FAQs | Admissions | King Edward's School, Bath

ADMISSIONS FAQS

Please find below our most frequently asked questions regarding Admissions at King Edward's School. However, if you are unable to find the answer to your question, please don't hesitate to contact us via our Enquiries Form or alternatively, you can contact our friendly Admissions team who will be happy to answer your question(s) either by email at admissions@kesbath.com or by telephone on 01225 820399.

PRE-PREP & NURSERY frequently asked questions

WILL VAT BE ADDED TO NURSERY FEES?
Currently, Nursery provision will remain exempt from VAT but fees for all Reception class pupils (including those below compulsory school age) will be subject to VAT at 20%. To see our Fees and Charges, please click here.
can my child join just for the Nursery year?
No, our Nursery is a pre-school year for children who are moving into our Reception class.
Is there a minimum number of sessions required in Nursery?
Children are required to attend a minimum of four sessions initially; this can either be four mornings/afternoons or two full days. There is an expectation that children will increase their number of sessions later in the year as they prepare to move up to Reception class.
Is your Nursery open all-year round?
The Nursery is open term-time only, in line with the main school calendar.
Do you support 15 and 30 hours funding?
Yes, we support both the 15 hours universal funding and the 30 hours extended funding, but charge for the extras we provide such as Forest School and specialist teaching sessions.
Do you accept childcare vouchers/payments via the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme?
Yes, we accept these payment methods towards Nursery tuition fees, wrap-around care and after-school co-curricular clubs. They cannot be used towards school fees from compulsory school age onwards.
Do you offer wrap-around care for Pre-Prep and Nursery children?
Yes we do. This takes place in Teddy’s Lodge, located at the front of the School. This is a pre-bookable service, which must be booked in advance on the School’s Gateway App. Each session is supervised by experienced professionals. There is a charge for this service. EARLY BIRDS 8:00am – 8:30am Doors open at 8:00am All children are escorted to the playground for the start of the school day, and Nursery children are taken to their classroom Early Bird charges are £2.00 per session AFTER-SCHOOL CARE 3:15pm – 5:45pm Children attending an after-school activity will be escorted to Teddy's Lodge. Session 1: 3.30pm* - 4.30pm and/or Session 2: 4.30pm - 5.45pm Charges are set at the following rate: £4.00 per session. *The first 15 minutes of After School Care is free for all pupils.
Is it possible to join in Years 1 and 2?
Our main entry points at the Pre-Prep are Nursery and Reception. We do occasionally admit children into Years 1 and 2, subject to space. However, we ask that all prospective parents looking for their child join Year 1 or Year 2, to please contact us in the first instance to check availability.

JUNIOR SCHOOL frequently asked questions

What are the entry requirements for joining the Junior School?
All children joining the Junior School will sit assessments in Creative Writing, English Comprehension and Maths. These assessments are based on the National Curriculum, so will relate to work your child has already completed at their current school. Additionally, all children take a Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) Test, which assesses innate ability and identifies children with untapped potential. It is not necessary to practise in this area, but we do send out a familiarisation paper on receipt of a completed application.
Can my child come for a taster day at the Junior School?
We do not offer taster days, however, all children joining in September will be invited to a ‘move-up morning’ during the Summer Term prior to entry. This is an opportunity for them to meet their new teacher and classmates and familiarise themselves with the School prior to starting.
Do you offer wrap-around care?
The standard Junior School day starts at 8:40am and finishes at 4:00pm. Children are welcome to arrive for supervised play from 8:00am. At the end of the day, children may join after-school care provision from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.
Do you offer financial assistance for entry to the Junior School?
Unfortunately, we do not offer any financial assistance for entry to the Junior School, although pupils can apply for bursaries, scholarships and awards for entry into Year 7.

