Independent school fees vary from school to school - you can find the most up-to-date information on Sidcot School fees for our Pre-School, Junior School, Senior School, and for Boarders below. Download our Day and Boarding Fees and Flexi Boarding Form to find out more.
Sidcot School’s Statement on VAT Fees
Many of our current and future parents are most likely aware of the Government's announcement in July 2024 confirming its intention to apply VAT on independent school fees from January 2025. This intention was confirmed in the recent UK budget.
Mindful that our families would like some certainty around the implications of this issue, we have been in communication with our community since January 2024 to keep all informed of political developments and Sidcot’s response. We are committed to continue to do so, and to sharing the financial cost of VAT on fees with our parents. To this end, we hope it offers peace of mind to know that we will only pass on half of the VAT cost increase, and plan to do this incrementally over a two-year period. In practice, this means that we will be applying a 5% cost increase in January 2025, even with VAT being applied by the government at 20%. A similar additional increase will not be made until September 2026. This applies to children from Reception upwards and will be additional to normal annual fee increases.
We are doing all that we can to cushion the impact of VAT by absorbing as much of the increased costs as we can, while maintaining the quality of our overall offer. Our fees for the Spring and Summer Terms, can be found here.
While this is a challenging time for the independent school sector, we are well-positioned to evolve and succeed. By fairly sharing the impact between our School and families, we are confident we will maintain the right balance between providing an exceptional quality of education and ensuring affordability.
Summary Of Sidcot Day & Boarding School Fees
Deposit
Deposits are payable on receipt of an offer of a place to join Sidcot School, in order to secure the place. Deposits are as follows:
- For Pre-School, Junior and Senior Day places: A deposit of £1000 is payable. This is non-refundable if a child leaves Sidcot School before the end of their Reception year.
- For International Boarding places: A deposit of £5000 is payable to secure a place (£1000 for those staying for 1 Term).
This deposit is in addition to the termly fee and is refunded when the student finally leaves the School, once all fees and extras have been settled.
Registration Fee
To be considered for a place at Sidcot, a registration fee of £160 (£85 for Sidcot Junior School and Pre-School children) is payable to cover the administration costs of the application. Please note that all registration fees are non-refundable.
Junior School Day Fee
The Junior School day fee includes snacks, lunch and the majority of after school activities. After School Care is free for the first hour up until 4.30pm and £2.25 is charged per half hour from 4.30pm until 6.00pm. Those in After School Care are welcome to have supper at a cost of £2.25 in the Refectory at 5.30pm.
Breakfast Club provides supervision from 7.45am to 8.30am and includes a varied breakfast at a cost of £3.30.
Senior School Day Fee
The Senior School day fee includes tuition, supper (if your child stays on for activities and prep after school), and most extra-curricular activities (except individual specialist tuition and certain specialist activities).
Boarding School Fees
For those students who will be boarding with us at Sidcot School, our boarding school fees include all of the above, as well as:
- Full board
- Laundry
- Healthcare
- Most extra-curricular activities
Our boarding school fees do not include extra curricular activities that require individual specialist tuition.
Flexi boarding and weekly boarding are offered subject to availability. Prices and details are available on request.
You can also find information on boarding options by requesting a prospectus.
Fees For UK and Non-UK Status Applicants
UK and non-UK status applicants will be classified as having UK status if one of the following conditions applies:
a) At least one of the parents or the child has a UK passport;
b) At least one of the parents permanently resides in the UK regardless of nationality. Proof of evidence will be required.
Note: fees are reviewed annually in the spring - any changes will be featured on this page.
Additional School Fees
Outside of the standard Sidcot School fees, there are some activities, types of tuition, and extra charges that you may need to pay for. Read on to find out more.
Specialist Tuition Fees
Sidcot School offers specialist tuition in a wide range of subjects and activities, including Music, Drama, Sports and Fencing. In addition, Learning Support is available for those with a desire for booster lessons or with specific learning needs. If you would like or need specialist tuition, please see the relevant Department Head to organise and book the lessons for the following term.
We can explain our specialist tuition fees and any other aspect of life at Sidcot during an open morning or private school tour.
Additional Charges for Individual and Group Lessons
For Music lessons, charges are payable in arrears. Lessons missed through school trips will be rescheduled wherever possible. However, lessons that are missed without notification to the relevant member of staff or due to pupil sickness will not be rescheduled. A four-week notice of cessation is required in writing via email to paul.woolley@sidcot.org.uk.
All other additional lessons, including Learning Support, will be charged in arrears at the end of each term. The hourly rate for all individual lessons is £46. The hourly rate for group lessons is £26.
Flexi Boarding Fees
We recognise the changing needs of families, so our approach to Boarding is flexible. As well as full Boarding, options for both weekly and flexi boarding may be available.
Although the majority of our Boarders are full time, we are happy to discuss other options to meet particular needs. The cost of flexi boarding is £52 per night.
Examination Charges
Examination Board charges and any access administration charges for external exams such as GCSEs that are incurred by the school are charged to parents. They are billed in advance or in arrears, depending on the exam. For those taking the International Baccalaureate, the examination charge is approximately £750. University application fees are also passed on to parents through our billing system, if the student/parent does not pay for their application directly.
Conditions And Payment Arrangements
Sibling Discounts
A 10% discount is given to children who already have one full fee paying sibling at the school and will be deducted from the lowest fee at that time.
Early Years Funding
Sidcot accepts Local Authority Early Years Funding. This offers 15 hours of subsidised nursery education per week and is available from the term after the child’s third birthday until the term following their fifth birthday. Find out more about our Pre-School.
Student Guardians
It is a condition of entry that all students from overseas have a mature and responsible UK Guardian. This may be a friend or relative in the UK over the age of 25, or someone appointed by a specialist Guardian agency that will charge appropriate fees. Find out more about Student Guardians and download our Guardianship Agreement to find out what’s required from both parties.
Summary of Sidcot School Fee Arrangements
The annual fee is split into three equal payments, which are payable one month in advance of the first day of each term.
A full term’s notice in writing or a term’s payment in lieu is required before removal of a student, other than at the end of the Upper Sixth Form year. No reduction in fees can be made for absence due to illness; however, insurance is available for parents who wish to protect themselves against this eventuality. View our school policies to find out more.
Upon accepting a place at Sidcot School, the parent or guardian accepts responsibility for the payment of school fees (less bursary or other assistance) for the entire period during which the student remains at the school, unless this responsibility is accepted by another party in writing. Interest or a charge for debt collection may be added to overdue accounts.
For those wishing to pay by direct debit, payments would start on 1 August and continue on the first of each month until 1 May.
Extras are invoiced separately from the direct debit arrangement and payable in full. If you are interested in paying by direct debit, please email feesenquiries@sidcot.org.uk, or write to the school address before 30 June.
Note: Sidcot School fees are reviewed annually in the spring.
If you have any questions about our day or boarding school fees or admissions policy, please contact us and we’ll be more than happy to help.