The tuition figure is the number every school leads with. It is rarely the number you pay. Before comparing schools, build the full cost of one year for each, line by line. These are the lines to ask about.
One-off costs when joining
- Application or assessment fee. Some schools charge to apply or to sit an assessment.
- Admission or registration fee. A one-off fee on accepting a place.
- Deposit. Often refundable when your child leaves; ask on what conditions.
- Development or capital levy. Some schools charge for building projects. Ask whether the buildings already exist.
Every term or year
- Tuition, and whether it is charged termly or annually.
- Meals. Is lunch included, optional, or extra?
- Books and stationery. Included, or a supply list each term?
- Trips and outings.
- Technology or platform fees.
- Insurance or medical cover.
Optional, but common
- Transport, usually by route or zone.
- Uniform, as a full set and as replacement items.
- Extracurricular activities charged separately: music lessons, sports academies, clubs.
- After-school care.
How it is paid
Ask how payments are split across a term, which discounts apply (for siblings, for example), and what happens if you withdraw. A school that answers all of this in writing, before you visit, is a school that expects you to compare.
A simple method
- Ask each school for its full fee schedule in writing.
- Fill in every line above for one year, for your child's year group.
- Compare totals, not tuition.
At Elyton
Our full fee schedule is published openly, including what tuition includes (meals, textbooks and stationery) and every supplement charged separately. See the fees page and the uniform price list.
