Free and subsidised places

The fee level charged by the school is reduced to those successful in being awarded a free or subsidised place. The reduction is not available for boarding fees.

Fee support can cover up to 100% of day fees. Day fees cover the teaching costs of an education at Abingdon, lunch and the majority of books and materials. Additional charges are made for examinations, travel on the joint bus service, curriculum trips, certain clubs, revision guides, insurances, specialist support and lessons, and various other items. Pupils in receipt of 100% support will be considered for an exemption for some of these charges. Further details can be obtained from [email protected].

Where parents are offered a reduction in excess of 50%, they are entitled to a pro-rata reduction of the acceptance fee (payable on acceptance of a place) in line with the percentage of the award and subject to a minimum of £250. There may also be support available to assist with the cost of mandatory curriculum-related trips.

Boarding fees, the registration fee and the cost of additional charges (described above) are not eligible (with the exception of mandatory curriculum-related trips for those with a subsidy in excess of 50%).

They are available to all students at Abingdon School or of registered prospective families. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 at Abingdon Prep School who have accepted a place at Abingdon School are also eligible.

A panel meets termly to review and discuss all applications for support. The members of the panel are the Head, the Director of Finance and Operations, the Financial Controller, the Director of External Relations and a Governor.

Awards are made following a financial evaluation based on a combination of family income and the value of assets and liabilities. A range of other criteria is also reviewed. The School does not disclose specific financial thresholds or detailed criteria used in the financial evaluation. For families where the gross household income exceeds £100,000 and/or there is significant equity in a property, it is suggested that you arrange a brief telephone call with the financial controller (email [email protected]) to assess whether an application for support is recommended or not.

Parents who are seeking fee support for a pupil should first arrange an informal chat with the Financial Controller to discuss eligibility. Please speak to the Admissions team or email [email protected] to arrange. If the Financial Controller recommends applying for fee support, parents will need to complete an application form which will require details of income and expenditure, assets and liabilities. These forms will be subject to review by the Financial Controller. Parents of pupils already attending Abingdon should contact the Financial Controller for the form, whilst parents of children who have registered to join the School should contact the Admissions team or tick the appropriate box on their registration form.

If the application is progressed, applicants will then usually have a Zoom meeting to discuss their form in more detail and review supporting documents. The School uses an external company, Bursary Assessment Associates (BAA), to conduct these remote assessments and applicants will be contacted by BAA to arrange a suitable time. This isn’t a test but is designed to produce a fair assessment.

The next step is for the fee support panel to meet, usually once a term, and make a decision which will be communicated as soon as practical. For prospective parents this will usually be at the same time as feedback is given on the offer, or not, of a place at Abingdon.

Reasons for decisions and any BAA reports are not disclosed.

The Financial Controller, Mrs Clare Butcher, can be contacted by telephone, +44 (0)1235 849028, or email, [email protected].

The final deadlines for submission of completed applications in the academic year 2024/25 are as follows:

For applications for other year groups or questions regarding these deadlines please contact the Director of Admissions.

Parents should note that prior to a pupil’s admission, if an application for fee support is not made, or one is made but is unsuccessful, then a further application should not be made for that pupil within their first two years at Abingdon School. Applications during this period should only be made if there is a material change in family circumstances.

Awards are reviewed annually at the beginning of each academic year. The School sends a request to parents to update their financial information. Those already receiving fee assistance can expect requests for remote assessments via Zoom from Bursary Assessment Associates (BAA) from time to time.

The updated information is then reviewed by the fee support panel and awards can be either increased or decreased according to any change in circumstances.

Continuing fee support is also subject to a pupil making good academic progress, demonstrating satisfactory behaviour, and contributing positively to school life.

In any event, the School seeks to ensure that this support sees a pupil through all the critical educational hurdles such as the exam years.

No and all applications are treated confidentially.

Only UK families are eligible (with priority given to those who live locally). Generally a UK family is defined (consistent with our acceptance fee policy) as:

• A UK national, resident in the UK; or
• A non-UK national, resident in the UK with UK owned property with material equity value (not rental); or
• A UK national working abroad on a defined short-term expat basis with significant UK assets

If you already receive fee support and your financial circumstances change, you must advise the school as soon as possible.

The School will deal with these difficult situations on a case by case basis and parents are invited to contact the school directly and as soon as possible.

In deciding on the level of fee support that parents may require, and that the School can afford, it is expected that the same level of support will be offered to each child from that family, providing they meet the required entry standards, and having taken into account any revised financial circumstances.

All free and subsidised places are handled confidentially. Those responsible for assessing and administering fee assistance will be fully informed but the School does not tell your child or other members of staff.