Admissions process
Our admissions process is designed to help you establish whether Rydes Hill is the right school for your child. Your child is encouraged to visit the school at any stage in this process. Whilst the main class entry points are Nursery, Kindergarten (Reception) and Lower Preparatory (Year 3), pupils can be accepted into all year groups, places permitting, and at any point in the school year.
The first step
If you are considering the school, the first step is to visit us and meet with the Headmistress, Mrs Sarah Norville. You can either arrange a personal tour at a convenient time for you, or attend our next open day, which is usually held in October. Both can be arranged at any time by emailing jacqui.oneill@rydeshill.com or calling my direct line on 01483 544 973. Alternatively, simply follow the link below:
Register your child
Should you wish to proceed, the next stage in the process is to complete our Registration Form. Once this is returned, together with the non-refundable Registration Fee of £100, your interest will then be registered for a place or your child placed on a waiting list if the class is full. Registration Forms can be downloaded below, provided by me on request, or included with our Prospectus.
Entry to our nursery
If your child is joining our Nursery, they would be invited to attend a taster session during the term before they are due to join us. This taster session gives children the opportunity to meet with some of their peers and for you to meet our Nursery Team. While the taster is taking place I will go through our Admissions Pack with you and answer any questions you may have. Following the taster session, we will email to formally offer a place, confirm your Nursery session requirements, and request payment of the deposit. To accept the place, you should complete and return our Acceptance of Place Form and Image Consent Form, plus pay the £500 deposit. The deposit is refunded to you when your child eventually leaves Rydes Hill. Once we have received the Acceptance of a Place Form and deposit, a term’s notice is required for withdrawal. For detailed information, please refer to our Term and Conditions via the link below.
Entry to our main school
If your child is joining our main school, Mrs Norville may wish to arrange a taster day or morning for your child to experience life at Rydes Hill and to meet their peers. Whilst no formal tests are administered, the taster day is also a valuable opportunity for informal assessments to be carried out by our teaching staff.
Following your child’s visit, we will email you to formally offer a place and request return of our Acceptance of Place Form, Image Consent Form, plus the deposit of £500 to secure the place. For families living overseas, the deposit is one term’s fees. Once the deposit has been received and the Forms signed and return, your child’s place would be confirmed. The deposit is refundable after the end of a child’s final term in the School. Once we have received the Acceptance of a Place Form and deposit, a term’s notice is required for withdrawal (for Kindergarten two terms notice is required). For detailed information, please refer to our Term and Conditions via the link below: