Scotland


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1.jpg" alt="Fettes Prep" class="wp-image-2890" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Fidra-Walk_09.05.24-123-2-1-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-where-nbsp"><strong>WHAT? WHERE?</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Fettes College Prep&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pre-Prep is a co-educational day and boarding school for children aged 5 to 13. With<strong>&nbsp;</strong>around 148 pupils, including roughly 36 full boarders, it’s set on 100 acres just minutes from central Edinburgh, within the wider Fettes College campus.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Prep occupies its own quieter corner under swaying trees across two houses named William and Malcolm. Malcolm is the older of the two buildings, with classrooms for the older children and boarding. Bright, large-windowed William, houses the Pre-Prep – newly launched in September 2025. It’s calmer and less grand than the Senior School (read our review <a href="https://scotland.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/fettes-college-senior-edinburgh/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>), but with full access to its facilities. </p>



<p>That context matters: around 95% of pupils move straight on to the Senior School at 13. No Common Entrance treadmill, no annual panic.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-facilities-nbsp"><strong>FACILITIES</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sport-nbsp"><strong>SPORT</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Sharing a site with a heavyweight senior school gives Fettes Prep serious leverage. There are top-drawer sports pitches (a water-based hockey surface used by the Scottish national team), a climbing wall, indoor pool, sports halls and endless grass for games and outdoor learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>With such epic facilities and an enormous amount of space, there’s a massive amount of sport going on. All the classics – hockey, netball, cricket and touch rugby (“to make it more inclusive”). The cricket teams are also mixed, emphasising a value of sport for all. There’s also a fleet of mountain bikes for kids to use, trips to the slope to learn skiing at the nearby Hill End dryslope, weekend trips up to the Highlands to bag Munros and even a roller skating club.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The aim is&nbsp;“mass involvement” with lots of teams, but there’s no messing around when it comes to competitions – the netball team are the current national champions, and the boys were third in the country for hockey a couple of years’ ago.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creative-arts-nbsp"><strong>CREATIVE ARTS</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<p>If sport is busy, the arts are lively, visible and confidently inclusive.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Drama is energetic, open to everyone and exuberant – on my visit, the Nativity featured a&nbsp;<em>real donkey</em>. Two thirds of pupils sing in choirs (including a no-audition group), there’s one-to-one music tuition across a wide range of instruments, and the pipe and drum band isn’t just a novelty — it’s part of the school’s rhythm (Last year’s&nbsp;<em>Top Gun</em>&nbsp;theme? Aviator shades included). Art is similarly well resourced, with children working across sculpture, ceramics and 3D printing in spaces that encourage experimentation.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-school-nbsp"><strong>SCHOOL</strong>&nbsp;</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-400-1.jpg" alt="Fettes Pre prep" class="wp-image-2891" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-400-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-400-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-400-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-400-1-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>William House has transformed early years provision, with light-filled classrooms opening onto gardens and a polytunnel that actually gets used. The soon to open Allardice Centre (due spring 2026) is genuinely forward-thinking: a single building for medical, wellbeing and support services for all children, campus-wide – a sensible step towards actual student care, not just a check-list box. It’s being built to high sustainability standards too, as part of the school’s wider effort to become low-carbon across campus.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-academics-nbsp"><strong>ACADEMICS</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-390-1.jpg" alt="Prep at Fettes" class="wp-image-2893" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-390-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-390-1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-390-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-390-1-768x1152.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Let’s be clear: this is not a hot-house, but it&nbsp;<em>is</em>&nbsp;academically purposeful.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Entry at Pre-Prep level is based on readiness rather than academics, and assessment after pre-prep is by&nbsp;CAT4 for all pupils. Even so,&nbsp;the emphasis is on fit and potential rather than filtering for polish.&nbsp;The intake is mixed-ability, but expectations are clear: children are expected to engage, think and make steady progress.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Where Fettes really differs is in pacing. Because 95% of pupils go on to the Senior School automatically, there’s no mad scramble for exam prep or cut-throat benchmarks. That’s refreshing — it means teachers can focus on developing thinking skills. So much so, that&nbsp;the school&#8217;s innovative approach to this in all lessons was noted in its recent inspection.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>Languages start early (French and Spanish even for the littlest), with options like German, Mandarin and Latin coming in later years. Even so, the academic environment is intentional but humane: children are expected to work hard, think clearly, get curious and move on confidently to Senior School. The route there is stretchy rather than stressful. Those with particular strengths are challenged; those who need more time are supported without stigma. The result is confident, capable learners.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-send-nbsp"><strong>SEND</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Support is structured and realistic. Small class sizes help from day one. There’s a Head of Support for Learning and classroom assistants, plus tech that gives teachers real-time insight into how pupils are coping. Pupils with English as an additional language get targeted help too.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That said, this isn’t specialist provision for high-level needs. Children with significant behavioural or learning challenges might find the pace and breadth here less well matched.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pastoral-nbsp"><strong>PASTORAL</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-508.jpg" alt="Prep at Fettes" class="wp-image-2895" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-508.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-508-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-508-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/scotland/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2026/01/DNP_Fettes_Prep-Back-to-School_02.09.25-508-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Pastoral care here is both practical and present, supportive without being smothering.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Each child has a personal tutor, plus the support of a class teacher and house parents. That means there are multiple adults who actually know your child, which matters when you’re juggling the social and emotional ups and downs of primary and prep years.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Compared to more traditional preps, where kindness can sometimes feel like a spin-off, at Fettes it’s woven into daily life: calm classrooms, clear expectations and a sense that emotional bumps are dealt with early rather than escalated.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-boarding-nbsp"><strong>BOARDING</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Boarding starts from around age 7 and is treated as a genuine part of prep life, not an add-on. All the staff get involved with boarding which adds to the feel of wraparound care. Parents can pop in to visit and there are two exeats a term. Plus the culture mirrors the Senior School closely, which makes transition at 13 feel natural rather than daunting.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Boys are in Arran, girls in Iona, with spaces that feel cosy not austere — sofas, kitchens for baking (and sometimes sushi), movie nights and free Saturday afternoons. The girls common room is particularly cosy, up in the eaves and the boys have a den with a table tennis table. Weekends are social without being manic: big breakfasts, group trips into the city or countryside, and routine that still feels restful rather than regimented.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-head-nbsp"><strong>THE HEAD</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Charlie Minogue has been in post since 2022, arriving with a brief that feels sensible rather than splashy: keep what’s good and move it forward.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What’s changed? The&nbsp;most obvious&nbsp;change is the launch of the pre-prep at the end of 2025. But&nbsp;there’s also been a culture shift towards a clearer focus on&nbsp;<em>how</em>&nbsp;children learn, not just&nbsp;<em>what</em>&nbsp;they learn. Academic standards haven’t dipped — but neither does the school wear them as a badge. Instead, there’s more emphasis on skills that actually stick: critical thinking, collaboration, resilience.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The tone he’s set around school feels purposeful and calm rather than pumped up and performance-driven. He’s visible, grounded and straightforward about what Fettes offers — which, for many families, is more reassuring than a list of trophies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quirks-nbsp"><strong>QUIRKS</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Kilt day on St Andrew’s Day is a delight — but it isn’t the only charm. There’s an old-school sense of ceremony here that doesn’t feel stiff – pipes at key events, house baking contests that get utterly competitive and the fact that this is the only school in Scotland with its own working bell tower.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wraparound-care-nbsp"><strong>WRAPAROUND CARE</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>There are no bored kids here. Wraparound care is one of Fettes Prep’s quiet strengths — properly thought through rather than bolted on. Children can be&nbsp;dropped off from&nbsp;7.45am,&nbsp;and&nbsp;can join breakfast (for a charge) if they arrive from 7am.&nbsp;After school there’s a generous window of flexibility. Pupils can stay on for activities, prep, games, supper and clubs, with pick-up any time between 4pm and 7pm. Crucially, this isn’t a menu of hidden extras: it’s all included in the standard fees, definitely a win for working parents giving them one less thing to juggle in an already&nbsp;busy week.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-education-scotland-nbsp"><strong>EDUCATION SCOTLAND</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The inspectors last visited in September 2025 and were glowing about what they found. They&nbsp;found children who “are being developed as critical thinkers”, teachers who are “implementing a shared approach to improve learning” and support for a “very effective transition between the prep and senior school.”&nbsp;Read the full report&nbsp;<a href="https://educationinspectorate.gov.scot/find-an-inspection-report/details/?id=2584" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mobile-phone-policy-nbsp"><strong>MOBILE PHONE POLICY</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Phone? Surrender it. Day pupils hand phones in first thing; boarders get limited evening access. And honestly, with the programme this full, most children barely miss them.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transport-nbsp"><strong>TRANSPORT</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Up in central Edinburgh, the school is well served by buses. Edinburgh’s main railway stations are a short taxi hop and the airport is about 20 minutes away, making term-time travel surprisingly straightforward.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fees-nbsp"><strong>FEES</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Pre-Prep:&nbsp;<strong>£5,000 per term</strong>&nbsp;(incl. VAT)&nbsp;<br>Prep Day:&nbsp;<strong>£8,500 per term</strong>&nbsp;(incl. VAT)&nbsp;<br>Prep Boarding:&nbsp;<strong>£12,500 per term</strong>&nbsp;(incl. VAT)&nbsp;</p>



