Welcome to OHS
We are proud to welcome families from across the world. The diversity of languages, cultures, and perspectives within our community enriches daily school life, creating an environment that is both globally minded and warmly connected.
Our pupils come from more than 21 countries, contributing to a vibrant international community. Alongside the strength of our close-knit ethos, this ensures that every family feels valued, supported, and truly at home.
Admissions For International Families
Joining a new school, especially when moving to a different country, is a significant moment for any family. Our Admissions team has extensive experience supporting international families and will guide you through the process, ensuring everything is clear and that you feel welcome from the very start.
How places are allocated:
Children applying to Orchard House School are considered holistically and places are allocated based on:
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- The latest school report for your child’s current school (from Year 1 onwards), translated into English if needed. This allows our academic team to understand your child’s learning journey and to make informed decisions and plan appropriate support where necessary.
- A taster morning, where possible.
- An interview (either in person or online) with the Head of Admissions, Senior Deputy Head Academics and/or Headmistress.
- An English as an Additional Language (EAL) assessment.
Admissions Journey
A helpful guide through your admissions journey at Orchard House.
Step 1Get In Touch
We encourage families to reach out for an initial conversation with our Admissions team. This allows us to answer any questions you may have about the school, discuss availability, and guide you through the admissions journey for international families.
Step 2Arrange a Visit
Where possible, we’d be delighted to welcome you to the school and introduce you to our Head of Admissions, Anne Serandour, so you can learn more about life at Orchard House. For those abroad, Anne would be delighted to meet with you over video call to answer further questions.
During term time, we offer small-group tours for a limited number of families every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10am (booking required), as well as private visits at a time that suits you. We also open our doors twice a year for Open Mornings. We highly recommend visiting during term time so you can experience the school in full action.
Step 3Register
To apply for a place in any year group, you’ll first need to register your child with us via one of our registration forms. We will then add your child to the waiting list for the relevant year group and email you to confirm. We encourage parents to register their child as soon as possible after birth, to give them the best chance of receiving an offer.
For applications to Y1 and above, we will also request the child’s latest school report from their current school.
Step 4Attend A Taster Morning
For applications to Reception and above, your child will be invited to a taster morning to meet their peers and teachers and experience life at Orchard House. From Year 1 onwards, they may also complete a short Maths and English assessment to help us understand their learning journey; this can be taken remotely if you are overseas.
Step 5Receive Your Offer
All offers are sent out 18 months before your child is due to start at Orchard House, typically during the Spring Term of the year before they join us. Priority is given to siblings of current pupils and to those joining from Dukes Education nurseries or schools; remaining places are then offered in order of registration.
We will email you directly to confirm if your child has been offered a place, with a parent contract and acceptance form for you to sign and return. If an offer isn’t received in the first instance, we will always keep your child’s name on the waiting list to be offered a place if one becomes available in future.
Offers may also be made on an ad hoc basis throughout the year, subject to availability.
Step 6Accept Your Offer
To accept your child’s place, you will need to sign and return the acceptance form, provide a copy of your child’s passport, and pay the deposit via our secure Stripe payment link or by bank transfer to the school’s account. The deposit will be refunded when your child leaves the school (please refer to our full terms and conditions).
Tailored English as an Additional Language (EAL)
For pupils with little or no English, our dedicated English as an Additional Language (EAL) team offers bespoke one-to-one support (from Reception upwards) to help them make accelerated progress in Reading, Writing, Spelling, and Grammar.
This tailored approach not only builds language skills but also ensures pupils feel supported both socially and academically. We recommend between 1 and 4 sessions per week, and where appropriate, group EAL sessions can also be offered.
We invite parents to share their child’s current level of English, and for children joining Year 1 and above, we will also conduct an individual assessment (either in person or online) to confirm their English proficiency. At the offer stage, our Admissions team will inform you if the offer includes a recommendation to join the EAL course.
Child Student Visa Sponsorship
Orchard House School holds a Child Student Visa Licence to sponsor pupils aged 5 and above. Please let our Admissions team know if you require visa sponsorship. We will be delighted to support you throughout your visa application and during your time in the UK.
Admissions Requirements
Pupils requiring visa sponsorship will follow the same admissions process as all other applicants. In addition, there will be a second interview with the child and their accompanying parent, covering the duration of the visa sponsorship in the UK, before an offer is made. These interviews can be conducted online if required.
Before the first day of school, sponsored pupils and their accompanying parent will be invited to meet in person with the Head of Admissions to discuss the pupil’s responsibilities and to address any questions they may have.
Sponsored pupils and any dependent parent are required to comply with all responsibilities outlined in the Sponsored Student Responsibilities document, which is provided with the offer letter.
Once a place has been accepted, the start date cannot be deferred, except in exceptional circumstances.
Fees
To view fees for international sponsored pupils, please click here.
UK Agent Quality Framework
To read about the UK Agent Quality Framework and our pledge to create and maintain the highest standards of agent management, please click here.
Questions?
For any questions, please contact our Admissions Team at admissions@orchardhs.org.uk | 020 8742 8544
