There are a vast number of playing fields, two on-site forest schools and three playgrounds, plus lots of trips into Windsor Great Park and the Savill Garden, which is part of the Royal Crown Estate that also borders the school.

Nearby are some of the country’s most desirable places to live near London, including Weybridge, Ascot and Windsor, with extensive school-bus routes that reach as far as Richmond and Hammersmith. 

How to get there: Central London is only 45 minutes by train; the fastest trains from Egham to Clapham Junction take just over 30 minutes. Via the M25 and M4, it’s around 80 minutes by car to Westminster.

 
Amesbury School, Hindhead

A Lutyens-designed school in 30 acres of parkland in the Surrey Hills sets this picturesque prep apart. The grounds are filled with trees, hedges and plants, with pupils spilling out at breaktime to play a game of tennis, build dens in the forest school site or have a cuddle with the guinea pigs in the wellbeing garden. The magnificent purpose-built school building adds to the magic, while the ‘green-housing not hothousing’ approach permeates everything. 

The school is very near Hindhead, the highest village in the county and famous for the wooded beauty spot the Devil’s Punch Bowl and for being the home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle at the turn of the 20th century. Petersfield, Farnham, Guildford and Haslemere are all nearby, and being just a five-minute drive from the A3 means it’s easily accessible to London too. 

How to get there: Via the A3, central London is a 90-minute drive, and Guildford takes 20 minutes. Haslemere, a 10-minute drive, is the nearest station; trains from there to Waterloo take around 50 minutes.

 
Barfield Prep School, Farnham

The natural environment is woven into every school day at this lovely prep in beautiful woodland between Farnham and Guildford. All part of the holistic education are lessons in the orchard and vegetable garden, learning about bushcraft in the woods, bug hunts and pond-dipping in the grounds, and weekly adventure lessons run by its award-winning outdoor-pursuits department Barfield Three Peaks. 

Voted the best place to live in Surrey by the Sunday Times last year, the market town of Farnham is one mile away. Its Georgian streets are certainly impressive, and the surrounding Surrey Hills are magical. 

How to get there: Farnham is under 10 minutes away by car and Guildford around 15 minutes. To get to London, you pick up the A3 at Guildford. Trains from Farnham to Waterloo take under an hour.

 
Caterham School and Prep School, Caterham

It feels like you’re in the middle of the countryside at this all-through school which is, in fact, only one mile from Caterham town centre and five from the M25. But the 200-acre campus in Harestone Valley in the Surrey Hills transports you to rural nirvana. Old Park Woods is used as an outdoor classroom and there’s a fabulous assault course in the trees. Sport is stellar with acres of pitches to hone skills on – Caterham is a big rugby school and also has GB players in hockey and cricket. 

Upper Warlingham is the nearest station, with trains coming directly from Victoria. A fleet of school shuttle buses ferries pupils in from all over the county, as well as from London. 

How to get there: Clapham Junction to Upper Warlingham, which is a 10-minute drive from the school, takes less than 25 minutes; Victoria Station is just a few minutes longer. By car, central London is around an hour and 20 minutes.

 
Chinthurst School, Tadworth

You get the best of both worlds at this family-focused day prep – proximity to some of Surrey’s most stunning countryside and excellent commuter links to London. Box Hill is nearby, as are Banstead Heaths and Mere Pond in the village of Walton, where pupils go to feed the ducks and swans. The village is also full of great local pubs and restaurants, while the bigger market towns of Reigate, Banstead, Kingswood and Epsom are easily accessible. 

How to get there: London is around 80 minutes by car along the A3. Trains from Tadworth, just a minute away, take around an hour to London Bridge. Reigate and Epsom are each a 15- minute drive and Dorking is 20 minutes.

 
Cranleigh School and Prep School, Cranleigh

The sprawling 280-acre campus at Cranleigh School is out of this world, with sweeping grounds and 19th-century buildings surrounded by breathtaking views of the Surrey Hills and South Downs. It’s a supreme environment for learning, with fabulous facilities, including a scenic golf course and equestrian centre, all part of the rich offering. There’s also a state-of-the-art swimming pool, a music tech suite and recording studio, and a 100-seat theatre, complete with green room. 

