What Dragon School Oxford does

Dragon School Oxford is a co-educational independent day and boarding preparatory school for children aged 4–13, operating two campuses in Oxford: the Pre-Prep at Summertown (Reception to Year 3, 306 Woodstock Road) and the main Prep School at Bardwell Road (Years 4–8). Founded in 1877 by Reverend A. E. Clarke and approaching its 150th anniversary in 2027, the school is operated by Dragon School Trust Ltd, a company limited by guarantee and registered charity (Charity no. 309676, Company no. 524331) governed by a board chaired by Penny Cameron Watt. Head Emma Goldsmith leads the institution since 2021. Core products include Pre-Prep, Prep School, Boarding (full, weekly, flexi at £99–£268/week, and occasional at £115/night), Dragon Quest Saturday enrichment programme, and Skipper's Music and Performing Arts Centre (opened summer 2024 with 29 practice rooms, recital hall, recording studio, and wellbeing garden).

The school's revenue model is built on subscription/recurring termly fees (£6,560–£17,250 per term), supplemented by usage-based flexi and occasional boarding, specialist tuition (music/learning support at £52/half hour, LAMDA at £22/quarter hour), and a donations/philanthropy stream supporting the Transformational Bursary Programme (up to 25 bursary holders at any time). Technology infrastructure consists of the third-party My School Portal platform (web + iOS/Android apps) for parent communications, Dragon News, calendar, reports, and bookings. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a five-step admissions pathway (Enquire, Visit, Register, Experience, Become), termly Open Mornings, and Future Schools events supporting transition to 40+ senior schools.

The school differentiates through 148 years of heritage, ISI 'Excellent' rating (2022), 30 nationalities represented, 100+ co-curricular activities, River Cherwell location with 22-acre campus, and a record 63 scholarships and awards in 2025 (up from 77 scholarships + 6 awards in 2024). Outreach includes the Transformational Bursary Programme (100+ pupils helped since 2003), partnerships with three local state primaries, and charitable fundraising of £27,000 in 2024-25. Distribution is regional (Oxfordshire) with international boarder recruitment; there is no parent company, no external investors, and no funding rounds — operating surpluses are reinvested in facilities and bursaries.

Name

Dragon School Oxford

Legal name

Dragon School Trust Ltd

Website

https://dragonschool.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dragon School Oxford is a co-educational independent day and boarding preparatory school for children aged 4-13, operating two Oxford campuses and delivering academic, pastoral, and co-curricular education to fee-paying families and bursary recipients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Preparatory School

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

Keywords

• Independent preparatory school
• Boarding school education
• Prep school admissions
• Primary education services
• Co-educational day school

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford, Oxfordshire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. School Fees - Boarding: Full boarding fees charged per term at £17,250, providing residential education including accommodation, meals, and all school activities.
2. School Fees - Day Pupils: Day pupil fees at £11,575 per term for Prep school; Pre-Prep fees range from £6,560 (Reception) to £8,640 (Year 3) per term.
3. Flexi Boarding: Pre-booked flexible boarding options ranging from £99 (one night) to £268 (three nights) per week, providing additional revenue from day pupils who occasionally board.
4. Specialist Tuition: Additional charges for music lessons (£52 per half hour), learning support (£52 per half hour), and LAMDA lessons (£22 per quarter hour).
5. Occasional Boarding: Ad hoc overnight stays at £115 per night for flexi boarders or occasional visitors.
6. Donations and Philanthropy: Regular giving programme including single gifts, regular donations, legacies, and fee donations supporting the Transformational Bursary Programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dragon School Oxford is a co-educational independent day and boarding preparatory school for children aged 4–13, delivering academic, pastoral, and co-curricular education across two Oxford campuses (Pre-Prep Reception–Year 3 and Prep Years 4–8). Core offerings include the Pre-Prep and Prep School curricula, full/weekly/flexi/occasional boarding, the bespoke Dragon Quest Saturday enrichment programme, the Skipper's Music and Performing Arts Centre, the Transformational Bursary Programme, and a dedicated Future Schools transition programme supporting placement at 40+ senior schools.

Product overview

Dragon School Oxford is a co-educational independent day and boarding preparatory school for children aged 4-13, comprising two main campuses: Pre-Prep (Reception to Year 3, ages 4-7) in Summertown and Prep School (Years 4-8, ages 7-13) at Bardwell Road. The school offers a unified educational experience combining academic rigor with extensive co-curricular programs. Key products include the Pre-Prep and Prep School as core educational programs, Dragon Quest (Saturday morning enrichment curriculum), Skipper's Music and Performing Arts Centre (opened 2024), Boarding (full, weekly, flexi, and occasional options), and the Parent Portal digital communication platform powered by My School Portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dragon Quest: A bespoke, skills-based enrichment curriculum on Saturday mornings offering activities from farm visits and yoga to filmmaking, animation, first aid, debating, classical history, orienteering and cultural exploration.
• Skipper's
• The Educational Dilemma Podcast
• Bun Break With...
• Dragon Tales

