At our school, the majority of UK students (around 75%) benefit from reduced fees or pay no fees at all, thanks to the Department for Education’s Music and Dance Scheme (MDS). This means-tested scheme helps make a high-quality music education accessible to talented students from a range of financial backgrounds.
Eligibility:
To be considered for the Music and Dance Scheme (MDS), students must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least two years prior to 1 January of the academic year they are applying for. For example, for entry in September 2026, the student must have lived continuously in the UK from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2025.
Fee Contributions:
- Parental contributions towards fees are based on gross household income, with a sliding scale applied. As a general guide:
- Families with a gross household income below £15,000 per year will pay no school fees.
- Those with higher incomes will contribute according to the sliding scale.
- For families receiving support through the Government’s Music and Dance Scheme (MDS), VAT will apply as part of the fees.
A detailed fee contribution table is available below for reference.
Approximate fee contributions for MDS students for 2025/26:
| Gross Family Income/Annum |
Annual Contribution to be made by Parent (Inclusive of VAT) |
|
Day |
Boarding |
| £10,000 |
£0 |
£0 |
| £15,000 |
£0 |
£93 |
| £20,000 |
£333 |
£567 |
| £25,000 |
£888 |
£1,122 |
| £30,000 |
£1,443 |
£1,809 |
| £35,000 |
£1,998 |
£2,475 |
| £40,000 |
£2,553 |
£3,279 |
| £45,000 |
£3,729 |
£4,903 |
| £50,000 |
£4,413 |
£5,925 |
| £55,000 |
£5,140 |
£7,070 |
| £60,000 |
£6,033 |
£8,215 |
| £70,000 |
£7,858 |
£10,519 |
| £80,000 |
£9,792 |
£12,931 |
| £100,000 |
£13,654 |
£17,956 |
| £120,000 |
£17,521 |
£23,022 |
| £150,000 |
£23,317 |
£30,618 |
| £185,000 |
£30,078 |
£39,481 |
| £190,000 |
£31,042 |
£40,744 |
| £195,000 |
£32,011 |
£42,012 |
| £200,000 |
£32,976 |
£43,279 |
| £207,500 |
£40,864 (Full fee) |
£52,175 (Full fee) |
Additional Support:
The Music and Dance Scheme (MDS) is a government means-tested programme, and the level of financial support is determined based on assessed household income. As such, the School is not able to offer additional bursary support to families who are already benefiting from the scheme.
Families should also be aware that any additional sources of income must be declared as part of the assessment process. This may affect the calculated “relevant income” and could result in an adjustment to the parental contribution.
The School’s bursary fund is therefore reserved for students who are not in receipt of MDS funding.
