Nursery and preschool places at Edinburgh independent schools run from roughly GBP 9,000 to 15,000 a year for a full time day place, sitting well below the senior school figures the city is known for.
Edinburgh runs a small but well defined independent school market, and several of the senior names admit children from the early years upward. The practical early years choice sits between the nursery and pre school departments attached to the Scottish independents such as George Watson's College, Edinburgh Academy and Fettes, and a handful of alternative settings led by the Edinburgh Steiner School. Fees are set in pounds sterling, so the figures here are published day rates rather than a currency conversion.
The bands below are drawn from the profile of the named schools rather than a single quote, and the early years sit below primary and well below secondary and sixth form. Most families use the nursery year to settle before committing to Primary 1, which is the main entry point across the city. Start from the Edinburgh international schools hub to shortlist by curriculum and neighbourhood.
| Tier | Annual day fee | Typical schools |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | GBP 12,000 to 15,000 | Fettes early years, Loretto pre school, Merchiston Castle nursery |
| Upper mid | GBP 10,000 to 12,000 | George Watson's College nursery, Edinburgh Academy nursery |
| Alternative | GBP 9,000 to 11,000 | Edinburgh Steiner School kindergarten and smaller settings |
School names illustrate each band and are indicative rather than exact quotes for your child year. Confirm current fees directly with each school before you budget.
Tuition is only part of the early years bill. The line items below are indicative bands drawn from published Scottish independent school schedules and should be confirmed with each school, as policies vary and some waive individual charges entirely.
| Cost | Indicative band | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration or assessment | GBP 100 to 350 | Non refundable, charged when you apply and sit the entry assessment. |
| Deposit | One to two terms of fees | Refundable against the final term at most Scottish independents, held on acceptance. |
| School lunch | GBP 700 to 1,300 a year | Compulsory at some junior stages, opt in at others. |
| School bus | GBP 1,000 to 2,500 a year | Distance based, common for families outside the New Town cluster. |
Bands above are indicative ranges, not a single school quote. Always confirm current figures in a school fee schedule before budgeting.
Curriculum and setting are the first lever. The British and Scottish independents attach their nurseries to well resourced junior schools staffed by qualified early years teachers, which sits at the top of the range, while the Steiner kindergarten and smaller independent nurseries deliver a different model at a lower fee. The premium broadly tracks the depth of provision and the pathway into the senior school.
Location drives the rest. The traditional cluster in the New Town, Stockbridge, Murrayfield and Morningside carries the higher fees and the housing that goes with proximity. A nursery place at one of these schools also functions as an early foothold for later entry, so families often weigh the fee against the priority it can carry towards a Primary 1 place.
Tuition is the headline, but the acceptance fee, transport and extras add up. Use our comparison tool to line up Edinburgh fees against the city your offer is in.
Open the fee comparison toolThe one off charges catch families out first. Most Scottish independents ask for a registration or assessment fee when you apply and a refundable deposit on acceptance, both separate from tuition and due before the first term, so the starting year always costs more than the annual headline.
Transport and lunch are the recurring costs most underestimate. Many of the leading schools sit in the same few districts, so families settling further out budget for a school bus, and lunch is compulsory at some junior stages. Wraparound care, clubs and holiday cover add a few hundred pounds each a year.
For the stages that follow, read our primary fees and secondary and sixth form fees pages, or return to the Edinburgh schools hub. To weigh Edinburgh against another city, the international school fee calculator totals tuition plus living costs.
Nursery and preschool day places at Edinburgh independent schools run from roughly GBP 9,000 to 15,000 a year. The pre school departments attached to the senior independents sit at the top, while the Steiner kindergarten and smaller settings sit lower.
Yes. Several of the senior independents, including George Watson's College, Edinburgh Academy and Fettes, run nursery and pre school departments that feed their junior schools, alongside alternative settings such as the Edinburgh Steiner School.
Most Scottish independents admit at Primary 1, with further intake at Primary 4 or 7 and at S1 or S6. A nursery place can give an early foothold, but families still apply formally for the Primary 1 year.
Expect a registration or assessment fee when you apply, a refundable deposit on acceptance, and recurring costs for lunch, the school bus and wraparound care. These add a meaningful amount to the tuition figure.
Yes. Edinburgh schools set and bill fees in pounds sterling, so the figures here are published day rates rather than a conversion, and families paid in another currency should budget for exchange rate movement across the year.
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