Cardiff Steiner School is committed to being socially inclusive and accessible to families from a wide range of financial backgrounds, whilst remaining self-funded. Therefore we keep fees as low as possible in order to minimise the financial barrier to attending, offer a lower fees rate for families on lower incomes, and have a Bursary Scheme where families on low incomes, or in financial difficulty, can apply for a further reduction in their fees.

Bursary awards are influenced by availability of funds, the number of applications, and overall need. We can meet only a portion of a family’s need. In addition, we may not have the funds to offer assistance to every child who qualifies for assistance. There is no specific income level in order to apply for a Bursary, and all applications are considered on an individual basis, though the principles that we apply to Bursary decisions are detailed below:

Awards are made to children whose families qualify for assistance on the basis of financial need. In order to fairly determine a family’s financial need, we consider total income, expenses and outgoings, assets, number of dependents etc. based on a modest standard of living.

The primary responsibility for financing a child’s independent education rests with the family. Because the demand for fee assistance is high, families are advised to seek any additional resources prior to applying to the Bursary Scheme. Priority is given to families in most financial need who have exhausted all other avenues of funding. This includes exploring support from grandparents and other family members; applying for any eligible government or other financial assistance (tax credits, employer childcare vouchers etc.) and income where there is capacity to earn. Where families have opted out of employment to stay at home with children aged 5 and over, to home school, or for life-style choices, we would consider that they have capacity to earn, unless there are other specific circumstances that limit this.

You are required to complete a Bursary Application Form, available from the School Office. The School Office can also explain the process to you. Before you apply for a Bursary you will need to have completed the School’s Admissions Process and be in receipt of an Offer of a place. Awards are usually only made in Kindergarten for children attending at least 5 mornings a week and who will be continuing their education into the main School.