Open Days

Although there is no formal deadline for registration, we recommend you apply as early as possible. Places for Reception entry is allocated in registration date order, but birthdays are considered to ensure an even mix of age. Those who are registered early will be offered a place and will have the first option of remaining on our waiting list, in registration date order, should a space arise thereafter.

NHP is non-selective at Reception, meaning that there is no assessment for entry at Reception.

Pupils entering Year 1 and above are assessed to gauge the child’s academic abilities and ensure that the school’s educational facilities meet their needs. The assessment procedure will comprise of papers in English and Mathematics; problem solving and verbal and non-verbal reasoning activities; an ideally, an interview with a Head of school.

Pending a successful assessment an offer will be made for entry into the relevant year group and parents will be informed of the results no later than two weeks after the last assessment date.

Yes, if we have a space available, we are happy to accommodate mid-year applicants.

Yes. Siblings are given priority of a place.

Yes. All Acorn children are offered a place for Reception entry, on the condition that they have been at the nursery for the maximum period of time that they are able to attend, based on their date of birth. Acorn families are required to complete an online registration form via our website.

Yes. Our pupils will move onto the school that best suits their attainment and aptitude whether at 11+ or 13+. We prepare them for the school that is right for them, and our experienced teachers will help support your child at every step of the way.

It may be that another Dukes school is suitable for your child. If so, we are happy to advise and recommend them, and one of the benefits of being part of the Dukes Education family is that we can offer priority entrance to your child.

Priority access means that a pupil at one of Dukes’ schools enjoys preferential entry to another, but it is not a guarantee of acceptance. Each school has its own admissions criteria, and an assessment process for entry, and every pupil needs to meet the minimum criteria. A child that meets the eligibility criteria to join another Dukes school moves straight to the front of the queue. This can take a good deal of uncertainty and stress out of the 11+ and 13+ process.

If pupils prefer to continue on to a Dukes senior school, we may be able to confirm acceptance during Year 5, subject to meeting the entrance criteria. Explore all the Dukes senior schools here.

NHP has been a Thinking School since 2014 and achieved accreditation as an Advanced Thinking School by the Cognitive Education Development Unit of the University of Exeter in March 2021 and we were reaccredited in March 2024. We were the first Advanced Thinking School within the primary school category in England and to this day are still only one of two schools within this category.

A Thinking School is one in which teachers and pupils have a deep understanding of how to learn and think effectively. This approach lies at the heart of all teaching and learning at NHP. Click here to read more about this.

NHP was founded with the vision of creating a local co-ed prep school, grounded in a strong partnership between school and parents. NHP began with two important school rules, that still dominate today; every child should have the right to come to school each day feeling safe and happy.

The bedrock of an NHP education is the belief in academic rigour and the innate joy of childhood and a commitment to protect both these core principles, despite the highly pressurised times in which we live.
Driven by our Thinking School approach, and supported by dynamic and inspiring teachers, we strive to develop a passion for learning and a strong sense of self that will carry our pupils through their school years and beyond. Click here to read about more about our ethos and values.