preparatory school

noun
1.
a private or parochial secondary school, especially one boarding its students and providing a college-preparatory education.
2.
British. a private elementary school, especially one preparing its students for public school.
Also called prep school.
Origin
1815-25
Examples from the web for preparatory school
  • In learning to write availably, a newspaper-office is a capital preparatory school.
British Dictionary definitions for preparatory school

preparatory school

noun
1.
(in Britain) a private school, usually single-sex and for children between the ages of 6 and 13, generally preparing pupils for public school
2.
(in the US) a private secondary school preparing pupils for college
Often shortened to prep school