With its charming local shops and cafés, Cranleigh itself is just five minutes away, while Guildford, which offers more amenities and entertainment opportunities, is only a 20-minute drive. London isn’t far either, and the school is popular with families looking to escape the capital’s competitive school circuit. A weekly bus service from Wimbledon Common serves boarders and there is a daily bus network for local and day pupils. 

How to get there: The A3 gets you into central London in around an hour and 40 minutes. Travelling west, Winchester is just over an hour by car. Regular trains between Guildford and Waterloo take 30 minutes.

 
Edgeborough, Farnham

Sitting on the outskirts of desirable Farnham, this prep has its own slice of the beautiful Surrey Hills with its 50-acre grounds of rolling hills and trees. Pupils enjoy daily walks exploring the bucolic environment, learning about its history and topography, the weekly Edge club is dedicated to nature and the top field is the site for camp-outs and adventures, while older pupils can often be found orienteering the perimeter of the campus. 

The atmosphere is wonderfully unpretentious and laidback; the school wears its merger with Charterhouse lightly, although it’s proving a popular next step with leavers and is no doubt part of its appeal with London families looking for a gentler environment than the capital’s school circuit. 

How to get there: Farnham is around 15 minutes away by car and London an hour and 40 minutes down the A3. Trains from Farnham to Waterloo take under an hour.



Feltonfleet School, Cobham

Equidistant between Cobham and Byfleet, Feltonfleet is conveniently located just off the A3, but once inside the school grounds you could be miles from anywhere. Woods, fields, sports pitches, tennis courts and even two shooting ranges fit easily in the spacious grounds, and there’s huge excitement for pupils when they head to the treehouse classroom (which is fitted with electricity) for lessons. 

Most pupils live in Oxshott and Cobham or south-west London, and a comprehensive network of school-bus routes caters for all, but the proximity to the A3 means a driving commute is also easy. 

How to get there: By car, you can get to London via the A3 in just over an hour; Kingston upon Thames is only 30 minutes. Waterloo is a 25-minute train ride away.

  
Frensham Heights School and Junior School, Farnham

With its three woodland areas, large sports fields and beautiful lawn set in front of the gorgeous Georgian main school building with views across the Surrey Hills, this school has a serious wow factor. Within the 120-acre grounds are kitchen gardens, a small farm with chickens and goats, grazing land for sheep and cattle, wildflower meadows and, coming soon, archery fields. 

The village of Rowledge is near enough for older pupils to walk to, and the whole school enjoys visits to Alice Holt Forest, exploring its walking trails and Gruffalo sculptures. Nearby Farnham, meanwhile, offers lots of opportunities for community involvement with the school involved in the October Craft Month, Literary Festival and Surrey Artists Open Studios. 

How to get there: Farnham is around 10 minutes away by car, Guildford 30 minutes, Winchester 40 minutes and London an hour and 40 minutes down the A3. Trains from Farnham to Waterloo take under an hour.



Hall Grove School, Bagshot

This idyllic school has a prime location sitting on the Surrey-Berkshire border near Bagshot, Ascot and Wokingham, and, sequestered from the road, it offers a childhood dream of log-cabin classrooms, a magical walled garden, a boating lake, stables where the school pony Jaws (who is dressed up for World Book Day) lives, an outdoor pool and an outdoor classroom in a converted greenhouse. There’s even a small farm with sheep and lambs for feeding. 

Bagshot, with its charming coaching inns and royal hunting lodge (the residence of Prince Edward and his family), is a five-minute drive away. Most families live within a five-mile radius, but there are five daily bus services from as far as Winchester and Chiswick, ferrying pupils in for a taste of country life (as well as riding lessons, there’s a school polo team, and shooting and golf are also on the co-curricular menu) that would be hard to find in the city. 

How to get there: Ascot is just 10 minutes away by car and Wokingham 20, while central London is a 90-minute drive. Trains from Bagshot to Ascot are less than 10 minutes, and Ascot to Waterloo is under an hour.

