Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School

What Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School does

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School (RPPS) is an independent co-educational preparatory school located at 16 Ravenscourt Avenue, Hammersmith, West London, serving children aged 4 to 11 (Reception through Year 6). Founded in 1991 and operated as part of the Gardener Schools Group Ltd (proprietor Maria Gardener), the school delivers a holistic curriculum spanning English, Mathematics, Science, Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish), Music, Drama, Art, PE and Games, Computing, PSHEE, and Religious Education, supported by specialist on-site facilities including a multi-purpose hall, library of nearly 7,000 texts, music suite, art studio, science laboratory, gymnasium, and ICT suite. Teaching technology centres on iPads and laptop trolleys deployed by year group, digital portfolios via SharePoint/Seesaw, Linguascope and Language Angels for MFL, and video analysis tools for PE feedback. Classrooms are described as 'mistake-friendly' with a growth-mindset ethos, and the school holds the NACE Challenge Award (500th school globally), ISI 2024 inspection significant strength for EDI, and a 5-star Food Standards Agency catering rating.

The school's commercial model is tuition-fee based, billed termly in advance or monthly via direct debit, with a £120 non-returnable registration fee and a £3,000 refundable acceptance deposit per place. Ancillary recurring revenue comes from before-school care (from 8:00am) and after-school care (until 6:00pm), plus an enrichment programme of over 50 extra-curricular clubs. The customer base consists of West London families with children in the 4–11 age range; the GTM motion is sales-led, centred on Open Morning events with guided tours led by senior leadership, supported by organic word-of-mouth, an Instagram channel (@rppslondon), and third-party endorsements including Tatler and IAPS membership. Outreach partnerships include a multi-year charity relationship with West London Action for Children (over £60,000 raised over two years) and the Angel Child Brain Tumour Charity Foundation. Headcount is approximately 24 employees, and the school is currently transitioning leadership, with Tim Smith appointed Headteacher from September 2026, succeeding Carl Howes.

Name

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School

Legal name

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School

Website

https://rpps.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School is an independent co-educational prep school in Hammersmith, West London, serving children aged 4 to 11. Founded in 1991 and part of the Gardener Schools Group, it delivers a holistic curriculum with specialist facilities and over 50 extra-curricular clubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Fees are charged per term (three terms per year: Spring, Summer, Autumn). Families can pay termly in advance or monthly by direct debit. This is the primary revenue stream for the independent school.
2. Before and After School Care: Before School Care available from 8:00am; After School Care available until 6:00pm. After school clubs run from 3:30pm (Lower School) / 3:40pm (Upper School) until 4:40pm. These supplementary childcare services generate additional revenue alongside core tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School provides independent co-educational preparatory education for children aged 4 to 11 (Reception through Year 6), delivering a holistic curriculum across 18 subject areas including specialist teaching in Modern Foreign Languages, Music, Drama, Art, PE & Games, Computing, and Science. The school is operated on a single campus in Hammersmith, West London, as part of the Gardener Schools Group, with supplementary paid services including before/after school care, an extra-curricular clubs programme of over 50 activities, and residential trips.

