What are our fees?

What are our Reception Fees for 2026–2027?

Year Group	Fee per term (Inc VAT)
Reception – with Early Years Funding	£4,566
Reception – standard fee	£5,832

Eligible Reception children may continue to receive Early Years funding until their funded entitlement ends.

The funded Reception fee reflects the application of eligible Early Years funding. Please speak to our Admissions team if you are unsure whether your daughter will qualify for the funded Reception fee.

Fees shown are for the 2026–27 academic year.

What are our Prep School Fees for 2026–2027?

Year Group	Fee per term (Inc VAT)
Forms I & II (Years 1 & 2)	£6,060
Forms III & IV (Years 3 & 4)	£6,522
Forms V & VI (Years 5 & 6)	£6,696

Our school fees include a wide range of provision within the termly fee, helping families to understand the overall cost of a St Hilda’s education.

Fees shown are for the 2026–27 academic year.

What are our Nursery Fees for 2026–2027?

Our Nursery in Harpenden welcomes children from the age of two and provides a warm and nurturing introduction to life at St Hilda’s.

Nursery fees depend on your child’s age, eligibility for Early Years funding and the sessions they attend.

Puffins – Pre-Nursery

For children aged 2 to 3 years

Session	Fee
Morning	£59.00
Lunch	£19.00
School Day	£88.00
Extended Day	£105.00
Full Day	£110.00

Puffins provides our youngest children with a gentle introduction to Nursery life at St Hilda’s. Children can join us from the age of two, with attendance increasing as they become ready for the next stage of their Early Years education.

Kittiwakes – Nursery

For children aged 3 to 4 years

Session	Fee
Morning	£14.50
Lunch	£19.00
School Day	£55.00
Extended Day	£71.00
Full Day	£77.00

The Kittiwakes fee structure reflects the application of 15 hours of Early Years funding for eligible three- and four-year-olds.

Eligibility for funded hours begins from the relevant funding period following a child’s third birthday and is subject to the applicable Early Years funding rules.

We will confirm your child’s eligibility and the fees applicable to them before they join or move into Kittiwakes.

Early Years Funding

St Hilda’s participates in the universal 15 hours of funded early education for eligible three and four year-olds.

The funded entitlement is applied to eligible Nursery provision in accordance with our Early Years funding arrangements. Additional hours, meals and services outside the funded entitlement are chargeable.

We also accept Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers for qualifying Nursery and childcare costs.

If you are unsure what your Nursery fees will be, please speak to our Admissions team. We will be happy to explain the funding available and provide a clear indication of the cost based on your child’s age and proposed attendance pattern.

Please visit our funding page for more information.

Fees shown are for the 2026–27 academic year.

Prefer to keep a copy?

All our current School and Nursery fees are shown on this page for easy reference. If you would prefer to keep or print a copy, you can download our full 2026–27 Fee Schedule below.

What is included in St Hilda’s School fees?

We want parents to have a clear understanding of the cost of an independent education and what is included within our termly fees.

Our School fees include:

• Teaching and the core curriculum
• School lunches
• Splaat – unlimited school photography
• Books and stationery
• Group music
• Choir
• A broad range of activities and opportunities within the normal school day

Our small-school environment means that pupils are known individually and benefit from the breadth of opportunities and specialist teaching that form part of everyday life at St Hilda’s.

Are there any additional costs?

Some optional activities and services are charged separately. These include:

• Residential visits, school trips and some in-school activities, with costs advised in advance
• Breakfast Club and After School Club
• Individual music tuition
• LAMDA tuition
• Additional individual tuition
• Optional pupil absence insurance

Chargeable extras are generally invoiced in arrears.

Wraparound Care

For families requiring additional flexibility, our Breakfast Club and After School Club are available for pupils from Reception to Form VI.

Breakfast Club:           £3.50 per morning session

After School Club:      £5.00 per afternoon session

Food is included.

What is our Registration Fee?

A £150 non-refundable registration fee is payable when making a formal application to St Hilda’s.

There is no registration fee simply to visit the School, attend an Open Day or arrange a personal tour.

Acceptance Deposit

When you accept an offer of a place at St Hilda’s, an acceptance deposit of £1,500 is payable.

Of this:

• £750 is credited against your child’s first term’s fees
• £750 is retained until your child leaves St Hilda’s

The retained deposit is refunded after your child leaves the School, provided all outstanding fees and charges have been settled.

Paying School Fees

We recognise that families may wish to manage the cost of independent school fees in different ways.

Can I pay school fees monthly?

Yes. Families can choose to spread the cost of their school fees through our School Fee Plan, rather than paying the full amount at the beginning of each term.

Find out more about paying school fees monthly by clicking here.

Can I pay school fees in advance?

Yes. St Hilda’s operates a Fees in Advance Scheme, allowing families to make an advance payment towards future school fees. The scheme may provide a small discount against future fees.

For further information, please contact our Business Manager.

Childcare Vouchers and Tax-Free Childcare

St Hilda’s accepts Tax-Free Childcare and childcare vouchers for qualifying childcare.

These can be used towards eligible Nursery and childcare costs, subject to the relevant scheme rules. If you are unsure whether Tax-Free Childcare or childcare vouchers can be used towards a particular element of your fees, please contact us and we will be happy to advise.

Please visit our Childcare Vouchers page for more information.

What notice do I need to give?

We hope that every child joining St Hilda’s will remain with us throughout their time at the School. However, we understand that family circumstances can change.

For pupils in Reception to Form VI, one full term’s written notice is required to withdraw a child from the School.

For children in our Nursery, a term and a half’s written notice is required.

Optional extras generally require half a term’s notice.

Notice must be provided in writing to the Head in accordance with the School’s Terms and Conditions. Where the required notice is not provided, fees in lieu of notice may become payable.

Considering St Hilda’s?

Choosing a school is about much more than comparing fees.

The best way to understand what a St Hilda’s education offers is to visit us, meet our staff and pupils, and experience the School for yourself.

Located in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, St Hilda’s provides an independent education for girls from Reception to Year 6, together with Nursery provision for younger children.

We welcome families from Harpenden, St Albans and the surrounding Hertfordshire area who are considering an independent Nursery, Reception or Prep School education.