  
Hazelwood School, Oxted

A sensational countryside location in the Surrey Downs is the first thing that makes you fall for this school that’s only half an hour by train from London but feels a million miles away. Innovation is everywhere you turn, from the outdoor learning zone with its 30ft slide and teepee, to the BOX, the school’s tech hub, and the holistic focus on creativity, critical thinking and wellbeing feels progressive and just right for current times. 

Oxted is a three-minute drive away and is bustling with places to eat and shop; Sevenoaks has even more to enjoy and is less than half an hour away. 

How to get there: The drive to London takes around an hour and a quarter, but is speedier by train, with Victoria Station just 30 minutes from nearby Redhill.

 
Micklefield School, Reigate

Located in the heart of Reigate, Micklefield is an easy walk from most parts of town and just a few minutes from the train station that whizzes into London Victoria in just 50 minutes. Outdoor space is generous with an impressive sports ground, playgrounds with pirate ships and mud kitchens, and a nature area. 

Small and friendly, Reigate has a great selection of cafés, independent shops and restaurants, as well as the lovely Priory Park, which has a lake, woodland, a fantastic children’s playground and tennis and basketball courts. It’s also on the North Downs Way, with the trail passing through historic Reigate Hill and Gatton Park. 

How to get there: Driving to London takes around 1.5 hours, so the train is definitely the quicker option. Guildford is under an hour by car and 30 minutes by train.

 
Notre Dame School and Prep School, Cobham

This all-girls day school enjoys 17 lovely acres of tranquil parkland a few minutes from Cobham. Being in the natural environment is central, with dedicated outdoor classrooms, woodland trails, wide-open green spaces and story time in a delightful treehouse for younger pupils. The serenity of the Surrey countryside is a nurturing force, with the girls enjoying a calm and caring community where they can gain a lifelong love of learning and nature. 

It's just five minutes by car to affluent Cobham with its historic park and mill that sits on the banks of the River Mole, and it is surrounded by wonderful National Trust sites, woods and commons.  

How to get there: By car, you can get to London via the A3 in just over an hour; Kingston upon Thames is only 30 minutes. Waterloo is a 25-minute train ride away.

  
Prior’s Field, Godalming

A beautiful Arts and Crafts house is the centrepiece of the 42-acre grounds of this all-girls school that sits on the outskirts of Godalming. It has the distinction of being founded by Aldous Huxley’s mother, Julia, who wanted to produce ‘confident young women ready to make their mark on the modern world’. Surroundings of lovely woodland and gardens are the perfect environment to do just that in. The atmosphere is warm, happy and nurturing, and the strong community spirit is palpable. 

Nearby Godalming is charming and full of history, while Guildford is a popular weekend destination for boarders, as is Thorpe Park. 

How to get there: It’s a seven-minute drive to Godalming, where there are regular trains to Waterloo that take 40 minutes. Driving to the capital takes around an hour and 45 minutes.

 
Reigate Grammar School, Reigate

Perfectly positioned in the heart of Reigate and surrounded by some of Surrey’s most beautiful countryside, this school gives pupils the best of both worlds – a town centre to explore and wide-open spaces for sport, adventure and outdoor learning. 

Reigate Grammar makes the most of its proximity to the Surrey Hills, with DofE expeditions around Dorking and conservation volunteering at Mercers Lake. The North Downs Way trail also passes through nearby historic Reigate Hill and Gatton Park. Pupils get stuck into town life, supporting charities, care homes, local primary schools and community events. 

How to get there: Driving to London takes around 1.5 hours, so the train is definitely the quicker option. Guildford is under an hour by car, 30 minutes by train.

 
Reigate St Mary’s Prep School, Reigate

Located just a few minutes from Reigate town centre, this lovely prep has 15 wonderful acres where pupils can build dens, roll down hills and explore in the fresh air. There’s also a forest school area and a nature reserve with a pond and gardening areas for the pupils to plant seeds in and watch them grow. Space for sport is generous with four football pitches, a hockey pitch, two multi-purpose courts, an artificial cricket strip and a grass running track.

