BREADCRUMB

Forces Families 

Dean Close has been welcoming the children of members of the Armed Forces since 1886 and we are proud to have several serving and retired military personnel on our Board of Trustees as well as members of teaching and support staff.  Currently, we have over 150 children of military parents, from all ranks and military disciplines, across our schools.  

Whilst we have no direct contact or contract with the MOD, we accept parents using the Continuity of Education Allowance. We know many parents find the CEA confusing and so to make life a bit easier we have simplified how we charge military parents.

Fee Remissions for Military Families

Day pupils
Parents receive a 20% discount on the gross day fee.

Boarders
We offer a flat fee arrangement, where parents pay the following percentage of the gross fee:

 

Termly Military Fee 

 % Boarding Fee
Years 3 - 5                 845.00                      10%
Years 6 - 8              1,082.50                      10%
Years 9 -11              1,818.00                      12%
Years 12 -13              1,818.00                      12%

Note: in September 2025 the % boarding fee payable will reduce to 10% of the published boarding fee for years 9-13. 
In addition to the above, Military families are eligible to apply for a means-tested bursary and the Admissions Team are able to advise you on this.

Boarding Life
Pupils can start boarding in Year 3 (age 7).  The School provides continuity of education right through to the end of Sixth Form.  Each pupil is in a bespoke House relevant to their age and gender, each with live-in Houseparents, Tutors and Matron.  The Boarding Houses are large, comfortable, family homes and all Houses sit within the extensive 50-acre Dean Close site.

Most military Boarders join our Preparatory School Boarding Houses; either the Junior Boarding House for boys and girls in Years 3-5 (ages 7-10), or the girls' House or boys' House for children in Years 6-8 (ages 10-13). For pupils aged 13-18, we have two boys’ Houses and two girls’ Houses; with two additional single-sex Houses, exclusively for Sixth Formers.

The School provides a traditional, full-boarding experience with Houses well-populated at weekends.  Boarders are kept busy and engaged with organised activities, lessons, matches and a programme of Boarding House events on Saturdays and Sundays. Sunday Brunch is a chance for siblings in the Prep and Senior School to get together to share a meal. Siblings are very welcome to visit each other in their Boarding Houses during recreational time.

Cross-schools’ concerts for military children are also organised and are scheduled to coincide with Exeat and School holidays pick-ups so that families stationed outside Gloucestershire can attend.

Dean Close pastoral teams work very closely with Houseparents to provide appropriate support, security and care for children.  The School is very sensitive to the needs of parents who may need to visit at ad hoc times to fit in with leave when serving far away.  Dean Close makes every effort to accommodate the needs of serving parents to have access to their children when they are on leave.

Testimonial from Military Boarding Family with four Children at Dean Close

“Four children, four personalities and four different packages of hopes and aspirations; all of which have been nurtured and encouraged at Dean Close School.  We have been delighted to see our children grow in confidence and character whilst thoroughly enjoying their academic journey.  The boarding Houses are ‘home-from-home’ and our children have flourished with the varied activities and challenges that the weekends bring. The regular contact with academic and pastoral staff means that we, as parents, maintain familial input shaping our children’s lives, which is hugely comforting particularly when living abroad.  The School has a Christian ethos that is developed within the staff and children through everyday life, and we are so very proud of all that our children are achieving at Dean Close School.”

Next steps…

To make an enquiry contact the Admissions Team:

We are happy to put you in touch with other military families for a reference.

We look forward to welcoming you to Dean Close.