All best of norfolk
Best prep schools in Norfolk: fees, inspections and what’s closed (2026)
Norfolk's six open independent prep schools, their 2026 to 27 fees, their most recent ISI inspections, and the three that have closed since 2019.
Eight independent schools in Norfolk run a prep school or prep department, for children from nursery or Reception to 11 or 13, and five schools that taught those years have closed since 2019, the latest, Thetford Grammar, on 31 August 2026. If you are moving here and planning to pay for primary-age education, this is the current list, with fees and inspection results for each school.
Prep schools in England usually run 3 to 13 and feed into senior independents through the Common Entrance exam or an internal route. In Norfolk the day-only schools cluster in Norwich and at Taverham, and boarding is available at Beeston Hall, Gresham’s and Glebe House on the coast. The 2025 VAT-on-fees change has pushed termly costs up and some of the schools are absorbing a share rather than passing it all on. We note that where it affects the figures.
The open prep schools
Beeston Hall School, West Runton
Ages 2 to 13, co-ed, day and boarding, 135 pupils in a 220-capacity site at NR27 9NQ. Boarding is full, weekly or flexi, and flexi nights cost £72. Fees for 2026 to 27 are £4,950 a term in pre-prep, £6,790 in Year 3 and £9,900 for Years 4 to 8 as a day pupil, or £13,210 a term boarding. The school was last routinely inspected by ISI in June 2024 (standards met) and had a non-routine inspection in June 2026, which also found all standards met. It has a Church of England ethos and has been part of the Radley Schools Group since September 2025.
Town Close School, Norwich
Ages 2 to 14, co-ed, day only, 428 pupils at 14 Ipswich Road, NR2 2LR. The largest standalone prep in Norfolk by roll. From September 2026 fees are £5,599 a term in Reception rising to £6,872 in Year 8, and from January 2027 £5,854 to £7,186, because the school plans to absorb 50 per cent of the VAT in 2026 and 25 per cent in 2027. Lunch costs £280 to £330 a term on top. At its ISI inspection in June 2025 all standards were met, with a significant strength for the school’s values. Pupils go on to a range of senior schools, including Norwich School, Gresham’s and schools outside the county.
Langley Preparatory School at Taverham Hall
Ages 0 to 13, co-ed, day only, at Taverham Park, NR8 6HU. This is the former Taverham Hall School, now run by Langley, whose senior school is at Langley Park near Loddon. Fees from September 2026 run from £3,611 a term in Reception to £6,942 for Years 5 to 8, including VAT. There is no boarding at Taverham; Langley offers weekly boarding at the Loddon senior school from Year 6, for £2,700 a term on top of day fees. Last ISI inspection May 2024, standards met in leadership, management and quality of education. The natural prep for families in Costessey, Drayton, Horsford and the A1067 corridor.
Norwich School (Lower School)
Ages 3 to 18 overall, co-ed, day only, at 71a The Close, NR1 4DD. Norwich Lower School, from Reception to Year 6, is part of Norwich School, registered as one school for ages 3 to 18 in the Cathedral Close. Fees for 2026 to 27 are £5,064 a term from Reception to Year 2 and £7,242 for Years 3 to 6, and the senior school charges £8,406 a term from Year 7. The fees include VAT. Last ISI inspection April 2025.
Gresham’s Prep School, Holt
Ages 2 to 13, co-ed, day and boarding, at 8 Cromer Road, NR25 6EY, feeding Gresham’s senior school on the same campus. Day fees for Michaelmas 2026 are £7,390 a term in Years 3 and 4, rising to £9,085 a term from Year 5. Boarding is £12,730 a term across the prep. “Pathway to boarding” (two or three nights a week) is a Gresham’s-specific option: £1,600 a term for two nights, £2,100 a term for three. At its ISI inspection in April 2026 all standards were met, with a significant strength for the creative arts curriculum. Pupils can stay with Gresham’s through to the sixth form.
Notre Dame Preparatory School, Norwich
Ages 2 to 11, co-ed, day only, at 147 Dereham Road, NR2 3TA. A Roman Catholic school with 114 pupils, the smallest on this list. It stops at 11, so Common Entrance is not the way out. Last ISI inspection May 2024: all standards met. We could not confirm its fees for 2026 to 27, so ask the school.
Norwich High School for Girls, Norwich
Girls only, ages 3 to 19, day only, at 95 Newmarket Road, NR2 2HU. Part of the Girls’ Day School Trust, with a prep school for girls aged 3 to 11 on the same site as the senior school and sixth form. It is the only girls-only option in Norfolk. Check fees with the school.
Glebe House School, Hunstanton
Ages 4 to 13, co-ed, day and boarding, 117 pupils at 2 Cromer Road, PE36 6HW. The only prep in west Norfolk, and the nearest independent school for families around King’s Lynn. Check fees with the school.
