Reception (4+) Autumn Open Mornings Now Available to Book
Welcome to Reception at Notting Hill & Ealing Junior School
Join us for a unique opportunity to see our “Outstanding” Early Years environment in action on a normal school day. Meet our Head of Junior School, Ms Bevan, tour our award-winning carbon-neutral building, and discover how our specialist-led curriculum ensures every girl has a flourishing start.
Tuesday 22nd September 2026 – Open Morning for Reception (4+) entry – book here
Tuesday 6th October 2026 – Open Morning for all entry points (4+ 7+ occasional vacancies) – book here
Tuesday 10th November 2026 – Open Morning for 7+ entry and all occasional vacancies – book here
‘The early years provision is highly effective and well led…Children make rapid progress towards their learning goals… This is a significant strength of the school.’
An Exceptional Start
Explore our 2025 Inspection highlights and an article from our Junior School Head, Ms Kate Bevan, on the advantage of an NHEHS education from age 4.
Joining Notting Hill & Ealing Junior School at 4+
Reception at NHEHS is about more than just starting school; it’s about falling in love with learning. In this vital first year, we focus on sparking your daughter’s natural curiosity and giving her the gentle confidence she needs to explore the world around her.
By nurturing these early habits of kindness, wonder, and independence, we give her a “flying start” that prepares her perfectly for the specialist adventures, like Science, Music, Computing and Spanish, that wait for her in Year 1.
Did you know? 90% of a child’s brain development happens by age 5. Read our Head of Junior School’s blog on the critical advantage of starting at 4.
What your daughter’s first year looks like
Strong academic foundations: Early reading, writing, maths and communication skills are developed rapidly where progress feels like play
Confidence to Explore: A secure, inspired environment where she feels motivated to try new things and ask “why?”
Friendship & Collaboration: Building the social skills, kindness, and independence that set the stage for a happy school life
An Award-Winning Prep School for Girls
Notting Hill & Ealing Junior School (NHEHS)
Award-winning education for girls in the heart of West London
Discover one of London’s top-performing independent schools for girls, located in Ealing.
One of London’s most successful girls’ private schools, our recent awards and accolades include:
Prep School of the Year 2026 – Independent School Parent Awards’ Commended List (winners to be announced Autumn 2026)
Best City Prep 2025 – The Week Independent Schools Guide: Best of the Best (Prep)
Prep School of the Year 2025 – shortlisted Independent Schools of the Year Awards
London Independent School of the Year 2024 – Independent School Parent Magazine
Top-rated school ‘very good’ – Telegraph Money’s value-for-money league table 2025
Top 25 school in the Parent Power Guide – The Sunday Times Schools Guide 2025
Excellence from Day One
As an award-winning all-through school, our Reception girls benefit from a lively, forward-thinking environment designed specifically for bright, curious minds. From our dedicated Reception play garden to our 25-metre indoor swimming pool (where swimming lessons start in Reception!), your daughter will enjoy a seamless journey of discovery all the way to Sixth Form.
- a dedicated science lab and science garden for hands on outdoor learning
- specialist creative art spaces
- a light filled library
- a double height hall for assemblies, sport, performances and events
- a forest school to encourage environmental exploration
Consistently exceptional teachers who are passionate about their subjects and have areal sense of fun and curiosity that pupils adore.
Ranked 12th in The Times GCSE League Table 2025
GCSE Results 2025
82
%
82% of entries at 9-8
93
%
93% of entries at 9-7
54
%
54% of entries at 9
The Latest NHEHS Junior School News
The Year 6 girls at the open day were delightful – showing us around their primary school with obvious pride, and easily handled all our many and varied questions. A credit to their school!
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NHEHS Reception Entry FAQsWhen should we register for 4+ entry?
You can apply for a place in our Reception from any point up to the registration deadline (for entry in September 2027 the deadline is 17th October 2026).
What does the 4+ assessment look like?Our 4+ Assessment Day is designed to be a gentle, fun experience for your daughter. Held in late November or early December the year before entry, these sessions last about an hour and are entirely play-based. To ensure everyone feels comfortable, we group girls (usually 3 or 4 at a time) with peers of a similar age.
There is no need for formal preparation. In fact, many parents find that simply telling their daughter she’s coming to play with some new friends helps. Our experienced team isn’t looking for reading or maths skills; we are simply looking for a spark – the potential for each girl to truly flourish in our Junior School.
Does my daughter have a guaranteed place in the Senior School?When your daughter begins her journey with us in the Junior School, we do so with the expectation that she will stay with us all the way through to the Sixth Form. We love seeing our girls grow, and we want their transition to be as smooth as possible.
To make this happen, the vast majority of our Junior School girls receive a confirmed, unconditional offer for Year 7 during the Spring term of Year 5. One of the biggest benefits of being part of our community is that our girls do not have to sit the 11+ entrance exam. This means we can focus on what really matters: exploring a rich curriculum, sparking a lifelong love of learning and preparing them for a confident, seamless move into the Senior School.
Ready to start your daughter’s journey?
Whether you’re ready to book an Open Morning or would like to learn more about our 4+ and 7+ entry, we’re here to help.
