We’re delighted to announce The Mount Prep School as the winner of Primary School of the Year at the My Local Awards 2026 Yorkshire.
This award celebrates schools that combine academic excellence, creativity, care and a strong sense of community, and The Mount Prep School is a truly deserving winner. An award-winning independent primary school for children aged 3–11, The Mount Prep offers something genuinely distinctive in the heart of York. Set within 16 leafy acres, the school provides a nurturing environment where curiosity is encouraged, individuality is celebrated and children are inspired to explore the world around them.
At the heart of the school is its unique Explore, Discover, Create curriculum, a bespoke approach that allows pupils to learn through questioning, imagination and hands-on experience. Combined with a safe, caring atmosphere, excellent facilities and a deeply rooted ethos of respect and equality, it is easy to see why The Mount Prep School has earned such enthusiastic support from families and the wider community.
A school with deep roots and a clear vision
The Mount School York was founded in 1785 and remains proudly shaped by its Quaker history and ethos, which values simplicity, truth, equality and respect. Those principles are not just part of the school’s heritage. They still influence the way pupils are taught, supported and encouraged to grow.
That sense of purpose helps make The Mount Prep School feel special. It is a place where children are given the freedom to flourish in a calm and caring community, while also being challenged to think independently and creatively. The school’s vision is not simply about academic success, although that is certainly part of it. It is about helping children build the confidence, attitudes and skills they will carry with them for life.
This approach has clearly struck a chord with families. The school’s reputation for warmth, confidence and quality has been recognised widely, including in a glowing review from The Good Schools Guide, which described The Mount as “a place of calm compassion in the heart of the city.” That phrase captures the atmosphere beautifully.
What makes The Mount Prep School stand out
One of the biggest things that sets The Mount Prep apart is its bespoke Explore, Discover, Create curriculum. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach to learning. Instead, it is designed to harness children’s natural curiosity and encourage them to ask questions, solve problems and think for themselves.
The school combines specialist teaching with creative thinking, helping pupils build a deep foundation of knowledge, skills and attitudes that will serve them not only through school, but far beyond it. In a world where future careers are changing all the time, that matters hugely. The Mount focuses on developing 21st-century skills such as imagination, problem solving, independent thinking and digital literacy.
Perhaps the most memorable way they describe this is by saying they do not just want children to think outside the box — they want them to destroy it. That says so much about the energy and ambition behind the school. It is a place where children are encouraged not just to learn, but to lead, create and grow with confidence.
A vibrant learning environment
The Mount Prep School also offers a fantastic setting for that learning to take place. Children learn in vibrant classrooms, but also in the natural world through the school’s Forest School, making full use of the 16-acre campus. That combination of indoor and outdoor learning gives pupils the chance to develop in a way that feels balanced, engaging and rich in variety.
The school has also recently undergone major improvements. During summer 2025, the entire Prep School was refurbished before pupils returned in September. Once structural work and painting were completed, the teaching team worked closely together to transform the classrooms into the beautiful, calm and natural-toned environment pupils enjoy today. It was a significant project, but one that has clearly paid off.
Alongside this, the school’s brand new dance studio has added another exciting dimension to school life. With a sprung floor and excellent space for performance and rehearsal, it supports a thriving performing arts culture and complements the school’s wider sports facilities, which include halls, fields, a swimming pool and a gym. It is a setting designed to help children thrive academically, physically and creatively.
Proud moments inside and outside the classroom
When The Mount Prep School talks about its proudest moments, the focus always comes back to the pupils. The team loves hearing families comment on how confident, helpful and articulate the children are, particularly during open days. That kind of feedback is a strong reflection of the school’s culture and the way pupils are encouraged to develop as individuals.
There are also countless moments throughout the year where learning and enjoyment go hand in hand. From Careers Week, where pupils pitch ideas in The Mount’s Dragon’s Den, to school productions like the current rehearsals for Bugsy Malone, the school is full of opportunities for children to shine. During Mental Health Week, pupils even take the lead in organising mindful activities such as yoga, crafting and creative writing.
The stories shared by parents say even more. One family described a dinner table conversation about the Aztecs, with all three of their children confidently joining in thanks to the school’s cross-curricular topic work. Another parent shared how inspired their daughter was after Careers Week, saying she came home full of ideas and excitement, with both entrepreneurial thinking and a strong sense of sustainability. These are exactly the kinds of outcomes that show a curriculum is doing something special.
A school rooted in community
The Mount Prep School’s impact extends far beyond the classroom. One of its core values is to make a positive contribution to the world, and pupils do exactly that through a wide range of charitable and community-focused activities.
The school fundraises for several causes, with Prep pupils organising events such as Santa Runs, Bake Offs and a sponsored walk based on the daily distance walked by polar bears. The choirs perform at hospitals, care homes and hospices, and also sing carols in the high street while collecting for charity.
The school also plays an active role in the wider York community. It offers free academic Spark lectures, allows local schools to use its swimming pool, hosts sporting galas, and runs popular community events such as ceilidh dances and bonfire nights. Its involvement in the York Independent State School Partnership is another major strength, helping provide academic challenge and opportunity for pupils across the city, regardless of school setting.
What this award means
When The Mount Prep School learned it had won Primary School of the Year, the reaction was one of delight across the whole school community. Staff and pupils even celebrated by creating a dance video to Happy, while families and former pupils sent in messages of congratulations and support.
For the school, this award is recognition of the teachers, staff and pupils who are the heartbeat of The Mount. It reflects the hard work, care and vision that have gone into shaping the Prep School, particularly during an exciting period of refurbishment and development.
Head of Prep School Rachel Capper described the award as a celebration of the school’s Explore, Discover, Create curriculum and the vibrant, nurturing environment that helps children’s natural curiosity flourish. It is also a reminder that The Mount Prep is not only proud of where it is now, but excited about where it is heading next, with plans for a new art and DT block and a relocated bespoke Pre-School already on the horizon.
Congratulations to The Mount Prep School
At My Local Awards 2026 Yorkshire, we are proud to celebrate schools that inspire, nurture and make a lasting difference. The Mount Prep School is a brilliant example of that.
With its distinctive curriculum, Quaker values, excellent facilities and strong community spirit, it has created an environment where children can grow in confidence, kindness and curiosity. This award is a reflection of a school that is doing something truly special for its pupils and families.
Congratulations to The Mount Prep School, a highly deserving winner of Primary School of the Year 2026.
And finally, a message from the school: “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Our families are our school and this award is equally for you. Let’s celebrate together!”
