Papplewick School
School summary
Papplewick is a small independent boarding and day school for boys aged 6 to 13 in Ascot, with around 209 pupils on roll. Its standout feature is the staffing: a pupil-to-teacher ratio of roughly seven to one is unusually generous, allowing close attention through the prep years and on to senior school entry at 13. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the school excellent for both education quality and personal development, with all compliance standards met. With nearly a third of pupils receiving some form of SEN support, the school is well placed to look after a range of learners.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
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Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- excellent
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 4 March 2025
Teaching & academics
An ISI rating of excellent, paired with one of the lowest pupil-to-teacher ratios you are likely to find, points to genuinely individual teaching. The curriculum is geared towards entry to senior independent schools at 13, the natural exit point for a 6 to 13 prep. Academic scholarships are available, alongside awards in music, sport, art and design technology, signalling that ability is recognised across several fields.
Headmaster · Mr TW Bunbury
Beyond the classroom
The breadth of scholarship areas, spanning music, sport, art and design technology, reflects a school that values more than the classroom. As a boarding setting, it offers the wider rhythm of school life beyond lessons; in keeping with that, boarders may use only non-internet 'brick' phones, and then briefly in the dormitories.
School life & ethos
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 32.54%
- EHC plans
- 0%
Mobile phone policy
Boarders are allowed non-internet connected phones (bricks!) but only for half an hour or so in the dorms.
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £23,610 - £33,060
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £43,050
- Bursaries up to
- 35% of fees
Means-tested bursaries
Schools nearby
LVS Ascot
Ascot, South East
Heathfield School
Ascot, South East
The Marist School
Ascot, South East
St Mary's School Ascot
Ascot, South East
Heathermount School
Ascot, South East
Sunningdale School
Ascot, South East
Watch Passmate decide how to teach.
Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A small, close-knit boys' prep where a seven-to-one ratio and an excellent ISI verdict do the talking. Means-tested bursaries help widen access to fees that reach up to £43,050 for boarders.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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Papplewick School 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.