SENIOR SCHOOL frequently asked questions

can i make a late application to join the senior school in September 2025?
For late enquiries and applications to our Senior School for entry in September 2025, please contact our Admissions team on 01225 820399 or via email admissions@kesbath.com
How should I prepare my child for the assessments?
The English and Maths assessments are based on the National Curriculum, so will relate to work your child should already have completed at their current school. We do not share practice papers for the Verbal Reasoning (VR), but VR familiarisation books are available from bookshops and online. For children sitting the main Year 7 entrance exams only, we run a ‘teach-in’ session where teachers will take the pupils through practice papers.
Do you offer financial assistance or scholarships for entry into the Senior School?
Financial support is provided through our means-tested bursary programme. Bursaries are available to pupils joining Year 7 and Year 12 only. We are very proud of our long history of providing financial support for families and pupils from a wide range of backgrounds, with around 20% of Senior pupils currently in receipt of a means-tested bursary. For entry at Year 7, pupils can also be considered for an Academic Scholarship (10% fee remission) or Special Talent Award (5% fee remission).
Do you accept pupils into all years of the Senior School?
Our main entry points to Senior School are in Year 7 and Year 12, although a small number of places are offered for Years 9 and 10 each year. For Year 8 or any ‘in-year’ enquiries, please contact us to check availability before applying. Please note that we do not take pupils into Year 11.
Do you offer deferred places?
All prospective pupils are assessed during the academic year, prior to starting with us. We are not able to hold places for future entry.
Where can I find your GCSE and A Level results by subject?
The full breakdown of our latest exam results can be found on our website by clicking here.

SIXTH FORM frequently asked questions

Do you accept late applicants for Sixth Form?
The Sixth Form is generally at capacity after the first round of offers, although limited places are occasionally available following GCSE results day. Late applicants should contact the Admissions team to discuss availability.
Where can I find your A Level results by subject?
The full breakdown of our latest A Level results can be found on our website by clicking here.
Where do King Edward’s pupils typically go to university?
Typically, 85-90% of KES pupils who apply for university/HE are successful in gaining entry to their preferred course and institution. 80% of pupils typically go on to study at Russell Group universities. You can view our full list of university destinations on our website.
Do you help pupils prepare for entry to Oxbridge/Medical School?
Our experienced Higher Education and UCAS team provides detailed guidance for all pupils applying for university, including a specific programme tailored for medical applicants (including dentistry and veterinary science) and those applying to Oxford and Cambridge.
Do you offer financial assistance or scholarships for entry into the Sixth Form?
We do not offer Sixth Form scholarships, however financial support is made available for pupils entering Year 12 through our means-tested bursary programme.

FEES & CHARGES Frequently Asked Questions

IS VAT ADDED TO CLUBS?
Where a separate charge is made for a School club which involves tuition and/or coaching, VAT legislation deems this a taxable supply and we will be required to add VAT at 20% to the fee charged.
IS VAT CHARGED ON PUBLIC EXAMINATION CHARGES AND BOOKS?
Where the School charges a fee for public examinations (such as ABRSM or LAMDA) or where a charge is made for books or stationery, these fees will be treated as exempt from VAT.
WILL THE SCHOOL CHARGE VAT ON LAPTOP RENTAL?
Where a pupil is renting a laptop from the School, VAT legislation deems this a taxable supply and we are required to add VAT at 20% to the fee charged.
Do you offer sibling discounts?
We do not offer sibling discounts; however, we do consider any siblings at the School when assessing applications for means-tested bursaries.
When are fees due?
Invoices are sent out approximately four weeks prior to the start of each term. Payment is due by the first day of term.
What options do I have for paying school fees?
The preferred method of paying school fees is by termly Direct Debit. If you wish to discuss paying fees by direct bank transfer or an alternative instalment plan, please contact our Accounts department.
Does the School offer any insurance plans?
Personal Accident Insurance: All pupils are covered by the Students’ Personal Accident Insurance Scheme, which is provided free of charge by the School. Fee Insurance: The School operates an ‘opt-in’ policy for the School Fee Protection Scheme. The premium charged for this cover is 0.73% of termly (VAT inclusive) fees. This is to safeguard the fees paid by parents in the event of the absence of a pupil through illness or accident for four or more consecutive dayes. Fee Insurance does not cover a claim caused by, or relating to, pandemics (including Covid-19). Application and claim forms are obtainable from accounts@kesbath.com. The Governors have implemented this policy to safeguard the fees paid by parents under such circumstances and confirm that a refund of fees will not be approved other than through this Scheme. Insurance of Pupils’ Property: Parents are strongly advised to arrange an extension of their household contents policy to cover their child’s clothes, personal effects, bicycles etc while at school, as these are not covered by the School’s own insurance policy.
Do you offer a ‘Fees in Advance Scheme’?
The School does operate a fees in advance (FIA) scheme for parents whose children are in the School and who would like to consider paying for future terms' fees in advance. If any parent would like to know more about our FIA scheme, they can email Dave Clipson in our Finance Team to obtain more details on this.