Baldersby Park, Topcliffe, Thirsk, North Yorkshire YO7 3BZ
10 reasons to choose Queen Mary's School, Prep & Pre-Prep
Top line
Queen Mary’s School, Prep & Pre-Prep has a Schoolsmith Score® of 79. It is one of the best independent prep schools in and around Thirsk and one of the 3 best primary schools for 5 miles.
School fundamentals
Queen Mary’s School, Prep & Pre-Prep is an independent prep day and boarding school for girls between the ages of 4 and 11 years. It has a co-ed nursery and pre-prep. Boarding from Year 4 for the 10% of pupils who board. 40% are full boarders and 60% are weekly or flexi boarders. It is a Church of England school, open to all faiths and none. The school has a non-selective admissions policy. It is the prep school to Queen Mary’s School, an all-through school to age 16, and is a member of the Woodard Corporation. Queen Mary’s School, Prep & Pre-Prep fees range from £4,290 (Rec) to £7,768 per term (2025/26). Full boarding fees are £11,208 per term. Fees include VAT and lunches.
Average class size
Queen Mary’s School, Prep & Pre-Prep has one class per year and an average class size of 14 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
At the end of Year 6 most Prep School pupils move up to Queen Mary’s School, Thirsk.
The Queen Mary's School, Prep & Pre-Prep curriculum
School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum, is cross-curricular and thematic to Year 4, and also includes PSHE, reasoning, French. There may be an occasional extra-curricular academic or hobby club.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups and visiting speakers. Forest School for pre-prep pupils. Residential trips in Year 5 and 6.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for sport, music and languages throughout, and for science, art and DT from Year 3.
Sport at Queen Mary's School, Prep & Pre-Prep
School offers between 10 and 15 different sports over the course of the year. Representative teams in major sports from Year 3.
The Arts at Queen Mary's School, Prep & Pre-Prep
Art and music are taught as discrete curricular subjects to all pupils. Drama is part of the co-curriculum. All pupils learn an instrument in class and some take extra-curricular instrument lessons. Choir, (whole school) orchestra and some instrument ensembles. There are some extra-curricular creative and performing arts clubs.
Wraparound care
Wraparound care from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
Find another school near Queen Mary's School, Prep & Pre-Prep
Cundall Manor Preparatory School (3.8 miles); Highfield Prep School (19.4 miles); Ashville College Prep School & Pre-Prep (19.6 miles).
Dishforth Church of England Primary School (3.9 miles); Sessay Church of England Primary School (5.6 miles); Staveley Community Primary School (11 miles).
Queen Mary’s School (0 miles); Cundall Manor School (3.8 miles); Ampleforth College (17.9 miles).
Thirsk School & Sixth Form College (4.8 miles); Ripon Grammar School (11 miles); Outwood Academy Ripon (11.2 miles).