United Kingdom · London
Alleyn’s is a selective co-educational day school for ages 4–18. This guide explains the different junior-school routes, the 11+ and 16+ processes, and the costs that sit outside tuition.
Alleyn’s is a co-educational independent day school in London. It teaches pupils from Reception to Year 13 across a Senior School and two junior schools in Dulwich.
The school is academically selective. It follows the English curriculum and offers GCSE or IGCSE courses followed by A levels. It does not offer the International Baccalaureate.
The most important practical point is that Alleyn’s has no boarding. A child from overseas needs an acceptable living arrangement in or around London before the family treats the school as a realistic option.
Alleyn’s has three parts:
The two junior schools share an application and assessment process for the main entry points. A family can name one or both schools on the same application.
They are not financially interchangeable. Oakfield has its own fees through 2027/28. The school says Oakfield’s fees will match Alleyn’s Junior School from 2028/29.
Years 7 and 8 follow a broad programme. Languages currently include French, German, Spanish and Mandarin, alongside Latin. The exact combination changes as pupils move through the lower school.
Year 9 introduces more choice in languages and creative subjects. In Years 10 and 11, pupils study English language, English literature and mathematics. They also take science, at least one modern language and three option subjects.
The science route can lead to separate biology, chemistry and physics qualifications or a combined award. Most pupils finish with nine or ten GCSE or IGCSE qualifications. Further Mathematics may add another qualification for some pupils.
Sixth Form pupils choose between two A-level pathways:
The school says a pupil may move from the four-subject route to the three-subject route up to the Advent half-term in Year 12. The published curriculum lists about 30 A-level subjects.
Registration for September 2027 opened on 1 September 2026. Applications for the main 4+, 7+ and 9+ entry points close at midday on Friday 13 November 2026.
| Entry point | Indicative availability | Assessment | Decision and acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4+ Reception | About 36 places across the two schools | 7, 8 or 9 January 2027 | Decision 22 January; accept by 29 January |
| 7+ Year 3 | About 8–10 places | First assessment 8 January; invited stage 16 January | Decision 28 January; accept by 5 February |
| 9+ Year 5 | A small number of places | First assessment 7 January; invited stage 15 January | Decision 21 January; accept by 28 January |
Reception applicants must attend the school for assessment. Families outside the UK should therefore plan travel before applying.
Oakfield also advertises occasional places at 5+, 6+, 8+ and 10+. Applications for those places close on 30 October 2026, with assessment in November.
For 2026/27 only, Oakfield may admit children aged three or over to Pre-Reception if space remains. From September 2027, its youngest regular entry point will be Reception at age four.
The public information is not fully consistent. The live junior admissions page says pupils joining either junior school have automatic entry to the Senior School, although they still sit an examination and interview.
The February 2026 admissions policy is more cautious. It describes automatic transfer for Alleyn’s Junior School pupils and for Oakfield pupils who already received an assured place under the transition introduced after September 2025.
Families considering Oakfield should obtain written confirmation of their child’s future Year 7 status. The answer may depend on when the child joined and whether an assured Senior School place formed part of the offer.
Alleyn’s expects about 150 Year 7 places. Roughly one-third go to pupils moving from its junior schools, while two-thirds go to new applicants.
The school does not use the ISEB Common Pre-Test. Applicants take written assessments in reasoning, English and mathematics. The school also reviews the current school’s report.
Selected candidates then attend a group activity and an individual interview. Applicants based overseas may be able to sit the written papers at an approved test centre.
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | 1 September 2026 |
| Registration closes | 13 November 2026 at midday |
| Overseas written assessment | 7 January 2027 |
| Main written assessment | 8 January 2027 |
| Music auditions | 11–13 January 2027 |
| Group activity and interview | 23 January 2027 |
Scholarship assessments and submission deadlines sit around the main process. Families seeking an art, design and technology, drama, dance, music or sports award should check the current timetable before registering.
The school expects about 40 external Sixth Form entrants. Registration closes at midday on Friday 16 October 2026.
All candidates are invited to the assessment on 10 November 2026. They complete three general papers:
The school gives most weight to the two scores most relevant to the applicant’s proposed A levels. Selected candidates then have a general interview and two academic interviews on 28 November 2026.
Applicants should normally complete GCSEs or an equivalent programme before joining. Alleyn’s requires fluent English and does not publish sample 16+ papers.
The performing-arts scholarship stage is scheduled for 27 November 2026. The sports assessment was still marked as a November date to be confirmed when this guide was researched.
Alleyn’s teaches in English and expects applicants to access a selective academic curriculum. Its admissions information requires fluent English at 16+.
The school says most pupils who use English as an additional language manage through normal classroom teaching. It may provide a short language-focused course when needed. It does not publish a separate EAL fee or guaranteed number of places.
The support policy describes screening in Years 3, 7, 9 and 12, as well as for other new entrants. Support may include classroom adjustments, short courses and advice from specialist staff.