Products and services

• Pre-Prep School Early years education programme for children aged 4-7 (Reception to Year 3) located at the Summertown campus. Features three Reception classes with maximum 16 children each, specialist teaching spaces, four playgrounds, art room, computer room, library, sound-proofed music pods, and gym.
• Prep School Main preparatory school for children aged 7-13 (Years 4-8) at the Bardwell Road campus. Offers day and boarding options with structured year groups (Year 4 building, Middle School Years 5-6, Upper School Years 7-8), academic curriculum including Latin and coding, and co-curricular activities.
• Boarding Family-style boarding experience across nine vibrant boarding homes with houseparents. Options include full boarding, weekly boarding, flexi boarding (1-3 nights per week at £99-£268), and occasional boarding (£115/night). Year 6-8 children stay in single year group Houses; Years 4-5 in combined Junior Houses.
• Dragon Quest Saturday Enrichment Programme A bespoke Saturday morning skills-based enrichment curriculum offering activities including farm visits, yoga, filmmaking, animation, first aid, debating, classical history, orienteering, and cultural exploration. Includes ConQuest off-site trips and on-site sessions.
• Skipper's Music and Performing Arts Centre State-of-the-art music and performing arts facility featuring 29 practice rooms, classrooms, rehearsal spaces, recital hall, recording studio, and wellbeing garden. Supports the school's music and performing arts curriculum.
• Future Schools Transition Programme Dedicated programme supporting families through senior school selection, pre-test preparation, Common Entrance, interview practice, and scholarship support. Transitions pupils to over 40 different senior schools including Wellington, Rugby, St Edward's, and Oundle, with 63 scholarships and awards achieved in 2025.
• Transformational Bursary Programme Means-tested bursary programme offering up to 80% fee remission, with up to 25 bursary holders supported at any time and 110% bursary places delivered in partnership with the Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation. Over 100 pupils have been supported since 2003.

Quantifiable outcome

• 63 Scholarships and Awards in 2025; 77 scholarships + 6 awards in 2024 (record-breaking)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FlexicareminorOthersDragon Charities of the Year 2025-2026 partner. Flexicare provides a free, fully flexible, specialised sitting service for families with children with disabilities. Registered Charity Number: 1172635
• Dreams Come TrueminorOthersDragon Charities of the Year 2025-2026 partner. Charity mission to bring joy, happiness and magic to children in the UK living in poverty with serious illness, disability or life-limiting condition. Registered Charity Number: 800248
• Horatio's GardenminorOthersDragon Charities of the Year 2025-2026 partner. Charity nurturing wellbeing of people after spinal injury in beautiful sanctuaries within NHS spinal injury centres. Registered Charity Number: 1151475
• Royal National Children's SpringBoard Foundation (RNCSF)coreOthersPartnership providing 110% bursary places as part of Transformational Bursary Programme. SpringBoard network of schools supporting children from disadvantaged backgrounds to access independent education.
• Windale Primary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Oxford primary school partnership. Co-design collaborative opportunities for children and staff to learn with and from each other, including music, drama and art workshops.
• Pegasus Primary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Oxford primary school partnership. Co-design collaborative opportunities for children and staff to learn with and from each other, including music, drama and art workshops.
• Orchard Meadow Primary SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Oxford primary school partnership. Co-design collaborative opportunities for children and staff to learn with and from each other, including music, drama and art workshops.
• School Partnerships AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organisation connecting independent schools with state schools for partnership working, enabling Dragon to share resources and create collaborative opportunities across Oxford.
• St Edward's School OxfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighbouring Oxford school used for sports facilities including Years 2 and 3 games and PE sessions at St Edward's fields. Swimming pool access also shared.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eton College: Eton is the UK's most famous independent school and a common senior-school destination for Dragon leavers. Broader incumbent in UK independent education; not a direct competitor but a brand benchmark and downstream feeder.
• Wellington College: Wellington is a leading Berkshire independent senior school explicitly named as a Dragon destination. Broader incumbent rather than competitor, but shapes Dragon's premium positioning and feeds the school's value proposition.

Direct peers

• Papplewick School: Papplewick is a leading independent preparatory school for boys in Ascot, Berkshire, offering day and boarding for ages 6-13. Comparable to Dragon as a premium boarding prep with strong senior-school outcomes.
• Cothill House: Cothill House is a boys' preparatory boarding school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, serving ages 4-13. It directly competes with Dragon in the Oxford-area prep market and feeds into many of the same senior schools (including St Edward's).
• Cheam School: Cheam is a co-educational prep school in Hampshire for ages 3-13 with day, flexi and full boarding. Closely comparable co-ed boarding prep model and senior-school feeding pattern.
• Caldicott School: Caldicott is a boys' boarding prep school in Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire, for ages 7-13 with strong senior-school scholarship outcomes. Comparable prep product targeting similar fee-paying UK and international families.
• Ludgrove School: Ludgrove is a boys' boarding preparatory school in Berkshire for ages 8-13, focused on senior-school scholarship preparation. Closely comparable prep-school product and customer segment to Dragon.
• The Perse School: The Perse is a leading Cambridge-based co-educational day school spanning prep through sixth form. Comparable as a top-tier academically rigorous co-ed independent school with similar fee structure and senior-school outcomes.
• Summerfields School: Summerfields is a historically prestigious boys' boarding prep school in Oxford, ages 4-13, with a similar cohort and feeder pattern to top senior schools. Closest geographic and product peer in the Oxford prep segment.

Others

• St Edward's School, Oxford: St Edward's is the most common senior-school destination for Dragon leavers and a current facility-share partner (sports fields, swimming). Not a direct competitor but a key downstream relationship and ecosystem player.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/dragonschooloxford
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-dragon-school-oxford

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dragon School Oxford