Small and friendly, Reigate is on the doorstep, with its vibrant independent shops and cafés, as well as the lovely Priory Park, which has a lake, woodland, a fantastic children’s playground and tennis and basketball courts. The North Downs Way is also nearby, with the trail passing through historic Reigate Hill and Gatton Park. 

How to get there: Driving to London takes around 1.5 hours, so the train is definitely the quicker option. Guildford is under an hour by car and 30 minutes by train.

 
Royal Russell School and Junior School, Croydon

Boasting a 110-acre campus just a stone’s throw away from Croydon, Royal Russell School is full of surprises. Stunning parkland, an on-site forest school and swimming pool, a chapel, an ecology community garden, woodland full of deer – it’s hard to believe you’re in Greater London and that Victoria Station is less than half an hour away. The space feels perfect for growing minds, and the university-style campus lends itself to learning. 

Lots of pupils come from south London, including Balham and Clapham, but others travel from as far as West Wickham and Caterham. An extensive minibus network helps with the commute, and older pupils can hop on the tram opposite the school gates to get to Beckenham and Wimbledon. 

How to get there: As well as London trams that serve Croydon and surrounding areas, overland services run from East and West Croydon mainline stations, with central London just 30 minutes away. Gatwick and Heathrow airports are also easy to get to in under an hour.

  
Sir William Perkins’s School, Chertsey

This centuries-old day school sits in 13 acres of prime Surrey greenbelt and attracts pupils from across Surrey, Berkshire and south-west London. It’s easy to see why – from its stunningly modern three-storey performance and creative arts centre (where sixth-formers have their own penthouse suite with wraparound glass terrace) to its boat club on the Thames (the school is renowned for its rowing success, nationally and internationally), it is a powerhouse in all areas. 

Chertsey is charming with its Georgian architecture, river walks and ancient abbey ruins, as well as lots of independent shops and cafés to distract you. 

How to get there: The railway station at Chertsey is a short walk from the school and has trains to Waterloo (with a change at Weybridge) that take around an hour. It’s also near the M3, so driving to the capital, while it takes 90 minutes, is straightforward.

 
St James Senior Boys’ School, Ashford

An oasis of 32 peaceful acres just 1.5 miles from Heathrow Airport. St James’s stately drive sweeps up to a handsome Victorian building that presides over a lake where pupils can canoe and kayak, sports pitches, woodland, riverside views and endless trees, which the boys plant annually. The progressive Harmony Project embeds the natural environment into the curriculum, while outdoor lessons, mindfulness activities and challenges designed to build resilience, self-discipline and personal growth offer boys a holistic education that helps them develop into well-rounded young men. 

Pupils come from Kensington, Barnes, Twickenham and Windsor among other areas, while Ashford itself is a five-minute drive away and offers great transport links, as well as a small-town charm that is hard to find so close to London. 

How to get there: Central London is around 75 minutes by car; Kingston upon Thames is 40 minutes and Windsor is 30 minutes. Trains from Ashford to Waterloo take 40 minutes.



SUSSEX

Ardingly College and Prep School, Haywards Heath

Locations don’t get much more perfect than Ardingly, with its 240-acre campus in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Sussex that is only 40 minutes from London. Sports fields stretch as far as the eye can see, former farm buildings have been repurposed into classrooms and an adjoining reservoir is dedicated to water sports, including rowing, sailing, paddleboarding and kayaking. A top IB school, it attracts pupils from Europe as well as those from the UK, and with Gatwick Airport only 20 minutes away, it’s an attractive option for international boarders. 

Local school-bus routes take in Hove, Oxted, Lewes and Tunbridge Wells, among other places, and Brighton is nearby too – just 12 minutes by train. 

How to get there: Clapham Junction is a 40-minute train ride from Haywards Heath, or 80 minutes by car. Tunbridge Wells is 40 minutes or so away by car, as is Brighton.

