Key Facts
| School type | Independent day school, co-educational, 3 to 16 (with Nursery) |
|---|---|
| Location | Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside |
| Entry points | 3+, 11+ |
| Assessment | Non-selective; the school runs a Year 7 open event, and pupils can also join other year groups where places are available. |
Figures correct at the time of writing. Confirm current fees and deadlines with the school or university directly.
To get into Auckland College, families apply to the admissions team, which accepts boys and girls aged 3 to 16 on a non-selective basis. Pre-Prep at ages 3 to 4 is the main entry point, Year 7 opens the Senior School, and pupils can join any year group where a place is free. The school's admissions pages name no entrance exam, test provider or pass mark, so the entrance question usually comes down to a tour, a conversation with the registrar and the availability of a place.
Fees are published by stage on the school's own fees page, with separate rates for Pre-Prep, Prep and Senior pupils and a discount for paying the full year upfront. They are quoted exclusive of VAT and reviewed each academic year, so the fees page is the figure to rely on.
| Entry point | Year group | Assessment | Interview | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3+ | Pre-Prep (ages 3 to 4) | Non-selective; the school's admissions page describes no entrance test, and families enquire, tour and check availability. | Not stated | Not published |
| 11+ | Year 7 | Non-selective; the school runs a Year 7 open event, and pupils can also join other year groups where places are available. | Not stated | Not published |
Entry points and places
The school publishes four stages, Nursery, Pre-Prep, Prep and Secondary, and names Pre-Prep for ages 3 to 4 as its main entry point. Pupils can join any year group where places are available, and Pre-Prep and Prep admissions stay open all year. Secondary places may be possible at other times of year, depending on subject choices and examination timelines.
No number of places or forms of entry is published. Full year groups keep a waiting list, and applications are prioritised in the order they are received, so the date of your enquiry affects your position. Pupils come from across Merseyside and beyond, and many use the school's transport services.
Is there an entrance exam?
The school admits on a non-selective basis, and its admissions pages describe no entrance exam, test provider, pass mark or pre-test at any age. With no papers named, there are no subjects, question types or timings to learn for entry. The pages also do not mention an interview, reference or school report, so it is sensible to ask the registrar whether any are wanted for your child's year group.
Formal assessment arrives later, in the Senior School, where pupils work towards Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs graded on the 9 to 1 scale, supported by booster sessions and tailored help. An exam timetable is also linked from the admissions page, which gives families a view of how that stage is organised.
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Enquire about this tutorRegistration and the admissions sequence
Registration starts with an enquiry to the admissions team, handled by the Registrar for Early Years and Pre-Prep, and the contact form asks you to choose an area (Nursery, Pre-Prep, Prep or Secondary School) and a nature of enquiry (Admissions, General enquiry or Book a tour).
The sequence the school's pages describe begins with that enquiry, made through the contact form, by phone or by email. Next comes a tour, or registration for a Year 7 open event through the Open Days page, where a member of the team confirms attendance. The conversation then turns to availability for your child's year group, bearing in mind that full year groups keep a waiting list in order of application. Nursery families use the separate New child enquiry form.
The pages do not set out a closing date, offer letter, acceptance form or deposit, so those details are best confirmed directly with the school. International applicants have one further stage, a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies, which is issued once fees are paid in full.
Year 7 entry and the Senior School
Year 7 entry begins at an open event, and families register for it through the Open Days page, which asks for adult and child details and is followed by confirmation from the team. The Senior School covers ages 11 to 16, so there is no sixth form and no 16+ entry. The Open Days page shows whether events are scheduled at the time you look.
International pupils are most commonly admitted to the Secondary Department at ages 11 to 16, under a Tier 4 Child Student Sponsor Licence that allows study up to GCSE level. A Child Student Visa is needed, and its first step is receiving a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies from the school.
International GCSE options named by the school include English Language, English Literature, Mathematics, Science, Business Studies, History, Geography, ICT, Art, Spanish and Physical Education, with availability depending on a pupil's age and English proficiency.
