Devonshire House Preparatory School

Devonshire House preparatory school is a co-educational independent IAPS day school for children from 2½ to 11 for girls and to 13 for boys. The School is based in four large Victorian houses in Hampstead. The School currently has about 580 pupils with just over half boys.HistoryDevonshire House was established in 1989 by Michael Loveridge with his family. Mrs Stephanie Piper was appointed as the Headmistress in September 2011 and was previously Headmistress of King's House School, Richmond.One of the School's buildings, 69 Fitzjohn's Avenue, was previously the premises of the Queen's House School, an independent day school for girls aged between 9 and 18 established in 1947. The house at 4 Arkwright Road was the former residence of Francis William Topham (1808–1877), a painter and one of Charles Dickens' illustrators.OperationThe School is divided into four age groups. From age 2½, pupils are taught at the Oak Tree Nursery in Arkwright Road which is rated outstanding or good in all categories in its 2010 OFSTED report. Pre-reception and Reception pupils are taught at 4 Arkwright Road. At 5+, pupils move to the Junior School which is based at 69 Fitzjohn’s Avenue. Finally the pupils move at 8+ into the Senior School based at 2 and 6 Arkwright Road. Boys leave at 13+ and girls generally leave the school at age 11+ although they can stay until 13+. The School is noted for the preparation and quality of food.Devonshire House is one of a large number of schools in the area (see list of schools in Hampstead) which has contributed to school-run traffic congestion in Hampstead. The School has intervened and collaborates with the Transport4schools school bus project.