 
Battle Abbey School and Prep School, Battle & Bexhill 

When it comes to locations, it doesn’t get much more inspiring than the site of the Battle of Hastings. Located at the top of Battle’s pretty high street, the arched entrance takes you into that historic spot and the heart of the school, Abbot’s Hall, where assemblies and performances are staged. Classrooms are found in a former monastery, a clutch of 13th-century buildings and outdoors in the famous ruins of William the Conqueror’s abbey. The prep is located 15 minutes away in the seaside town of Bexhill on a residential street surrounded by family homes. 

Outside space isn’t a premium at either site but the settings more than make up for that, and pupils travel in from Tunbridge, Crowborough and Mayfield. 

How to get there: The senior school is a short 15-minute walk from the train station, which has services to Hastings (about 1.5 hours from London Bridge). From Bexhill to Clapham Junction is just under two hours, or, if you change at Ashford International, one hour 40 minutes to St Pancras. The drive to the capital is around two hours from Bexhill and Battle.

 
Bede’s School and Prep School, Hailsham & Eastbourne

With the prep school nestled on the seafront at the foot of the South Downs National Park and the senior deep in the heart of the Sussex countryside, Bede’s offering is a wonderful mix of coast and countryside. And the inspiring backdrops are used to the max with lessons on the beach, DofE expeditions in the Downs and exploring and playing sport in the expansive green spaces. Pupils are also involved in environmental projects, sweeping the beach for litter and planting trees on the school grounds. Senior pupils also study animal conservation at the school’s on-site zoo, which is home to over 70 species, including honey bears, chipmunks, African birds and reptiles. 

Eastbourne’s stunning Beachy Head cliffs and nostalgic seafront with its stately Victorian hotels and art deco bandstand are just 13 miles away from the senior school near Hailsham. A fleet of school vehicles covers the area, going as far north as Tunbridge Wells, east to Hove and west to Hastings, while weekly boarders from London are escorted to Victoria from Eastbourne Station. 

How to get there: Eastbourne to London is two hours and 20 minutes by car; the fast train takes 75 minutes, with a change at Brighton. Hailsham to London is two hours by car and Heathrow is around one hour and 45 minutes.

 
Brambletye School, East Grinstead

This rural prep’s 140-acre campus is deep in the Sussex countryside, with views over Ashdown Forest, so den building and camping under the stars are common occurrences here. Outdoor learning is embedded in the curriculum, from growing vegetables to pond ecology classes. And the new school lake is also used for boating and paddleboarding, while a 200m zip wire, woods, a nine-hole golf course and adventure playgrounds offer even more adrenaline blasts. 

Nearby East Grinstead is charming with its picturesque medieval high street and is also very well connected with direct links to Victoria and London Bridge in under an hour, Tunbridge Wells half an hour away by car and Pooh Corner just 15 minutes. Daily minibuses cover the local area and for international families, Gatwick Airport is a quick 20-minute drive away.

How to get there: London is 1.5 hours by car and can be as quick as an hour by train; Thameslink goes into London Bridge and Southern into Victoria.

 
Claremont School and Prep School, St Leonards-on-Sea and Bodiam

With 125 acres of woods, fields, lakes, hiking trails, Victorian ice houses, bridges and brooks to explore, prep-school pupils have their own piece of rural heaven as a backdrop to their school days. The forest school set in ancient woodlands is one of the best in the country and includes everything from troll bridges and mud slides to a duck island and outdoor shelters. Pupils enjoy collecting clay for modelling, nocturnal-wildlife watching and planting wildflower meadows. And with the seaside just five miles away, they also regularly decamp to the beach for lessons. Senior-school pupils are just 20 minutes down the road and make frequent visits from their campus in the village of Bodiam, famed for its 14th-century moated castle. 

This corner of East Sussex is lovely with its ancient forests and stunning coastline. St Leonards-on-Sea has a relaxed, artistic vibe and gorgeous Regency architecture. 

How to get there: London is two hours by car, 90 minutes by train. Eastbourne is a 40-minute drive and in the other direction, Rye is 35 minutes, from where you’re not far from the wonderful Camber Sands.

