News 
Term Dates 
Vision & Ethos Fees and charges for the year are set in the Summer Term of the previous academic year.
Tuition Fees
Autumn 2024
| Junior School | £12,192 per annum (£4,064 per term) |
| Senior School | £17,133 per annum (£5,711 per term) |
| Sixth Form | £17,133 per annum (£5,711 per term) |
Fees for Spring and Summer Terms 2025
| Junior School | £4,299 (Fees of £3,582.5 + VAT of £716.5) |
| Senior School | Senior School £6,042 (Fees of £5,035 + VAT of £1,007) |
| Sixth Form | Sixth Form £6,042 (Fees of £5,035 + VAT of £1,007) |
Fees include wrap around care before and after school, from 7.30am until 7:00pm.
FAQs VAT on School Fees
Our fundamental commitment is to our students, and we want to ensure that as many of our students as possible continue to benefit from a BGS education. We want to remain as affordable as possible, whilst balancing this against providing a high value educational offer.
By law we will have to levy VAT onto all school fees; we cannot remove it. However, where possible, we are mitigating some of the impact of the imposition of the tax to help you manage your financial obligations. Our planned approach has always been to share the burden of responsibility with our fee-paying families. Our intention is to have a “glide approach”, which will soften the impact of the imposition of VAT through a combination of on-going cost efficiencies and additional phased increases to fees spread over a number of years to hopefully better align with household financial management.
We have undertaken robust financial modelling and budgeting scenarios given that VAT will be introduced significantly earlier than anticipated. We have looked forensically at where we can make additional cost efficiencies and at what, under the government’s proposals, may be recoupable. We have built up some usable reserves which will help us manage through the potential challenges of this period. We will use some of our limited reserves initially, alongside cost efficiency and prudent budget management, to enable us to share and spread the impact of VAT.
The outcome of our financial planning means that we have been able to inform our parents that we are able to mitigate a significant proportion of the tax in the 2024/25 academic year. From January 2025 we will reduce our tuition fees, but will be required by law to collect VAT at 20% on behalf of the government for the remaining 2024/25 academic year.
Therefore, the total cost to a fee-paying family, for the Spring and Summer Term will increase by 5.8%.
| Current Fees per term Autumn 2024 | Fees plus VAT from Jan 25 if VAT is imposed | |
| Junior School | Fees £4,063 | (Fees £3,582.5 + VAT £716.5) £4,299 |
| Senior and 6th Form | Fees £5,711 | (Fees £5,035 + VAT £1,007) £6,042 |
Please note that our current position is subject to final legislation being passed in line with the proposed policy.
At this point it is not possible to signal what our fee increase may be for the 2025-26 academic year or the percentage of VAT that we will be able to mitigate. However, the same principle will apply; we remain committed to our glide approach, working with our parents to share the burden of responsibility and maintaining our annual fee increases as low as possible. We must ensure that BGS is financially secure for the long-term and whilst our intention is to keep increases as low as possible, there may be unforeseen circumstances in the future that may affect our glide approach. Nevertheless, our principle of keeping access to a BGS education as wide as possible remains.
A Fees in Advance quotation facility is available for payment on fees in advance. For more information we can arrange for you to talk to the Harpur Trust Fees Team.
Admissions Fees
A registration fee of £125 (non-refundable) is compulsory for all new applicants to the School.
Please note that from January 2025 the registration fee will be subject to 20% VAT.
A deposit of £500 is also compulsory for all successful applicants who accept their place, and is refunded upon leaving the School. An additional deposit of £3,500 is payable by families who permanently reside overseas.
Alumnae and Parent Teacher Association Membership Fee
Bedford Girls’ School operates an active Parent Teacher Association which supports the school in a variety of ways, organising social events and fund-raising activities. Bedford Girls’ School Association, our Alumnae association, will offer continued membership to the Bedford Girls’ School community through reunions and social events which will begin when your daughter leaves the school.
Life membership to both these groups costs £125. This amount is added to your school fees during your daughter’s second term and is compulsory for all new girls.
Student iPads
The cost of the iPad, a cover and associated apps for 2024 entry will be £419. In addition, a mandatory insurance of an estimated £40 per year will be charged.
Each student receives their iPad at the start of the school year along with an induction as to how to use the iPad effectively and responsibly. In the Junior School, all iPads remain at school and are only used in lesson time. In the Senior School, the girls are permitted to take their iPads home. Up to the end of Year 8, iPads are “locked” and the girls are unable to download their own Apps. These restrictions are gradually lifted as the girls progress through the school.
Unfortunately, it is not possible for girls to substitute their own iPads or other tablet devices from home. The school devices are pre-loaded with essential apps, settings and access appropriate to the year group for the student.
Additional Costs
The additional costs of school lunches (£4.90 per day), transport to and from Bedford Girls’ School and any paid-for co-curricular activities your daughter may choose to participate in are not included in the tuition, or other compulsory fees.
If you do not wish your daughter to have a school lunch, she may bring a packed lunch into school.
Find out more information on transport providers and costs.
Co-Curriculum Fees & Extras
Bedford Girls' School has a rich provision of co-curricular activities, many of which are at no extra cost. The following activities however, are charged for as extras:
- Dance
- Instrumental Music
- Singing
- Speech & Drama
- Duke of Edinburgh's Award
- Rowing
Payment
Termly fees are due to be paid in full before the first day of term. Fees can be paid by Direct Debit or bank transfer. It is possible to spread the cost of the full year's fees with 9 Direct Debit payments.
Payment will be taken by three payments each term, either on the first day of term or on the first day of each of the months shown below:
Autumn Term: September, October and November
Spring Term: January, February and March
Summer Term: May, June and July
Payment in Advance
It is possible to pay towards tuition fees for a complete year or more in advance. A ‘Fees in Advance’ quotation facility is available for payment on fees in advance. For more information visit The Harpur Trust website.
