Our aim is to keep St Mary’s fees as affordable as possible while maintaining the high level of education we offer. We are committed to providing an empowering education to enable pupils to thrive at St Mary’s and beyond.
Fees
School fees 2025-26
| Termly fees (including VAT) | Termly lunch cost (mandatory) | |
| Prep (Reception) Class-Year 2 | £4,750 | £300 |
| Year 3-4 | £5,300 | £300 |
| Year 5-6 | £5,900 | £300 |
| Year 7 | £6,600 | £350 |
| Year 8-9 | £7,050 | £350 |
| Year 10-11 | £7,550 | £350 |
There are three terms per academic year.
We endeavour to be open and transparent with our fees. Additional extras include the following (normal at most independent schools):
- Entry fees (including a £125 administration fee) for external examinations
- Private music lessons are available for singing, all string, woodwind and brass instruments, guitar and drums (these fees are payable to the individual music teacher)
- Lower School breakfast club from 8am, £4.75 per session
- Lower School after school care option 1 – until 4.30pm, £9.50
- Lower School after school care option 2 – until 6.00pm, including tea, £16.95
- Some Lower School after school clubs are at an extra cost (fees to external providers are made directly to the providers)
- Some books and resources
- School trips
Kindergarten fees 2024-25
| Early Start (inc breakfast) | 7.30am- 8.30am | £8.95 |
| Core Day (inc cooked lunch) | 8.30am-3.30pm | £64.00* |
| Extended Stay option 1 | 3.30pm-4.30pm | £8.95 |
| Extended Stay option 2** (inc tea) | 3.30pm-6.00pm | £16.00 |
*A booking of five Core Days per week attracts a reduction in the Core Day fee. Please ask for further details.
**A minimum of 48 hours’ notice is required.
Discounts
Sibling discounts are available. Please contact our Registrar, Mrs Justine Tierney, at registrar@stmaryscolchester.org.uk or on 01206 594256 for further information.
We have also introduced a loyalty discount for Lower School pupils who progress to the Senior School. The discount is not in addition to another discount such as Scholarships, although sibling discounts will still apply. Please contact Mrs Justine Tierney, our Registrar, for further information.
Scholarships are available for Year 7 entry. Further information can be found on our Scholarships page. Alternatively, please contact our Registrar.
Bursaries are available in exceptional circumstances to provide short term financial assistance to parents experiencing unexpected financial difficulties. Please see our Bursaries page for further information.
payment options
School fees are payable in advance by the first day of each term and parents can pay in several ways, including bank transfer or card payment.
Alternatively, our new School Monthly Direct Debit option allows you to spread your termly fees across three months with no interest added. The payment collections for each term are generally as follows:
- Autumn Term collection months would be September, October and November.
- Spring Term collection months would be January, February and March.
- Summer Term collection months would be May, June and July.
If you wish to sign up to our School Monthly Direct Debit scheme, please complete the Direct Debit mandate below and return it to accounts@stmaryscolchester.org.uk.
Alternatively, you can spread your fees and pay monthly through My School Fee Plan*.
*St Mary’s School (Colchester) Limited is an appointed representative of Premium Credit Limited which is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. School Fee Plan is a trading style of Premium Credit Limited (company number 02015200). Credit is subject to status, affordability, terms and conditions apply. Over 18s only. Failure to keep up with your repayments could result in your agreement being cancelled.
Please note that single Entry Deposit of £400 is required on acceptance of a school place and is refunded after the end of a pupil’s final term in the school, subject to meeting the terms and conditions issued along with the offer.
Kindergarten fees are invoiced monthly in advance for regular booked sessions, while any ad hoc sessions are invoiced with the following month’s fees. From September, at St Mary’s Kindergarten you can receive funding for up to 30 hours of childcare a week if eligible, which is based on 38 weeks childcare. For those taking year-round childcare this will be stretched across 51 weeks. Find out more about the Government’s Early Education Entitlement. The Government closed the Childcare Voucher Scheme for new applicants from 4 October 2018. St Mary’s will continue to deal with all approved providers of Childcare Vouchers for existing Scheme members. We are able to accept payment via the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare Scheme. Please contact our Finance Office on 01206 572544 (option 4) to discuss your particular requirements.
Additionally, parents may wish to contact an Independent Financial Adviser who can provide you with information on relevant savings’ schemes.
Please note that fees are reviewed every summer term.
Pupils’ Absence Insurance
This optional insurance option with Marsh Ltd allows you to make a claim for school fees in the event of absence due to illness or accident or contact with an infectious disease. Please see the documents below for further information. If you have any questions, please contact our Finance Office on 01206 572544 (option 4), or email accounts@stmaryscolchester.org.uk.
