Clifton Lodge School is a small independent prep school in Ealing, West London, taking boys and girls from age 4 to 11. International families considering a UK prep school will find the school’s own website unusually detailed about fees, assessments and the support offered to non-native English speakers. This guide gathers what the school itself publishes, accessed on 5 August 2026, and flags clearly where the official pages are silent.
School Overview: A Small Prep School in Ealing
Clifton Lodge School is based at 8 Mattock Lane, Ealing, London W5 5BG, in an extended double-fronted Victorian house opposite Walpole Park, about 10 minutes’ walk from Ealing Broadway Station. The school describes itself as deliberately small: it says the word “small” is its biggest advantage, because the size lets every child be known, feel safe and settle in. It has a Christian ethos and a motto, Optime, which the school renders as striving for excellence in everything it does. An inspection by the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate awarded the school double “Excellent” for academic and personal development — the school’s own account of that inspection.
The school belongs to a wider group of schools, but this guide sticks to what Clifton Lodge School’s own pages say about itself. Parents considering Clifton Lodge School will also see the school’s published outcomes: for 2026, Year 6 pupils gained 31 offers to highly selective senior schools including 7 academic, music, art and sports scholarships, and the school’s Reception cohort achieved 86% Good Level of Development in 2025 against a national figure of 68%. These are the school’s own reported figures, and the school’s website notes that applications are currently open for September 2027 entry.
Programmes: Nursery, Reception, Pre-Prep and Prep
Clifton Lodge School structures learning in four stages covering ages 3 to 11. Nursery (ages 3 to 4) runs in a separate Early Years building with its own playground, with specialist teaching in music and sports; the school notes that Nursery families receive 15 hours of government funding, worth roughly £1,000 per term off the invoice. Reception (ages 4 to 5) follows the EYFS curriculum with a more structured school day, weekly French with a specialist teacher, Forest School sessions at nearby Lammas Park, and sport taught by coaches from Ealing Trailfinders.
Pre-Prep (Years 1 and 2, ages 5 to 7) moves into the National Curriculum from Year 1, continuing phonics and reading, with swimming on Friday afternoons. Prep (Years 3 to 6, ages 7 to 11) is where the school concentrates on 11+ preparation: science is taught by a specialist in a dedicated Science Lab from Year 3, the Year 5 and 6 form teachers are maths and English specialists, Year 5 pupils sit weekly practice tests from the February half term, and in the autumn term of Year 6 children practise interview skills with the Head or Deputy Head. Sport runs twice a week with matches and competitions, including Friday afternoon sessions at the Ealing Trailfinders ground, and after-school care is available until 6 pm for an additional charge.
Entry Requirements: The Admissions Process
Clifton Lodge School’s admissions process is published as six steps: get in touch, visit (an open day, a private tour, or a virtual call with the Head for families who cannot travel), register, attend a taster day, receive an offer, and complete admission. Registration requires a form and a non-refundable £150 fee. The school is explicit that registering does not guarantee a place — it enters the child on the waiting list and gives access to assessment.
Taster days differ by age: Reception children join a short session, Pre-Prep children are paired with a buddy, and Prep children spend a morning and lunch with their class before sitting assessment tests. Offers are time-limited and depend on a satisfactory reference from the child’s current school plus staff feedback from the taster day. To accept, parents return the acceptance documentation with a deposit — £950 for local families, or one term’s fees for international pupils — which is held on account and not deducted from the first term’s fees.
Entry at 7+ (into Year 3) is subject to availability and assessment. All candidates are assessed in English, comprehension, mathematics and reading, with the school also observing behaviour, communication and social interaction. Assessment happens each February, and only registered children are invited. For the 2026 cycle the published dates were: registration deadline 6 February, assessment week beginning 24 February, offers from 27 February, and acceptance deadline 13 March; dates move each year, so the current cycle should be checked on the official site.
Costs: The 2026-2027 Fee Schedule
Clifton Lodge School publishes its fees per term for 2026-2027, including VAT: Reception £6,435; Year 1 £6,550; Year 2 £6,650; Years 3 and 4 £7,015; Years 5 and 6 £7,250. Independent schools are required to charge VAT at 20% on school fees from Reception upwards, and the published rates are inclusive of it. Extras are itemised: lunches and educational enrichment £340 per term including trips, and swimming for Years 1 and 2 approximately £144 per term. Day trips, workshops and residential trips are billed separately.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) support has its own published charges: £300 per term for Reception to Year 2, and £500 per term for Years 3 to 6. Sibling discounts reduce fees by 5% for one sibling, 10% for a second, and 15% for any further siblings. Fees are payable in full by direct debit on or before the first day of each term; late payment accrues a 1.5% monthly surcharge. A monthly instalment plan (School Fee Plan) is available.
International Pupils: Fees, English Support and Visas
Clifton Lodge School states plainly on its international pupils page that all pupils — British, EU and international — pay the same fees regardless of nationality or immigration status. Non-native English speakers are asked to meet online with a member of the Senior Leadership Team for an informal assessment of their English level, after which the school advises whether additional support is needed before or during enrolment. The school’s EAL programme combines one-to-one support and in-class help, supplemented by the Learning Village online curriculum pupils can use at home and at school.
International pupils who receive an offer pay a deposit equal to one term’s fees, returned at the end of the student’s time at the school provided proper notice is given and all fees are settled. Families who need the school to sponsor a Child Student visa are asked to pay the full academic year’s fees upfront plus a £600 administration fee for each Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The school also provides information on the Parent of a Child Student visa route for parents of pupils aged 4 to 11 who want to live in the UK with their child, and welcomes children of parents on investor, skilled worker and diplomatic visas. Visa eligibility depends on individual circumstances and on current UK government rules, which families should verify against the official guidance.
Term Dates, Location and Practical Details
For the 2026-2027 academic year the published dates are: Autumn Term from Thursday 3 September to Wednesday 16 December 2026 (half term 19 to 30 October); Spring Term from Tuesday 5 January to Wednesday 24 March 2027 (half term 15 to 19 February); Summer Term from Monday 19 April to Thursday 8 July 2027 (half term 31 May to 4 June). The next open day advertised on the website is Saturday 3 October, 10:00 am to 12 noon, with private tours available on school days.
The school sits opposite Walpole Park with a large playground under an all-weather canopy, a dedicated Science Lab and Art Room, and a dining room providing lunches for all children. Ealing Broadway Station links central London via the Elizabeth Line, Central and District lines. For international families, the practical sequence is: check entry point and availability, arrange a visit (or virtual call), register, attend the taster day and assessment, receive the offer, then handle deposit, fees and visa arrangements in the order the school’s published process sets out.
Everything above comes from the Clifton Lodge School official website as of 5 August 2026; fee levels, dates and visa arrangements change, so confirm against the latest official pages before committing. If you would like help weighing up whether Clifton Lodge School suits your child — entry point, English level, timing and the family’s visa situation — our advisers can talk through the options and help you structure the application timeline.