<p>There’s no denying the fees are at the upper end compared with other Edinburgh preps, but arguably the through-school continuity and high-end facilities justify the price.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-word-on-the-ground-nbsp"><strong>WORD ON THE GROUND</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Parents tend to choose Fettes Prep for breadth and balance: solid academics, huge choice of activities and that sense of normal, busy childhood that doesn’t feel frantic. The through-school path is a big part of its appeal — no reapplying at 13 is a serious draw.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The main trade-off is scale. This is a big site with lots going on, which won’t suit those craving a tiny, village-school feel. And while the Prep can sit slightly in the shadow of the Senior School’s reputation, parents like the school because of its reputation for kindness, continuity and opportunity. Families who choose it tend to value long-term thinking over short-term results, and the sense that their children are known as individuals rather than future exam statistics.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict-nbsp"><strong>THE MUDDY VERDICT</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong>&nbsp;Families who want a well-rounded prep experience with great facilities, plenty to get stuck into and sensible academic expectations. Children who thrive on variety and a busy, supportive environment will fit right in.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Not for:</strong>&nbsp;Those after a tiny, boutique feel, families wanting a prep geared purely to exams or whose children need high-level specialist support.&nbsp;Fettes Prep is big, busy and benevolent — and that’s exactly why most people choose it.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>DARE TO DISAGREE:</strong>&nbsp;The next open day is 28 February, 2026 and you can register to join in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fettes.com/register-for-open-day" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>


Fettes College (Pre-Prep and Prep), Edinburgh

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