Fees and what they include
Fees are set separately for Pre-Prep (ages 3 to 5), Prep (Reception to Year 6) and Seniors (Year 7 to Year 11), all exclusive of VAT, and the published amounts are in the key facts. Families can pay termly across three terms or pay the full academic year in advance for a discount. A sibling discount exists, although its amount is not stated, and a referral reward applies to both families.
Fees cover a daily hot lunch and afternoon snacks, a broad enrichment curriculum covering sport, music, STEM and art, and the enhanced curriculum with off-site experiences and specialist teaching. Wraparound care from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, 51 weeks a year, including breakfast, after-school and holiday clubs, is included for Lower School pupils aged 3 to 11 only.
Childcare vouchers from recognised providers, Tax-Free Childcare and tax credit support are accepted where applicable, and Pre-Prep fees show deductions for 15 or 30 free childcare hours. Withdrawal needs a full term's notice in writing, and full terms and conditions are available on request.
Scholarships and bursaries
The school's fees and admissions pages list no scholarships or bursaries, so no academic, music, sport, art or drama awards are published at any entry point. The financial support the fees page does describe is the discount for paying a full year upfront, the sibling discount, the referral reward and the acceptance of childcare vouchers, Tax-Free Childcare and free childcare hours for younger pupils.
Families who want to know whether any other help exists can ask the admissions team directly when they enquire.
Where pupils join from
The school has its own nursery, Auckland House Day Nursery, which takes children from babies in the Daisies room through to the Sunflowers room for ages 3 to 5, whose focus is early phonics, numeracy and social skills. The nursery page describes Sunflowers as preparing children for the next step in their education, though it does not say how nursery children move on to Pre-Prep or Prep.
No feeder or partner schools are named. Pupils join from across Merseyside and beyond, including international families, and the school states that it does not discriminate on gender, race, religion or family circumstances. It also says it meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, and works with families to arrange suitable provision.
How to prepare
Because no entrance papers are named, preparation centres on the visit and the practical questions that follow from it. Booking a tour through the contact form, or registering for the Year 7 open event, gives you the chance to see the setting and ask the registrar which steps apply to your child's year group, including any conversation with staff before a place is offered.
For Year 7 and above, it helps to look at the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE subjects offered, the exam timetable linked from the admissions page and the booster support described, since those shape the years ahead. Families of children with special educational needs can raise them at the first enquiry, and international families can ask about the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies early, because fees must be paid in full before it is issued.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much are Auckland College fees?
- Fees are published by stage on the school's fees page: Pre-Prep for ages 3 to 5, Prep from Reception to Year 6, and Seniors from Year 7 to Year 11. They are exclusive of VAT, can be paid termly or upfront for a discount, and are reviewed each academic year.
- Is there an Auckland College entrance exam?
- The school admits on a non-selective basis, and its admissions pages describe no entrance exam, test provider or pass mark. Families enquire, tour the school and check availability for the year group they want. The registrar can confirm whether any further step applies to your child.
- Does Auckland College offer scholarships or bursaries?
- The school's fees and admissions pages list no scholarships or bursaries. The support they describe is a discount for paying the year upfront, a sibling discount, a referral reward and acceptance of childcare vouchers, Tax-Free Childcare and free childcare hours for younger pupils.
- How do parents register their child?
- Contact the admissions team through the contact form, by phone on 0151 727 0083 or by email, choosing Admissions as the nature of enquiry. Nursery enquiries use a separate New child enquiry form. Tours can be booked through the same contact page.
- Does Auckland College have a sixth form?
- No. The Senior School covers ages 11 to 16 and pupils study Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs, so there is no sixth form and no 16+ entry. The school's pages do not describe where pupils go after Year 11.
- Can my child join part-way through a year or in another year group?
- Pupils can join any year group where places are available, and Pre-Prep and Prep admissions are open all year. Secondary places may be possible at other times of year, depending on subject choices and examination timelines. Full year groups keep a waiting list in order of application.
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