Fees compared
| School | Age range | Day fee per term (upper prep) | Boarding per term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beeston Hall | 2 to 13 | £9,900 (Y4 to Y8) | £13,210 (full) |
| Town Close | 2 to 14 | £6,872 (Y8; £7,186 from January 2027) | None |
| Langley Prep at Taverham Hall | 0 to 13 | £6,942 (Y5 to Y8) | Weekly, from Y6 at the Loddon senior school |
| Norwich School (Lower School) | 4 to 11 (Lower School) | £7,242 (Y3 to Y6) | None |
| Gresham’s Prep | 2 to 13 | £9,085 (Y5 to Y8) | £12,730 |
| Notre Dame Prep | 2 to 11 | Ask the school | None |
| Norwich High School for Girls | 3 to 11 (prep) | Ask the school | None |
| Glebe House | 4 to 13 | Ask the school | Yes |
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What has closed
Thetford Grammar School closed on 31 August 2026, one of England’s oldest schools shutting after announcing in April 2026 that it could not absorb VAT on fees, business rates and pension costs together. GIAS lists the school as “Closed” at URN 121245. The site at IP24 3AF is no longer running an educational operation.
Riddlesworth Hall School near Diss, a prep for ages 2 to 13, closed on 28 April 2023 after more than 75 years, citing financial pressures. The Grade II listed hall was offered for sale later that year.
Downham Preparatory School, near Downham Market, closed in August 2024.
Sacred Heart School in Swaffham, a Catholic school for ages 3 to 16, closed in July 2019.
Hethersett Old Hall School, a girls’ school, closed at the start of September 2019. Some older lists still include it.
How to choose between them
Three questions decide the shortlist quickly. The first is boarding. Beeston Hall, Gresham’s and Glebe House board prep-age children; Langley offers weekly boarding from Year 6 at its senior school near Loddon; the others are day schools. The second is the age the school stops at. Norwich School and Norwich High School for Girls run on to 18, which is a different choice from a 3-to-13 prep that prepares your child for Common Entrance, and Notre Dame stops at 11. The third is the journey. Town Close, Norwich School, Norwich High and Notre Dame are in Norwich; Langley at Taverham suits families north-west of the city along the A1067; Beeston Hall (West Runton) and Gresham’s (Holt) are near the north Norfolk coast, and Glebe House is at Hunstanton in the west.
Day fees in the upper prep years run from £6,872 to £9,900 a term among the schools that publish them. Full boarding costs about £3,300 to £3,650 a term more than day fees at Beeston Hall and Gresham’s. Some schools are absorbing part of the VAT rather than passing it all on, and that support is temporary: Town Close plans to absorb 50 per cent of the VAT in 2026 and 25 per cent in 2027. A family planning several years ahead should budget on fees with the full VAT added.
Frequently asked questions
Does Norfolk have a state alternative to prep?
Yes. Most families here use the state primary system and most Norfolk state primaries are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Norfolk also has a state boarding school, Wymondham College, where parents pay for boarding but not for teaching; our comparison of state, state boarding and independent schools covers it. If you are weighing fees against buying in the catchment of a stronger state school, start with our admissions and catchments guide.
What is the fees position after the VAT change?
Independent school fees have carried VAT at 20 per cent since 1 January 2025. Each school chose whether to pass it on in full or absorb part of it. The figures above include VAT at the rate each school charges for 2026 to 27. Town Close publishes its plan (absorbing 50 per cent in 2026 and 25 per cent in 2027); ask any other school whether its fees include a temporary discount. Over several years, budget on the full VAT.
How does Common Entrance work in Norfolk?
Common Entrance is the exam most prep schools use to feed pupils into senior independents at 13. In Norfolk the main 13-plus senior intake is at Gresham’s; Norwich School has a 7-plus and 11-plus intake rather than running on Common Entrance. If your child is at Beeston Hall, Langley Prep or Gresham’s Prep, Common Entrance is the standard route. If they are at Town Close, Norwich School Lower, or Notre Dame, the exit path is school-specific and worth asking about on your first visit.
Are there boarding bursaries?
Beeston Hall, Gresham’s and Langley all offer means-tested bursaries and scholarships, and each sets out its criteria on its admissions pages. Ask about deadlines at your first visit, because bursary applications are usually assessed well before the entry date.
Where to go next
- Private schools in Norfolk: fees, boarding and the nearest school to each town. The full senior-school picture.
- Norfolk schools: state, state boarding and independent compared. If you have not yet decided which route to take.
- Moving to Norfolk with school-age children. The admissions timeline.
- Norfolk schools: admissions, catchments and Ofsted. State-sector reference.
Sources
Fees: each school’s own fee page, checked 2 October 2026 (Beeston Hall, Town Close, Langley, Norwich School, Gresham’s). School status, age ranges, pupil numbers and closure dates: Get Information About Schools (GOV.UK). Inspections: Independent Schools Inspectorate reports published by each school.
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