Frequently Asked Questions

Basic fees vary widely. They depend on whether schools are educating younger or older children, day or boarding and where they are situated.

Here are some typical figures (per term) for 2010.

Type	Attendance	Cost range
Pre-Preparatory	Day	£1500 - £2700
Preparatory	Day	£2000 - £3750
Preparatory	Boarding	£4250 - £6250
Senior	Day	£2500 - £5000
Senior	Boarding	£5000 - £8250

It is important to make allowances for uniforms, books, games equipment, excursions and other necessities.

Many senior schools and a few junior schools offer scholarships to attract bright or talented pupils to the school. They are usually awarded after a competitive examination, for academic, musical or artistic merit. Scholarships vary in value but rarely cover the whole fee; they might be worth as little as 10%.

Many schools also have bursaries - grants from the school - to help you pay the fees. These are often awarded after a 'means test' of family income.

Some schools offer grants to children of clergy, teachers and armed forces personnel. Others give help to children of former pupils, single parent families and orphans or concessions for brothers and sisters. You should contact schools to find out the details and how much awards are worth.

Child Trust Funds (CTF) became available in January 2005, with the government saying they would be issued by April 2005 'at the latest'. Each child born on or after 1 September 2002 will receive an initial lump sum payment of £250 (£500 for poorer families) from the government.

A voucher will be sent to the Child Benefit claimant, usually the parent, which is then used to open a CTF account with the provider of their choice, likely to be a bank, building society or investment company.

You can contact specific schools about scholarships. We have compiled some useful links regarding funding.

Many independent schools admit pupils with special educational needs, disabilities or illnesses. In all cases schools are concerned that children are helped to develop to the best of their ability and do not suffer academically because of their handicap.

Usually these are children whose needs are not sufficiently severe or complex to warrant a statement of special educational needs under the Education Act 1996 and can be catered for in a mainstream school.

If you think your child may have special needs, make sure you get plenty of advice. Your local library or Citizens’ Advice Bureau will have details of groups with expertise in this area. Alternatively, you can contact the Advisory Centre for Education. The first step, however, is to talk to your child’s class teacher about your concerns.

Some schools offer occasional or ad-hoc boarding which means children stay the occasional night (or nights) on a one-off basis; this could help parents who may be considering a move to boarding for their children or who are going to be away for a short time and would find it advantageous to know their son or daughter can be well cared for on the school site.

For more information on boarding you might also find the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) website useful.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is an internationally recognised qualification for students aged 16 to 19. It is based around detailed academic study of a wide range of subjects, including languages, the arts, science, maths, history and geography.

It leads to a single qualification, rather than separate qualifications for individual subjects. However if you don't achieve the full diploma, you'll be awarded a certificate for each subject taken.

It's available in more than 100 schools and colleges in the UK, both state and independent, and can be taken in English, French or Spanish. It's designed to encourage students to: learn how to learn, ask challenging questions, develop a strong sense of your own identity and culture and develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.

The IB Diploma Programme is at level 3 on the National Qualifications Framework.

Class size at Independent School normally averages 15 to 20 pupils, compared with nearly 26 pupils in state primary schools.

In GCSE groups the number is around 12-18, and at A Level between 4 and 12. These figures vary from one school to another and according to subjects. The majority of the schools have a staff:pupil ratio that ensures students receive plenty of individual attention in accordance with their needs.

Many independent senior schools set some form of entrance test. The difficulty of these tests and the standard required for admission vary and will be related to the type of school.

Entry to senior school is usually by way of a written examination, often combined with an interview.

Most prep schools prepare pupils for entry to independent senior schools. Many use the Common Entrance examinations for boys and girls, principally at 13-plus or 11-plus.

Independent schools set term and holiday dates themselves and are often different to those of State schools. erms are, in general, slightly shorter than the State sector.

Autumn Term (also known as Michaelmas term in the private sector): From the beginning of September to mid-December.

Spring Term (known as Lent term in the private Sector) from the beginning of Jan. to mid/late March, depending on Easter’s dates.

Summer Term (known as Trinity term in the private sector): from early/mid April to mid July

Independent Schools take pride in the nurturing of pupils regardless of their ability. Children are given individual attention and are developed to fulfill their potential.

Students with learning difficulties are given additional support.

Yes, it matters immensely. Do everything you can to make sure your child is there for the start, when everyone gets acquainted, and there for the end, because the last days of term can be the most fun and often have important occasions such as the Carol Service or Speech Day.

Don't let your child miss these vital experiences in a British boarding school. More important perhaps - you are paying a high fee for a good education. It will seriously disadvantage your child if they miss classes. It's not fair to them, and it's not fair to the staff who will have to put in extra time making sure your child catches up. Term dates are important and they are published at least a year in advance. Bite the bullet and book early - but don't start late and leave early.

Boarders will certainly complain if it isn't, and good food is an important part of what boarders and parents expect. If you are visiting a school, ask the children already there - they will tell you the truth. Better still, ask if you can join the school for lunch, perhaps.

Younger boarders are likely to share large bedrooms for up to 6 children, more usually 4, so that each child has their own area which they can personalise with photos and favourite things, but also has the company of other children. It's a sociable and happy environment in which strong friendships are forged. Older pupils will find smaller bedrooms for perhaps two students, more commonly now single study bedrooms.

Schools have spent on average £1250 per boarder in the last year on refurbishing and building boarding accommodation. In some, the single study rooms will also have en suite facilities.

Senior pupils' accommodation will be strongly reminiscent of university accommodation, and supervision is likely to be ‘lighter-touch', as is age-appropriate.

Whatever the age of boarders, their House is likely to have comfortable communal areas for relaxing and socialising and, as they get older, even cooking for themselves.

Education in independent boarding schools is inspected and reported upon by the Independent Schools' Inspectorate (ISI). In state boarding schools, education is inspected by Ofsted.

Boarding welfare in both independent schools and state boarding schools is inspected and reported upon by Ofsted, every 3 years. For several years, all boarding schools have been operating according to the 52 National Minimum Standards for Boarding Schools, which are very specific about the standards expected of boarding schools in every element of their operation, from the distance between beds to the supervision of free time. Parents can expect that standards have never been higher.

Many boarding schools are happy to allow a prospective student to stay overnight in a boarding house before the final decision is made about entering a school, particularly if the student is new to boarding.

Others would say a one night stay among strangers - however friendly they are - is artificial and not enough to make an informed decision. If your child would like a ‘Taster Day', discuss with the Headteacher.

In the most academic schools, the tests may be very tough, and this is likely to be well known by applicants. But boarding schools in particular are many and various in type and there are schools which cater for the talents of most children, regardless of their academic ability.

Boarding schools are well aware that a student who does not shine in the classroom, or perhaps has a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, is quite likely to become a fine artist, or a leading actor, or an outstanding sportsman. In such schools, the entrance test is useful to the school to ensure that the provision they can make for a particular student is appropriate.

Early discussions with the Headteacher should help you be sure that you are applying to a school in which your child will thrive, and in such a case the entrance test should not be a problem.

Most schools expect applications for September admission to be made about a year in advance. Most will have closing dates for entry at 7, 11, 13 and 16 and these may be tied to the administration of entrance or scholarship tests.

Particularly in boarding schools, it is important to be able to plan accommodation and staffing well in advance. But students may enter a school at any time, if the school has space and an appropriate curriculum for the child. If you become suddenly interested in a boarding place for a child, for whatever reason, it is always worth asking.