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Fees

The GDST aims to provide a high quality education at a competitive cost. It is the largest group of independent schools in the United Kingdom with over 19,500 pupils in its schools.

Much of the administration of the schools is centralised in order to avoid duplication of effort and resources, and to achieve the economies of scale so that fees are kept to a minimum and so that the largest possible proportion of fee income can be devoted to education and the minimum to administration.

In addition to helping member schools to keep costs down, this large organisation provides access to a wide range of resources and support as well as inter-school activities.

Our fees include all the unavoidable costs of education, often charged as extra at other schools and in recent surveys by the Financial Times and the Sunday Times, GDST schools have been identified as offering best value for money when comparing A-level results to fee levels.

Fees (from September 2008)	Senior School (Ages 11–18)	Junior Department (Ages 4–11)
Per Term	£2966	£2150
Per Year	£8898	£6450

The charge for lunch (payable termly in advance) is £2.10 (2008-2009). Lunch is compulsory from Reception to Year 7 inclusive.

Payment of Fees

Fees must be paid by the Bank Direct Debit system and the necessary form can be provided either by the School or from Trust Head Office. As is the practice of all independent schools, fees are due and payable termly in advance before the first day of the term concerned. However the Trust operates a scheme whereby the fees may also be paid by direct debit in monthly instalments (4 per term). There is an administration charge of £24¹ per pupil per term if parents wish to pay in monthly instalments but there is no service charge for termly payment by direct debit. Advance payment of annual fees attracts a 1% discount. Special arrangements are available for larger sums paid in advance.

Although paid monthly or termly, fees are calculated on an annual basis. No reduction is therefore applicable during terms when there is less teaching because students are revising for, or taking public examinations.

The Trust will give not less than one term’s notice of any increase in the fees. In return, the Trust requires a full term’s notice if parents decide to remove their daughter from the school for any reason, failing which a term’s fees in lieu of notice will be payable in accordance with the arrangements set out in the agreement between the parents and the Trust.

If circumstances arise in which costs (e.g. substantial increases in teachers’ salaries) have to be recouped immediately, the Council of the Trust may be forced to increase fees at less than a term’s notice.

Registration and Examination Fees

A non-returnable fee of £35¹ is charged for taking the Entrance Examination. On accepting a place a deposit of £250¹ is payable which is refunded within 12 weeks of the pupil leaving the school, less any sums owing to the Trust or the school at that time; it is forfeited if the pupil does not take up the accepted place.

The fees include:

• Regular curriculum tuition (other than in optional extra subjects)

• Games

• Many lunchtime and after-school activities

• Pupils’ personal accident insurance (please ask for a leaflet about this)

• All/some stationery

• Text books and scientific materials

• All public examinations and other standardised tests, including pupil careers testing

• Some curricular trips and field studies

• The costs of ISCO tests in year 10

• Membership of the Minerva network for the sixth form leavers

Fees do not include:

• School lunches

• Some out-of-school visits

• Re-marks requested by parents or re-takes of modular A-levels which are charged extra at the Exam Board rates

Optional Extras

Charges for extra subjects including music and drama are made directly by the school or the visiting teacher. Accounts sent direct by the teachers concerned should be settled with them before the start of each term. A term’s notice should be given if lessons are to be discontinued.

Tuition Fees for Musical Instruments and Associated Disciplines (charged by visiting teachers)

Tuition is available in a variety of musical instruments and disciplines including piano, violin, viola, cello, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute, piccolo, oboe, bassoon, recorder, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, euphonium, French horn, guitar, double bass, voice and percussion.

For each discipline there are approximately 30 lessons per year each lasting 30 minutes. Fees are currently as follows:

Tuition for Musical Instruments and Singing

Senior School:	10 × 30 minute lessons	£130 per 10 lessons
Junior Department:	10 × 30 minute lessons	£130 per 10 lessons
Hire of instruments £12 per term1

Charges for extra subjects including music and drama are made directly by the visiting teacher. Accounts sent direct by the teachers concerned should be settled with them before the start of each 10-week block. Half a term’s notice must be given in writing if lessons are to be discontinued.

Speech and Drama Lessons

Speech and Drama is taught on a group lesson basis throughout the Junior and Senior schools. London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art examinations are available in the following subjects:

• Verse and Prose Speaking

• Solo Acting

• Duologue Acting

• Public Speaking

Sheffield High School is one of the largest private centres for LAMDA examinations in Yorkshire. A term of ten group lessons costs £50.

School Fees Planning Schemes

Many schemes are available to provide for school fees in the event of an insurable crisis, or to save up for paying future fees, or to spread payment over a longer period than a child’s attendance at school. A list of firms providing such schemes is available from Trust Office, on receipt of a stamped addressed envelope, but it should be understood that this does not imply recommendation. Parents may well find that an insurance broker can produce a scheme to suit their personal requirements. No scheme can be accepted under which benefit is derived from the Trust’s charitable status. A leaflet is available form the School on request.

The Trust offers bursaries to those who would otherwise not be able to take advantage of a Trust education. For further information on this, please see the Scholarships and Bursaries section of our web site.

Transfer from GDST Schools

For girls already within other Trust schools, priority over external applicants will be given, subject to satisfactory recommendation from the Head of the transferring school, and if deemed necessary, the achievement of a satisfactory standard in an entrance assessment or examination. For those who would like to transfer their daughter to Sheffield High School, special terms are available including the transfer of any scholarship or bursary. Please ask the Headmistress for further information.

For full details of our terms and conditions, please consult the GDST web site at www.gdst.net or contact the admissions officer at the School for a brochure.

This web site is for information only and does not form part of any contract between the parents and the Trust. However, the information which appears here is written in good faith and is believed to be correct at the time of its addition to the web site.

¹These charges are reviewed annually. Please contact the School for the latest information.