The Senior School policy also states that it cannot provide long-term specialist support in every case. Parents pay for external professional assessments. A support arrangement used for entrance testing does not automatically continue in public examinations.
Parents must disclose known medical, learning or developmental needs during admission. The school’s terms allow it to withdraw an offer or require withdrawal if significant information was withheld and the school cannot reasonably support the pupil.
Families should ask four direct questions before accepting:
The main published fees are:
| School section | Per term excluding VAT | Per term including VAT | Annual including VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior School | £9,025 | £10,830 | £32,490 |
| Alleyn’s Junior School | £8,055 | £9,666 | £28,998 |
| Alleyn’s Oakfield, Reception–Year 6 | £6,833 | £8,200 | £24,600 |
There are three terms in the school year. Fees are reviewed annually, so these figures should not be used as a forecast for September 2027.
Lunch is not included. It is compulsory in both junior schools and charged by term. The main fees page also excludes uniform, school trips and a classroom device.
Oakfield’s published fee includes trips, including residential trips, and activities delivered directly by the school. This differs from the general description on the main fees page, so families should compare their actual offer documents.
Most school-run co-curricular activities are included. Some externally provided activities cost extra. Alleyn’s does not offer a sibling discount.
Alleyn’s Junior School publishes these 2026/27 charges:
Oakfield’s parent page still displayed 2025/26 care charges when checked. Families should request its 2026/27 schedule rather than assuming that the two junior schools charge the same amount.
A deposit is payable when a place is accepted. The school does not publish its amount. Its terms say the ordinary deposit is normally returned after the pupil leaves, after any outstanding balance has been deducted.
Parents living outside England and Wales may be asked for an additional deposit equal to one term’s fees plus expected extras. Fees are payable termly in advance by direct debit from a UK bank account.
Parents normally need to give a full term’s written notice by the first day of the preceding term. Otherwise, one term’s fees in lieu may be charged without any bursary or scholarship reduction.
The same notice rule can apply to fee-bearing extras. All people with parental responsibility may need to sign a withdrawal notice.
Before a pupil starts, cancellation also requires a full term’s notice. Without it, the school may retain the deposit and charge one term’s fees at the previous term’s rate, less the deposit.
The contract makes signatories jointly and individually responsible for payment. Late balances can attract interest at 2% per month, or another rate set by the governors, plus recovery costs.
Absence does not usually produce a refund. The terms also allow education to continue by remote means during an event outside the school’s control, without promising a fee reduction.
These are material financial obligations. Families should read the acceptance form, fee schedule and current terms together before signing.
Means-tested bursaries are available at 11+ and 16+, but not for junior-school entry. The live financial-aid page says the average current bursary covers 94% of fees. Awards can reach 100% after assessment of family finances.
At 11+, the policy describes more than 20 bursary places in a typical year. Depending on need, an award may also help with uniform, travel, lunch, a device, trips or co-curricular activities.
At 16+, the policy anticipates up to five bursaries a year. Additional help with transport or equipment may be possible in limited circumstances.
Bursary applications follow a separate timetable and require detailed financial evidence. The policy says late applications will not be considered. Families should indicate need when registering and request the current form immediately.
Academic scholarship consideration is automatic at 11+ and 16+. Other awards require an application, portfolio, audition or assessment.
The live 2025/26 policy describes these indicative maximum annual values:
| Award | Published value |
|---|---|
| 11+ academic or Saddlers’ award | Up to £5,000 |
| 11+ music scholarship | Up to £5,000, plus principal-instrument tuition |
| 11+ sports or drama scholarship | Up to £5,000 |
| 11+ art or design and technology scholarship | Up to £2,000 |
| Most 16+ scholarships | Normally up to £5,000 |
Some exhibitions are much smaller or cover lessons rather than tuition. Scholarship and bursary conditions are reviewed annually, and awards can be reduced or withdrawn if their conditions are not met.
The UK government’s sponsor register lists Alleyn’s School Ltd for both Child Student and Student sponsorship. The previous version of this guide incorrectly said the school was unsuitable for a visa-sponsored pupil.
Sponsorship does not make Alleyn’s a boarding school. The school’s terms say pupils normally live with one or both parents during term time. If both parents are away overnight, they must give the school details of the responsible adult in writing.
The contract makes parents responsible for the child’s right to enter, live and study in the UK. Alleyn’s does not advertise boarding, homestay placement or a guardianship service.
An overseas family should therefore confirm all of the following before paying:
The Independent Schools Inspectorate visited in October 2024. Its report found that the school met all five groups of standards covering leadership, education, wellbeing, social development and safeguarding.
Inspectors highlighted a broad curriculum, ambitious teaching, good progress and effective safeguarding. They also identified two areas where practice was less consistent.
In the Junior School, feedback did not always tell pupils precisely how to improve. In the Senior School, some teaching did not always account fully for the needs of some neurodiverse pupils.
Those findings do not establish how the school would support a particular child. Families seeking learning support should compare the report with a written, pupil-specific support plan.
Read our broader guides to schools in the United Kingdom and education in London for local context.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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