Product overview

Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School offers a K-12 preparatory education programme for children aged 4 to 11 (Reception through Year 6). The school provides a comprehensive Core Curriculum of academic subjects including English, Maths, Science, Computing, History, Geography, Modern Foreign Languages (French and Spanish), Art, Drama, Music, PE, and PSHEE. Beyond the core curriculum, the school offers an extensive Extra-Curricular Clubs Programme with over 50 activities spanning sports, creative arts, and academics. Additional services include Pastoral Care with Learning Support and SEND provisions, School Day and Care Services with before/after school care, Educational Visits and Trips including residential programmes, a Parent Portal digital service, and Admissions Services. The school is part of the Gardener Schools Group.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Preparatory Education Programme (Reception to Year 6) Independent co-educational preparatory school education for children aged 4 to 11, covering Reception through Year 6, with a holistic approach to intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development. Sold as a per-term tuition package to parents enrolling their children.
• Extra-Curricular Clubs Programme Over fifty different clubs spanning sports (Football, Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Cricket, Tennis, Padel, Fencing, Karate, Judo), creative arts (Drama, Musical Theatre, Ballet, Ceramics, Art, Comic Club), and academics (Coding, Junior Computing, M: Tech, Chess, Debate & Philosophy, Science). Clubs run from 3:30pm/3:40pm until 4:40pm, run by staff and external providers.
• Before and After School Care Before School Care available from 8:00am and After School Care available until 6:00pm. Supplementary childcare services for enrolled pupils, generating additional revenue alongside core tuition fees.
• Educational Visits and Residential Trips Day trips and residential programmes including Year 3 Sayers Croft (two-night stay in Surrey), Years 4–6 Moorland Hall (Devon) and Cornwall with caving, rock-climbing, gorge walking, mountain boarding, and kayaking, plus optional international trips to Legoland, Chessington, ski trips to Austria, sports tours to Jersey, and biennial choir tours.
• Pastoral Care and Catering Services Comprehensive pastoral support including Learning Support, SEND provisions, Personal Social Health and Economic Education, and a 5-star Food Standards Agency rated in-house catering service providing healthy meals for pupils.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• West London Action for Children (WLAC)coreOthersMajor local charity partner with a longstanding relationship. School community has raised over £60,000 with WLAC over two years through events including charity concerts, staff and parent cycle rides, and Headmaster Mr Howes running the London Marathon for WLAC in 2023. The school also sang at local care homes as part of its community outreach to WLAC.
• Angel Child, Brain Tumour Charity FoundationminorOthersCharity partner supporting children affected by brain tumours. The school integrates Angel Child initiatives into its community responsibility and giving-back programme.
• Sayers CroftminorOthersOutward bounds centre in Surrey used for Year 3 residential trips (two-night stay). Provides rural outdoor experiences including activities not replicable in the classroom.
• Moorland HallminorOthersDevon-based residential venue used for Years 4–6, offering challenging outdoor activities including caving, rock-climbing, gorge walking, mountain boarding, and kayaking. Also used for Cornish coast visits.
• Latymer Upper SchoolminorOthersYear 2 students and swim squad have access to Latymer Upper School's swimming pool facilities, providing modern aquatic infrastructure for curriculum swimming and competitive training.
• Ealing Cricket Club and Popesfield GroundminorOthersThe school has exclusive access to Ealing Cricket Club and Popesfield Ground for football, rugby, cross country, and cricket sessions, supplementing on-site sports facilities.
• Children's Book ProjectminorOthersCharity to which the school donates books, supporting children in schools with limited access to reading resources. Reflects the school's commitment to Reading for Pleasure and EDI values.
• Gardener Schools GroupcoreOthersThe school is owned and operated by the Gardener Schools Group Ltd, a group of independent schools including Kew Green Preparatory School, Kew House School, Maida Vale School, and Kew Green Nursery. The group provides strategic direction, shared resources (including catering management and Data Protection Officer Georgina Savic), and operational support across member schools.
• Billings & EdmondsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial and exclusive uniform supplier for Ravenscourt Park Prep. Maintains a dedicated on-site uniform shop at 112 Chiswick High Road, W4 1PU. All required uniform and sports kit items must be purchased through Billings & Edmonds to ensure consistency and correct branding.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hampton Preparatory School: Independent preparatory school where incoming RPPS Headteacher Tim Smith currently serves as Headmaster. Comparable prep-age (4-13), fee-paying model, and academic positioning, providing a useful benchmark for the school Tim Smith is leaving behind.
• Pembridge Hall School: Independent girls' preparatory school in Notting Hill for ages 4-11. Direct competitor for West London families seeking premium prep education, with similar fee structure and ISI inspection profile.
• Kew House School: Member of Gardener Schools Group, an independent London school in the same family. Shares group-level resourcing, proprietor (Maria Gardener), and operational structure.
• Notting Hill Prep School: Independent co-educational prep school in West London for children aged 4-13. Direct competitor for the same catchment area families, with similar premium positioning and curriculum breadth.
• Hill House School: Independent co-educational preparatory school in West London serving ages 3-13. Comparable premium-fee positioning, IAPS membership, and 11+ preparation focus in the same catchment.
• Kew Green Preparatory School: Sister school within the Gardener Schools Group, offering independent co-educational preparatory education in the Kew/West London area. Most directly comparable as it shares ownership, group resources, and operational model with RPPS.
• Maida Vale School: Another Gardener Schools Group independent prep, also serving ages 4-11 in London. Direct peer given shared parent company, centralised governance, and overlapping target market in affluent West London families.
• Chepstow House School: Independent co-educational prep school in Notting Hill for ages 2-13. Direct competitor for West London prep families with similar fee point, curriculum approach, and IAPS affiliation.
• Bute House Preparatory School: Highly regarded West London independent prep school serving ages 4-13. Comparable on premium-fee co-educational model, IAPS affiliation, and 11+ preparation focus in the same competitive London prep market.

Emerging players

• Latymer Upper School: Independent day school in Hammersmith (same locality as RPPS) providing sports-facility access to RPPS pupils and serving as a top senior-school destination for prep graduates. Adjacent in the value chain rather than directly competing at prep level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rppslondon/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rppslondon

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School