11 Queensferry Terrace, Edinburgh EH4 3EQ
10 reasons to choose ESMS Junior School
Top line
ESMS Junior School has a Schoolsmith Score® of 83. It is one of the best independent prep schools in and around Edinburgh and one of the 3 best primary schools for 1 mile.
School fundamentals
ESMS Junior School is an independent prep day school for boys and girls (50%/50%) between the ages of 3 and 12 years. The school has an academically selective admissions policy. It is the junior division of Stewart’s Melville College, an all-through school to age 18. ESMS Junior School fees range from £3,718 (Rec) to £5,244 per term (2025/26). Fees include VAT but exclude lunches.
Average class size
ESMS Junior School has five classes per year from P1 rising to eight from P5, and an average class size of 24 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
At the end of Primary 7 most ESMS Junior School pupils move up to Stewart’s Melville College (boys) or The Mary Erskine School (girls).
The ESMS Junior School curriculum
School curriculum follows the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence and also includes PSHE, French, Spanish, German.. It is a Microsost Showcase School to reflect the high degree of integration of digital learning in the curriculum. The school is one of the 50 prep schools with the most extensive academic and hobby extra-curricular programmes in the UK.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups and visiting speakers. Outdoor education for all year groups including Forest Kindergarten to P1, Outdoor adventure residential trips from P4, and Junior Award Scheme for Schools, an adventure, service, challenge programme, for P5 to P7.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for sport, music, drama, languages, and computing throughout, and for science for Primary 7.
Sport at ESMS Junior School
School offers over 15 different sports through the year, through both the curriculum and extra-curriculum. Competitive teams in major sports from Primary 3.
The Arts at ESMS Junior School
Art, music and drama are taught as discrete curricular subjects to all pupils. All pupils learn an instrument in class and half take extra-curricular instrument lessons from Primary 3. 12 choirs, four orchestra, and over 20 instrument ensembles. Each pupil may participate in up to 10 different extra-curricular creative and performing arts clubs.
Wraparound care
Wraparound care from 7.50am to 6.00pm.
Find another school near ESMS Junior School
St George’s School for Girls Junior & Lower (0.7 miles); Fettes Prep (1.1 miles); George Heriot’s Junior School (2.1 miles).
Stewart’s Melville College (0.2 miles); St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh (0.5 miles); St Mary’s Music School (0.8 miles).