 
Cumnor House, Haywards Heath

Tucked between the South Downs and Ashdown Forest, this idyllic prep just outside Danehill village has 60 lung-filling acres of land that include its Woodpeckers forest school, rope swings, pitches galore, a bluebell wood and even a lake. Rooted in the community, the school gets involved in the area’s thriving arts and crafts scene, celebrating local makers and getting involved in initiatives such as artist workshops and community music day.   

The location couldn’t be prettier – it’s a real rural idyll – yet Haywards Heath, East Grinstead, Brighton and London are all easily accessible. 

How to get there: Driving to London takes an hour and 45 minutes, Brighton is 45 minutes away and Haywards Heath 15 minutes. Trains from Haywards Heath take around 45 minutes and run to both London Bridge and Victoria.

 
Eastbourne College and St Andrew’s Prep, Eastbourne

The coastal setting shapes school life here, from weekly beach school and seafront runs to the annual Aquathlon that sees pupils swimming 200m in the sea and then running across the South Downs. It also inspires creativity and environmental projects that the school collaborates on with the local community. 

And while the Downs and coast offer opportunities for relaxing and exercising, Eastbourne’s cultural quarter has a cinema, theatre and great independent shops. Most prep pupils live locally but for those who are further afield, the senior school’s minibus routes are an option. As well as a Brighton express, there’s a coastal route to Hastings and one to Tunbridge Wells, which is 30 miles away. 

How to get there: Eastbourne to London is two hours and 20 minutes by car; the fast train takes 75 minutes with a change at Brighton. It’s around a 50-minute drive to both Brighton and Tunbridge Wells.

 
Hurst and Hurst Prep School, Hassocks

This huge 140-acre campus nestled at the foot of the South Downs is as impressive as it is beautiful, with everything from a farm and woodland school to endless sports fields, Astros and courts. Outdoor learning and activities are integral to the curriculum, and in everything they do, all pupils have a real ‘have a go’ attitude and everyone is stretched to achieve their best. They look outwards too, volunteering at local primary schools, helping out with site maintenance at local scout clubs and churches, and getting involved in drama and music outreach projects. 

Hurst is easily accessible by car and train from Brighton and London, and the school also offers transport across Sussex, Surrey and Kent, with 23 bus routes and a chaperoned weekly train service to and from Clapham Junction.  

How to get there: London is an hour and 45 minutes away by car and Brighton is only 30 minutes. Burgess Hill, the nearest railway station, is 10 minutes away, and from there you can catch a train to Brighton, which takes 10 minutes and has direct trains into St Pancras, with a journey time of just over an hour.

 
Lancing College, Lancing 

Surrounded by gloriously diverse countryside, this co-ed enjoys access to the South Downs, the sea at Shoreham Harbour and the River Adur, where pupils canoe, sail and kayak. The school grounds are enormous – 400 acres, no less – and, sitting high up on the Downs, it has gorgeous views of the Sussex countryside on one side and the English Channel on the other. But no one is just looking at the view here; there’s an impressive purposefulness in and out of the classroom. Immersive learning sees pupils integrating real-world conservation activities like erosion studies and bird ringing into science and geography, and being free from light pollution makes it the perfect place for stargazing from its on-site observatory. There’s also a school farm where aspiring vets get hands-on experience. 

Lancing itself is a charming coastal village with a long beach, independent shops and a railway station that has direct trains into Clapham Junction that take just under 1.5 hours. Brighton is less than 20 minutes away. 

How to get there: London is just under two hours by car. The train to Victoria (stopping at Gatwick, East Croydon and Clapham Junction) is 80 minutes. You can also change at Brighton to catch the train to London Bridge and St Pancras.

 
Lancing Prep Hove, Hove

Located in a residential area of tranquil, upmarket Hove, the school benefits from all that Lancing College offers too – its mammoth campus, as well as its fantastic facilities – and it’s only a few miles along the coast. On site, though, there’s a lot of space to run around in, pupils have forest school and camp-outs, and they learn about the natural world in the science garden, which has its own pond. 

