DERBY HIGH
ADMISSIONS
ADMISSIONS
The Next Steps
Please contact our Registrar, Kristy Orpwood, on 01332 514267, email admissions@derbyhigh.derby.sch.uk, or complete the enquiry form below to recieve more information. Â
We understand that choosing a Derby High education for your child is one of the most important investments you will ever make. There are a range of bursaries and scholarships available. Please get in touch for further details so we can tailor your enquiry and guide you through the key steps to join our school.Â
ENQUIRY FORM
Admissions Information
During your tour you will meet our Head, Mrs Amy Chapman, and Head of Primary, Mr Jeremy Harper. Mr Harper will give you a guided tour of our Infant and Junior classrooms, along with the onsite sport facilities and outdoor space. This provides a fantastic opportunity for families to see the school during a normal day and meet teaching staff and pupils.Â
Alternatively, you may wish to attend our next Primary Open Morning on Saturday 18th March 2023. This will be an informal morning, full of fun activities for children to enjoy, whilst giving families the opportunities to look around our Primary School.Â
If your child is aged 2 to 4 years old they are most welcome to join the Derby High Little Learners Club. The club runs free Stay and Play sessions every Friday morning (term time) from 9am to 10:30am. Parents and children are warmly invited to join the Pre-School staff for fun, activity based learning, phonics and a story. All activities are tailored to the Early Years Foundation Stage. If you are considering Derby High School for your child this is a great way to experience our early years provision and meet our team of dedicated teaching staff.Â
The next stage is to register your child with us. You can do this by returning the registration form and registration fee (currently £100) to our Registrar, Kristy Orpwood. Â
The Primary assessment process varies according to the age of the children.
For Pre-School and Reception entry, assessment is made on each child’s personal, social and emotional development and academic readiness through a 1:1 meeting with the one of our Early Years specialist teachers.
For infant children in Years 1 and 2 it becomes more curriculum focused with assessments made on the core subjects of English and Maths alongside logic, problem solving and reasoning activities which allows us to see each child’s academic potential and learning styles. Â
In Juniors (Years 3-6) the format becomes increasingly formal, in fitting with each child’s age and stage of development, with assessments again in the core subjects of English and Maths alongside logic, problem solving and reasoning activities.
We appreciate each child’s learning will be different and may have been impacted by recent events. We therefore work with each child to see how best we can support them to reach their potential in the weeks, terms and years that follow.
Throughout the admissions process our Registrar is on hand to answer any questions. We look forward to welcoming you and your child to our Primary School.
On your private tour around our school, Mrs Chapman will explain how our students benefit from a huge range of opportunities that combine to ignite a genuine joy in learning.Â
Private tours are available throughout the week, and we would be delighted to show you around our school.
Our Entrance Examination for Year 7 takes place in January each year. Applicants sit tests in non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics. These are nationally standardised tests and are intended to be taken by pupils who come from a variety of school backgrounds. Applicants are assessed not only on their ability to cope with the curriculum on offer but also on their willingness to make a full contribution to the life of the school. Candidates will have an informal interview and we will request a reference from their current school. If you apply for a Year 7 place after the Entrance Examination date, places may become available for suitable candidates, and we will invite the child for an Assessment Day.
Girls and boys who are already in our Junior School are regularly assessed and are generally able to take their place in our Senior School without taking the Entrance Exam.Â
Provided that spaces are available, students are also accepted into Years 8, 9 and 10 subject to a satisfactory performance on assessment papers. As part of the admissions process, students will also have a short interview with the Head and we request a reference from their current school. All prospective students are offered a taster day with their peers.
Academic, Music, Art & Design, Drama and Sport Scholarships are available. There is also a Head’s Scholarship awarded to any girl or boy who has demonstrated outstanding all-round ability.
All school admissions are handled by our Registrar, Kristy Orpwood. If you would like to register your child for entrance into our Senior School and arrange a visit or informal meeting with Mrs Amy Chapman, Head, please contact Kristy Orpwood by phone: 01332 514267 or by email:Â admissions@derbyhigh.derby.sch.uk
To view our key dates for Year 7 entry in September 2024, please click here.
To view our key dates for Year 7 entry in September 2024, please click here.
We would encourage you to apply in the Autumn Term but you can apply to join our Sixth Form at any time during your final year of GCSE.  The expected minimum requirement for entry is 7 full GCSE passes at grade A*-B (or 9-6) including English and Maths at grade 5 or above.  Any student who finds they do not quite meet the requirements will be considered on an individual basis. Â
Scholarship and Award applications can be made at any point during the academic year, but we recommend the Autumn Term. Scholarships are available in all academic subjects. We also offer Awards in Sport, Music and Drama which would involve an audition and interview. Scholarships and Awards start at £500 discount on the full fee.Â
If you are considering joining Derby High School in the Sixth Form further details are available in the Sixth Form Options & Information Brochure. Â
Throughout the admissions process our Registrar is available to answer any questions and help you through the application process.Â
For further information on admissions, to book a tour, or to attend our next open event (details on upcoming events are outlined below), please complete the online registration form at the top of this page.Â
Experience life at Derby High School, Derbyshire’s top performing independent school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 by visiting our school. Tours are conducted during a normal working school day so our guests can meet our staff and students during a typical day.Â
All tours must be pre booked and will be allocated a convenient time. For more information please contact Kristy Orpwood on 01332 514267, or email admissions@derbyhigh.derby.sch.uk. Alternatively, please complete the online enquiry form a the top of this page.
