RE: INCREASE IN FEES AS OF 2023
In accordance with our Policy, the Tuition Fees have been reviewed by the Board of Directors in their last meeting based on the accounts for 2021, a review of the income and expenditure this year and the proposed budget for 2023. Please note that the last review was carried out two years ago.
As a result, it has been decided that as from Term I 2023, Tuition Fees will be as follows:
CLASS CURRENT FEES 2021-2022 (SCR) FEES 2023-2024 (SCR)
K1 – K2 12,000 13,200
P1 – P6 15,500 17,000
S1 – S3 18,000 19,800
S4 – S5 18,500 19,800
A-LEVELS 21,500 22,500
In justifying these increases, we would like to point out that the Independent School is still one of the most affordable private schools in the country, with an excellent track record of academic achievement based on our performance in Cambridge International Examinations. Through our investment in teaching and learning we continue to maintain high pass rates at both IGCSE and AS/A levels, with many of our students winning awards at both national and world level. Each year more and more of S5 students qualify to proceed to A-Level and subsequently to University scholarships with over 50% of our S5 students progressing on to our A level programme at the School last year.
As you may be aware, the Cambridge Checkpoint test was recently introduced in Primary to provide feedback on students’ strengths and weaknesses in the key curriculum areas of English, Mathematics and Science. As of next year, we will also be introducing these tests in Lower Secondary to assess performance in S3 and prepare students for their IGCSE journey.
Additionally, the School will also be introducing the INCAS Cambridge CEM baseline assessment in some primary classes to help identify and diagnose learning needs, measuring and benchmarking students’ potential. This baseline and diagnostic assessment is adaptive to each student’s level, will accurately and quickly identify their abilities in core academic skills (to include, reading, spelling, mathematics and mental arithmetic) thereby enabling us to provide appropriate and targeted support for their development so as to address early issues relating to literacy and numeracy which pupils face as they progress in their school life. The cost of running these tests will be incorporated within the new school fees. Parent(s) / Guardian(s) are only responsible for fees in relation to IGCSE, DELF and AS/A Level examinations.
In our endeavour to continue being the most outstanding school in the country, we have invested heavily in staff development, increasing our budget in this area so that our teachers can subscribe to TES Develop, an online training platform for their Continuous Professional Development. We have also implemented new appraisal and teaching observation polices to maintain high quality teaching and learning.
In addition, we have continued to invest in projects to enhance our school environment and make it more conducive to a fruitful and enjoyable learning experience for students. These include a new kindergarten library, a new multipurpose hall at Union Vale, a new S1 block at IDP and more recently, a new school website, to name just a few. The School managed this despite facing an average 7% annual rate of inflation that has affected the country in the past two years and which will, given events abroad, likely persist.
Furthermore, as of January 2023, we are anticipating reviewing staff salaries, especially those who have worked at the School for over 5 years, to ensure that they are appropriately remunerated in line with inflation. This will also involve a 5% increase on previous salary for those staff who are on contract.
Additionally, as part of our ‘minor capital project’ spending, the School is planning to replace all computers used by students as they have reached the end of their expected life span. Old ones will be used elsewhere in the school. We will also be reviewing our internet package to enable the School to operate its IT business efficiently.
Finally, we are also planning to update our kindergarten and primary playing fields at Union Vale to ensure that they are more attractive and a safer environment for our young pupils to play, learn and grow. Work has started on our new Swimming Pool at Ile Du Port which is expected to be in operation during Term I 2023. Although there will be an initial increase in expenses in terms of staff costs and the running of the swimming pool, we hope that this facility will save the current transport costs being faced in transporting pupils to the Roche Caiman swimming pool and provide further opportunities for the School to increase its revenues through rental of the facility. Moreover, so much time is lost travelling to Roche Caiman which will be saved and invested instead towards improving literacy and numeracy in Primary. In addition to the swimming pool, work will begin soon on the new multipurpose sports complex. This facility along with our newly purchased school band equipment will help to broaden our extra-curricular provisions, especially in sports, music and drama, enabling our students to develop their potential to the full, in line with our mission statement.
The School will continue to monitor and control its expenditure with care, to ensure that the fees received provide value for money. Parents who wish to check the audited accounts can email the School and a soft copy will be forwarded to them.
We hope that you will conclude, considering external inflationary pressures, that this fee increase is prudent…not only to maintain our commitment to quality education, but to enhance and drive forward our exciting multi-faceted agenda for our pupils.
Yours sincerely
Andy Esparon (Mr.)
PRINCIPAL