When your child reaches 11, the question arrives: Do we move on now, or stay at prep for Years 7 and 8?

It’s a familiar crossroads for many London parents – and increasingly, those who stay are discovering just how transformative those two extra years can be.

At Brighton College Prep Kensington, the final stage of prep school is anything but a holding pattern. It’s a vibrant, purpose-built bridge between childhood and adolescence, giving pupils time to grow in confidence, independence, and maturity before taking the leap to senior school.

A Modern Education with Real-World Edge

The headline act of Brighton College Prep Kensington’s Upper School is its pioneering Mini-MBA – a two-year programme blending leadership, enterprise, and global awareness. Pupils don’t just learn about business; they do it. They research local markets on Exhibition Road, sell products at Borough Market, and pitch social-enterprise ideas designed to make a difference.

By the end, they’ve learned to think strategically, communicate clearly, and collaborate with empathy – all skills the World Economic Forum calls essential for the future workforce. In short, the Mini-MBA prepares children not just for school, but for life.

Mentorship that Builds Belonging

Adolescence can be tricky terrain. That’s why every pupil at Brighton College Prep Kensington has a dedicated House Mentor – a trusted adult who stays with them from Year 5 to Year 8. Mentors meet regularly with small, mixed-age groups to talk, set goals, and celebrate progress.

For parents, that continuity is gold dust: one person who knows your child inside out, both academically and emotionally. For the children, it’s a lifeline – someone to confide in, laugh with, and lean on as they navigate these formative years.

Learning to Lead

Leadership begins with experience, not a title. In Year 7, pupils help organise trips, design evening activities, and guide younger children on their first adventures away from home. By Year 8, they’re elected by peers and staff to serve as Heads of House, prefects, and school ambassadors.

They learn that real leadership is about kindness, responsibility, and teamwork – qualities that make them natural role models long after they’ve left prep.

London and Beyond: The Classroom Without Walls

Few London prep schools can match Brighton College Prep Kensington’s setting. In Years 7 and 8, the city itself becomes part of the curriculum. Pupils explore history at the Tower of London, debate in the Houses of Parliament, and see Shakespeare performed at the Globe.

Beyond London, expeditions with Outward Bound and the Tall Ships Trust push them out of their comfort zones – scaling mountains, navigating rivers, and even earning sailing qualifications. The result? Young people who understand resilience not as a word, but as something they’ve lived.

“Our pupils don’t just learn about the world,” says Mrs Lois Gaffney, Head of Brighton College Prep Kensington. “They live it.”

Finding Passion Through Projects

Through Pathways & Bridges, children take on 12-week projects each term – anything from Model UN to the Stock Market Club or producing a school newspaper. These experiences build creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills, while also giving pupils great stories to share in senior-school interviews.

“When pupils talk about designing a Formula 1 car or debating climate change, they light up. It shows maturity, confidence and curiosity – exactly what senior schools are looking for.”

Ambition, Supported Every Step of the Way

For pupils aiming for scholarships or selective senior schools, Brighton College Prep Kensington’s Scholarship Pathway provides targeted, expert preparation. Others follow The Brighton Award, a modern, rigorous assessment developed across the Brighton College family of schools. Both routes stretch each child appropriately while nurturing confidence and enjoyment.

Behind the scenes, a dedicated Head of Futures works with every family to guide applications and match each pupil to the right next school. The results speak volumes: leavers go on to Eton, Westminster, St Paul’s, Godolphin & Latymer, Wycombe Abbey, and Brighton College itself – the UK’s top co-educational school. Last year, the pre-test cohort earned 75 offers from 49 different schools.

Technology with a Human Touch

Every pupil in Years 7 and 8 is equipped with a MacBook Air – but handwriting and note-taking still matter here. The balance is deliberate: traditional scholarship meets digital fluency. Children learn to code, edit film, and explore artificial intelligence, always with an emphasis on creativity, responsibility, and ethics.

A peer-led Genius Bar encourages pupils to help one another with tech, turning digital learning into an act of collaboration rather than isolation.

Part of a Global Family

Belonging to the Brighton College family connects pupils to a worldwide network of schools – from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi and Singapore. Through the annual Leonardo Competition, they submit art, literature, music, and design projects judged across continents. It’s an inspiring reminder that they’re part of something much bigger than one school or one city.

Time to Grow, Space to Shine

In a world that rushes children forward, staying at prep through Year 8 gives them the greatest luxury of all – time. Two more years to build confidence. Two more years to lead, create, explore, and mature before senior school begins.

For the pupils of Brighton College Prep Kensington, those years aren’t a delay. They’re the moment everything comes together – where learning meets life, and confidence meets character.

“They leave us not just ready for senior school,” says Mrs Lois Gaffney, “but ready for the world.”