Join us for interactive lessons where you’ll be creative, active and scientific!Â
Our Senior School Experience Day is a fantastic opportunity for Year 5 pupils to experience what life is like as a senior student at Derby High School. It provides an exciting chance to meet new friends and try out new subjects.Â
Our Senior School Experience Day is open to all pupils from all schools currently in Year 5. Â
Spaces are limited so please reserve your place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. For more information and to enquire about booking your child onto this event please contact our Registrar, Kristy Orpwood, via email admissions@derbyhigh.derby.sch.uk or telephone 01332 514267.Â
SENIOR SCHOOLÂ
Suitability for an Academic Scholarship in Year 7 is assessed on the results of the Entrance Examination papers for external candidates and from results of internal assessments in Year 6 for Derby High School pupils. A Head’s Scholarship may be awarded to any pupil who has demonstrated outstanding all-round ability. In previous years we have invited children to sit additional tests to be considered for an academic award, but we feel this puts excessive pressure on girls and boys who apply, while potentially missing deserving children who do not choose to apply.Â
Scholarships for Music, Sport, Drama and Art & Design are awarded each year in Year 7. For further details please contact Kristy Orpwood, School Registrar.
Head’s Awards are granted to those entering Year 7 who perform well in the Entrance Exam and who are also likely to make a significant contribution to the broader life of the school, for example in music, drama and / or sport.
Any remission will apply only to the basic school tuition fee, not to any extras.
Awards start at £500 and any combination of award/assisted place will not exceed 50% of full fees.
There are a range of Scholarships and Awards available to students joining our Sixth Form. Scholarship and Award applications can be made at any point during the academic year but we recommend the Autumn Term. There are two core papers in English and maths and then subject specific papers in the chosen academic subject. We also offer Awards in Sport, Music and Drama which would involve an audition and interview. Scholarships and Awards start at £500 discount on the full fee.Â
The school also operates an Assisted Places scheme for qualifying families who would like their children to benefit from a Derby High School education but who would find it difficult to meet the full fee. No combination of Scholarship and Assisted Place or Award and Assisted Place would cover more than 50% of the total fees required.
For further information about the Scholarships and Awards available please contact Kristy Orpwood, our Registrar.
Academic Year 2023/24
Year Group | Termly Fees / Annual Fees |
 PSU* | £2,535.30 / £2,732.70 /£2,803.20   |
Reception ** | £3,480 / £10,440 |
 Years 1 & 2 | £3,595 / £10,785 |
 Junior Years 3-4 | £3,665 / £10,995 |
Junior Years 5-6 |  £3,775 / £11,325 |
Senior Years 7-9 | £4,860 / £14,580 |
 Senior Years 10-11 | £5,065 / £15,195 |
 Senior Years 12-13 |  £5,110 / £15,330 |
Funded places are available in our Pre-School Unit.
*For a full-time PSU Autumn/Spring/Summer term place net of Early Years Funding at current rates.
**If Early Years Funding still applies for your child, this would reduce this fee for up to 2 terms.
Details of the Early Years Funding Scheme are available by clicking here.
When three or more siblings attend the school, there is a reduction of 33â…“ % on the above tuition for the youngest child on net fees.
Assisted Places in the Senior School
The Senior School runs its own Assisted Places scheme, which offers financial assistance of up to 50% of school fees to qualifying families who would like their children to benefit from a Derby High School education but who would find it difficult to meet the full fee. Each student’s application is considered individually and all assisted places are subject to annual review.
If you would like to come in for a confidential meeting with our Bursar to discuss the funding of your child’s education please do not hesitate to contact the Bursar’s PA on: 01332 514267.
Scholarships
Scholarships start at £500 and are available in the Senior School and Sixth Form. Please see the tab below for more information about the range of scholarships offered at Derby High.
Monthly Payment of School Fees
School cannot accept payments in instalments due to restrictions by the FCA who monitor our financial activity. For information and without prejudice, many of our parents have opted to use an independent company named SFP. Applications are made directly to them, well in advance of the due date of the termly bill and any financial information provided remains confidential. If you would like further information, please follow the link below or contact the bursary department directly if you require any further assistance.
www.support.mypremiumcredit.com
Registration Fee – Payable with Application Form – (non-refundable)
PSU to Year 11 – £100
Deposit – To secure a place once it has been offered and accepted:
Primary School – PSU to Year 6 – £150
Senior School – Year 7 to Year 13 – £500
The deposit is refundable at the end of the child’s school career, subject to any amounts owing being cleared in full. If a parent elects to leave the deposit to school it will be used to augment the bursaries fund.
In order to accept an offer of a place, parents must sign the Acceptance Form, which forms a contractual obligation. Parents subsequently withdrawing their child without giving a full term’s notice, will be liable for the first term’s fees.
Derby High School operates its own Fees in Advance Scheme for the payment of school fees for future years, the percentage of savings is dependent on the interest rates at the time of payment. For further information please contact the Bursar.
Further information regarding the scheme can be found here –Â Fees in Advance Scheme
School Fees Refund Scheme
Details of the school fees refund scheme can be found here. To join the scheme parents must complete the application form, please see a link below. For further information please contact the Bursary department.
Application Form to join the Fees Refund SchemeÂ
Fees Refund Scheme Information (For existing participants, parents already in the scheme).