Hove may gradually merge into Brighton but it has its own distinct character – everything’s a bit more genteel, with commercial shops giving way to independent ones, and a stylish seafront with majestic squares and crescents. 

How to get there: Preston Park train station is a short walk from the school, where direct trains to Victoria take just over an hour. Driving to central London takes two and a quarter hours.

   
Lancing Prep Worthing, Worthing

A lovely Georgian manor house presides over the two-acre site at this family-friendly prep, which is part of the Lancing College group and enjoys its big sibling’s stand-out facilities and grounds. On site there’s a large grassy field, sports courts, a forest school and a fabulous playground. Regular excursions to the nearby College’s pool, theatre and farm are part of the curriculum, as are trips to the beach to collect inspiration for seaside collages. 

The school is well placed for outings – both the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and Chichester’s Downland Living Museum are just half an hour away, and the Weald is nearby too.

How to get there: Worthing to London is two hours by car and by train can be as little as 90 minutes, with a change at Brighton.

 
Mayfield School, Mayfield

A real sense of history pervades this stellar all-girls Catholic school, located in a campus that was once a summer residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in a village dating back to the Domesday Book. The peaceful High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty surrounds it, and the school has its own riding centre with both indoor and outdoor facilities, and space to stable horses. 

Tunbridge Wells is nearby and is a popular shopping destination for boarders at the weekend. The school runs a network of 12 minibus routes that serve a sweep of Sussex and Kent towns, including Hastings, Haywards Heath and Sevenoaks. A London bus takes weekly boarders home on Fridays. 

How to get there: London is 1.5 hours by car, and Tunbridge Wells less than 20 minutes away. From there, you can catch a train to London Charing Cross in under an hour.

 
Pennthorpe School, Rudgwick

This Tardis-like prep in the quintessentially English village of Rudgwick has magical grounds full of fields and woods where lessons are brought to life through actors dressed in character and outdoor learning happens through the folding classroom doors that open onto a balcony. Sport is big – and facilities are impressive. And the school gets involved in the community, designing installations for the local John Lewis and taking over the window display at Waterstones for World Book Day. 

Located on the West Sussex-Surrey border, the rolling Surrey Hills surround the school, and the South Downs are accessible too, with Guildford and East Grinstead each around 30 minutes away in different directions. 

How to get there: London is a 90-minute drive via the A3. To get to the capital by train, you change at Horsham, which is then around an hour into London Bridge.

 
Westbourne House School, Chichester

Everything is on the doorstep at this handsome prep: Chichester with its famous cathedral, galleries, theatre and harbour; the gorgeous Wittering beaches; and the chalky hills of the South Downs. And inside the school it’s no less stunning, with 100 acres of parkland, complete with a lake, woodland and birds and forest creatures. Pupils collect footprints in science to see who’s found a home in the grounds – residents include foxes, deer and hedgehogs – and building Viking longships out of branches in the wood is a favourite forest-school activity. Pupils also learn to paddle as a team in canoes on the school lake and run around it for cross-country. 

Most pupils live within a 30-minute drive and there’s a good school minibus service that runs from the South Downs to the Witterings. 

How to get there: Trains into London Victoria are direct and take about 1.5 hours. Driving is around two hours. Portsmouth is just 20 minutes away and Worthing is half an hour.

 
Windlesham House, Pulborough

Rural but well connected, this prep has a wonderful 70 acres of fields, pitches and woods smack bang in the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park and only 15 minutes from the beach. Pupils build dens, climb trees, tend to the market garden, feed the school chickens and tee up on the school’s nine-hole golf course. There’s also a wildflower meadow, a dedicated forest school and an outdoor classroom for survival lessons. Pupils can even bring their own horses to school and learn clay- pigeon shooting. 

About 15 minutes away is the pretty village of Pulborough, where there’s boating on the River Arun, and Littlehampton with its sandy, family-friendly beach is 20 minutes. The school is very near the A24, so the logistics of coming and going are easy, and the school has buses for day pupils and boarders. 

How to get there: London is an hour and 45 minutes via the A24. Trains from Horsham take 55 minutes into Victoria.