Bardwell Road, Oxford OX2 6SS
10 reasons to choose Dragon School
Top line
Dragon School has a Schoolsmith Score® of 93. It is one of the best independent prep schools in and around Oxford and one of the 3 best primary schools for 1 mile.
School fundamentals
Dragon School is an independent prep day and boarding school for boys and girls (60%/40%) between the ages of 4 and 13 years. Boarding from Year 4 for the 20% of pupils who board. All are full boarders. The school has a non-selective admissions policy. It is a standalone prep school, not tied to any one senior school. Dragon School fees range from £5,210 (Rec) to £9,190 per term (2024/25). Full boarding fees are £13,700 per term. Fees exclude VAT and lunches.
Average class size
Dragon School has three rising to six or seven classes per year and an average class size of 19 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
Destinations for Dragon School leavers are one of 25 independent day or boarding schools. The most popular destinations are St Edward’s Oxford and Eton College, accounting for 30%-40% of leavers. Rugby School, Marlborough College, Headington School, Abingdon School and Stowe together account for another 40%. 40% of pupils win awards and scholarships. ISI Inspectors consider the academic achievement of pupils to be ‘Exceptional’.
The Dragon School curriculum
School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and the ISEB Common Entrance curriculum with some additions and variations. It also includes PSHEE, reasoning, Faith, Philosophy and Ethics, French, Spanish, German, Latin, Greek. The school is one of the 50 prep schools with the most extensive academic and hobby extra-curricular programmes in the UK. In recent years the school has enjoyed national tournament success in bridge, general knowledge quizzes.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups, visiting speakers and residential trips from Year 4. DragonQUEST is Saturday morning activities programme in place of academic lessons. School also has Eco Schools Green Flag accreditation.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for music, art, languages, computing, drama and sport throughout, and for most subjects from Year 5.
Sport at Dragon School
School is one of the 50 prep schools with the most extensive sports offers in the UK. Competitive teams in major sports from Year 3. In recent years the school has enjoyed national success in athletics, cross country, golf, hockey, judo, rugby 7s, sailing, squash, swimming.
The Arts at Dragon School
Art, music and drama are taught as discrete curricular subjects to all pupils. All pupils learn an instrument in class and three-quarters take extra-curricular instrument lessons from Year 3. Touring choir. The school has an Ensembles Programme in which every pupil taking an instrumental lesson will play in an ensemble to their standard. Which means over 60 instrument ensembles. The school offers each pupil over 5 different extra-curricular creative and performing arts clubs.
Wraparound care
Wraparound care from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
Find another school near Dragon School
Oxford High Prep & Pre-Prep Schools (0.1 miles); Summer Fields School (1 mile); New College School (1.2 miles); Christ Church Cathedral School (1.6 miles); Headington Rye Oxford Prep School (3.1 miles).
Wychwood School (0.2 miles); Oxford High School GDST (0.3 miles); d’Overbroeck’s College (0.4 miles); St Edward’s School, Oxford (1.1 miles).
The Cherwell School (0.8 miles); Cheney School (2.8 miles); Bartholomew School (6.7 miles).