FEES, BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS
Our school was set up with the aim of educating bright girls from south east London and we offer a range of scholarships and bursaries at Year 7 and 12 to support access for those wishing to join us.
Fees
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Academic Year 2025/26:
£6,452 per term; £19,356 per year (inc. VAT)Fees are paid directly to the GDST. Fees can be paid termly in advance or by monthly direct debit. -
Academic Year 2025/26:£8,205 per term; £24,615 per year (inc. VAT)Fees are paid directly to the GDST. Fees can be paid termly in advance or by monthly direct debit.
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School lunch is charged separately and paid alongside school fees. Lunch is compulsory for pupils up to and including Year 11. The termly charge is currently £324 for Reception to Year 11.
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Public exam fees are an additional cost. The exam fees will be based on the number and type of exams taken by the student and will be itemised on the summer term invoice. Currently the typical range is between £400 to £600 for GCSE pupils and £350 to £500 for A Level students.
Bursary recipients with an award of 50% or above will not pay for exams and those on lower award levels will have a pro-rata reduction applied.
We are an inclusive community and offer a range of financial assistance including means-tested bursaries. Bursaries and Scholarships are available to pupils joining a GDST senior school in Year 7 or Year 12. We regret that applications for bursaries and scholarships for pupils entering other year groups or applying late cannot be considered.
Please note that there are separate online application forms for bursaries and scholarships which must be completed as well as the main online application for a place.
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All Year 7 pupils participate in a Chromebook leasing scheme which allows us to adopt the best approach to technology and innovation in the classroom. There is a termly fee for this which is expected to be within the range of £65-£80 for those starting in the 2025-2026 academic year. This fee provides pupils with a leased Chromebook with a screen protector and a stylus. Further details will be provided in the Summer term before joining Sydenham High School. If you would like to buy a carrying case the model is the 500e Lenovo.
Bursaries
Sydenham High School offers a number of bursary awards which are designed to enable girls whose parents might not be able to afford the full fees to attend the school. The award of a bursary is based on financial circumstances and the candidate’s performance in the entrance assessments.
Year 7
For girls joining in Year 7, we offer both academic scholarships and scholarships in Art, Drama, Music and Sport. The amount offered for each scholarship varies but is usually around 10-20%. You may apply for multiple scholarships via our online application form, no later than the application deadline of Friday 14 November 2025. Successful candidates keep their Scholarship for their entire education at Sydenham High.
Our assessments are in person and the logistics for these will be confirmed once the application deadline has passed.
Year 12
In our Sixth Form, we offer scholarships for Academic, Art, Drama, Music, Rowing and Sport. Both internal and external candidates are welcome to apply – external candidates must complete the online application form. The scholarship examination is not subject-specific and requires no special preparation.
All applicants for Sixth Form Scholarships will also be interviewed by the Head of Sixth Form and, for external candidates, a reference with predicted grades is required. For subject specific scholarships, candidates must sit the scholarship paper and be interviewed by the relevant Head of Department, providing evidence to support their application.
Candidates who wish to apply for a bursary in Sixth Form must indicate this on the application form and submit the bursary application.
Academic Scholarships
All Year 7 applicants are considered for an Academic Scholarship – there is no need to apply separately.
Art Scholarships
Candidates wishing to apply must submit a portfolio to be considered by the Head of Art, followed by an interview.
Drama Scholarships
Girls wishing to apply for a Drama Scholarship must submit references and attend an audition, as well as be interviewed by the Director of Drama or Head of Productions.
Music Scholarships
Girls wishing to apply for a Music Scholarship must submit references and attend an audition, as well as be interviewed by the Director of Music.
Rowing Scholarships
Year 12 applicants may apply for a Rowing Scholarship and will be interviewed by our Head of Rowing.
Sports Scholarships
Girls who wish to be considered for a Sports Scholarship must submit references and participate in an assessment afternoon, and be interviewed by the Director or Assistant Director of Sport.
