Nursery (3+) and Reception (4+)

Welcome to our Little Lyons Nursery and Reception Admissions page. Little Lyons is a part of our nurturing and stimulating Prep School. Your application journey starts here.

Key dates

Deadline for applications  Thursday 31 October 2024
3+ assessments Friday 24 January 2025
4+ assessments Wednesday 13 November 2024 & Wednesday 15 January 2025

Visit us

Most families begin their educational journey with us by attending one of our ‘School in Action’ open mornings. These sessions offer an opportunity for prospective John Lyon families to meet our Head of Prep, Mrs Sonal Chatrath, and to see our exceptional School on a normal working day.

Book a 'School in Action' open morning

Registration

Registration is the next step for families who wish their child to be considered for a place at John Lyon.

To Register, please click on the link below. The registration fee is payment towards the administration of your child’s application to the school and their entrance examinations. This fee is non-refundable.  When completing your online registration form you will be asked to upload a copy of your child’s passport and latest School report – if applicable

REGISTER NOW

Nursery assessment

Children aged 3+  

Children can join our Nursery soon after their 3rd birthday. The majority of children will join our Nursery in September, however we can accept children at other times during the year providing there is a vacancy and they meet our criteria. 

The Nursery assessment will usually take place in the January in the year your child is eligible to join the School. 

Once parents/guardians have completed their child’s registration form, you will then be invited to attend an assessment. Your child will have the opportunity to see the classroom and interact with the current pupils and staff. 

These assessments last around 30 minutes. During the session, we will look at how each child interacts in the environment, how they communicate and respond to questions and how suitable we think the setting will be for your child. The assessment will be led by Miss Emily Sherr, our Head of Little Lyons and Pre-Prep, as well as our Little Lyons teaching staff. 

Our Prep School is an approved provider authorised to offer 15 hours of childcare funded by Harrow Council to 3 and 4 year old children. Families are eligible to claim the funding in the term after their child turns 3 years of age and up to and including the term they turn 5.

Reception assessment

Children aged 4+  

To join our Reception, your child must be 4 years old by 1 September in the year they are due to start. The majority of children will join our Reception in September, however we can accept children at other times during the year providing there is a vacancy and they meet our criteria.  

The Reception assessment will take place in November in the year prior to entry and will take approximately 45 minutes. Your child will be among a small group of children, and they will take part in a fun group activity. We will look at your child’s interaction with the other children in the group, including how they respond to questions, their listening skills, communication and language. The assessment will be led by Miss Emily Sherr, our Head of Little Lyons and Pre-Prep, as well as our Little Lyons teaching staff. 

Offers and Acceptances

We will email offer letters to parents normally within a week of your child attending their assessment.

If an offer of a place is made and you wish to accept a place you will be asked to read our Terms & Conditions, complete the Confirmation of Acceptance form and pay the Confirmation of Acceptance fee. There are some other forms to complete (depending on year of entry) these will be included or attached with your offer letter. The Confirmation of Acceptance fee is refundable when your child leaves the School.

Full terms and conditions are set out in the Parent Contract and Annual Update of Fees and Optional Extras, which are both available on request from our Admissions team. 

Admission fees

Registration fee £150
Confirmation of Acceptance fee £1,000 (UK Resident)
£3,000 (Overseas resident)

REGISTER NOW
CLICK HERE FOR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does the Prep School have a swimming pool? 

Yes, we have our very own swimming pool on our Prep campus. We also have access to a second swimming pool at our Senior School. Being part of a Senior School means we benefit from three fully-equipped campuses with outstanding facilities for sport, music, drama, art and more. 

 Do you have links to other schools? 

Yes, we have a Senior School. Together, we are one co-ed 3-18 school. We are also part of the global Harrow Family of Schools, which features Harrow School itself as well as a number of other leading schools around the world. 

 Do you offer wrap-around care before and after school? 

Yes, we provide breakfast club, after school care, after school club and holiday club. These provisions are designed to be valuable to both parents and their children’s wellbeing and time. Read more here. 

 Can I apply for scholarship/bursary?
There are no scholarship or bursaries available for the Prep School. When applying for our Senior School, you can apply for scholarships and bursaries at the time of registering your child when your child is in the Prep School. 

 When will 3+ (Nursery) and 4+ (Reception) assessments take place? 

Key dates are available at the top of this webpage. 

 Is lunch included in the school fees?
Yes, unlike most other schools in the area, we do not charge extra for lunch. 

 Do you offer a coach service?
We offer a comprehensive coach service, which is heavily subsidised by the School and takes pressure off families at drop-off and pick-ups. We encourage use of our coaches for not only your convenience and ease, but also for our collective sustainability efforts. It is also a great way for children to socialise with one another. Click here for more information. 

 Is the transition from Prep School to the Senior School automatic? 

We offer our children automatic transition between Prep and Senior School, thus enabling children and parents to not go through the lengthy and emotional 11+ journey. The only exception to this will be if a child is performing well below the expected level, and therefore would not be suited to the Senior School.