• St David's is friendly, values led and attentive, and aims to give children secure foundations and the confidence to move on well.

• Will suit families seeking a smaller south London prep where values, familiarity and senior-school readiness go together.

Admissions at St David's School are personal and well suited to families seeking a smaller Purley prep where Christian values, close pastoral knowledge and dependable next-stage preparation matter. The school should suit parents who value a prep environment where individual children are known closely and where the tone feels steady, friendly and purposeful.

Scholarships are not the main draw here. Families choose St David's for scale, pastoral familiarity and strong preparation for the next stage, even if later senior-school awards form part of the onward picture.

The overall picture is modest, personable and community centred, with the school's smaller scale being a major part of its appeal. Parents should still visit because the decisive question is whether the day-to-day feel matches what they want for these formative years.

Assessment at St David's School is close and carefully pitched, with clear tracking of progress, careful attention to literacy, numeracy, confidence and the habits that help pupils move on securely, and enough breadth to support ambitious transfer routes without making the atmosphere feel overly pressurised. Parents should expect clear communication, careful monitoring and a reassuring sense that pupils are not being lost in a very large system.