How Much Does an Islamic School in London Cost? A Full Fees Guide

For an independent Islamic primary school in East London, published figures mostly fall between roughly £2,000 and £4,000 a year before VAT. Since 1 January 2025, 20% VAT applies to private school fees. Our own fees are £3,500–£3,650 a year plus VAT, which means approximately £4,200–£4,380 a year all in. This guide explains what sits behind those numbers, and what else to budget for.

Most Islamic independent schools in and around Tower Hamlets are small, community-rooted schools, and their fees reflect that: a fraction of mainstream prep-school fees, which locally run to five figures a year. Based on figures schools and listings sites have published, East London Islamic primaries cluster in the approximate range of £2,000–£4,000 per year before VAT.

Two cautions when you compare:

• Many schools don't publish fees at all, so you have to ring or email, and third-party listings can lag behind current prices. Treat any figure you haven't confirmed with the school as approximate.
• Check whether a quoted figure includes VAT. Some schools quote excluding VAT, which understates what you'll actually pay by a fifth.

VAT: the change that matters

From 1 January 2025, education and boarding fees charged by private schools in the UK carry 20% VAT (GOV.UK: applying VAT to private school fees). When budgeting, always work from the VAT-inclusive total. A "£3,000 a year" school is, in real money, a £3,600 a year school if that figure excludes VAT.

Our fees, in full

We publish ours rather than making you ask. For 2025–26:

• Years 1–2: £3,500 per year excluding VAT, approximately £4,200 per year including 20% VAT, paid in three termly instalments of £1,200.
• Years 3–6: £3,650 per year excluding VAT, approximately £4,380 per year including VAT, paid as £1,250 in the first term, then £1,200 in each of the second and third terms.
• Registration fee: £100 per child, payable on application, non-refundable. It is the only upfront payment; there is no separate deposit.
• Sibling discount: £250 when more than one of your children attends. A £250 referral reward also applies, subject to terms.

The always-current list, payment details and fees policy live on our fees page. See our fees in full.

We should also be straightforward about what we don't offer: there are no bursaries or scholarships at present, and fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, with a full term's written notice required on withdrawal.

Nursery fees work differently

Daffodil Nursery (ages 2–5) offers both a government-funded route (using funded childcare hours) and a non-funded route, so a nursery place can cost far less than a school place, or in some cases nothing for the funded hours themselves. How nursery funding and fees work.

The extras to ask any school about

The headline fee is rarely the whole cost. Wherever you're comparing, ask about:

• Registration fees and deposits: some schools charge both, and deposits can be substantial.
• Uniform: ask for the full list and where each item must be bought. Our uniform list.
• Lunches: included or charged? Halal provision matters here too.
• Trips, clubs and wraparound care: after-school clubs, homework clubs and holiday provision are often charged separately. Our wraparound care.
• Exam or assessment fees, and books: some schools charge extras; ask directly.
• Payment schedule: termly, monthly, or a lump sum with a discount? And what late-payment charges apply?

A school that answers all of this in writing before you apply is telling you something about how it will treat you afterwards.

Weighing cost against what you're buying

Fees only make sense against provision. Questions that turn a price into a comparison:

• What is the maximum class size? (Ours is 15.)
• Is Qur'an and Islamic education timetabled within the school day, or will you also be paying, in money and evenings, for a separate madrasah?
• What assessment and reporting will you actually see through the year?
• What happens after Year 6: how are children prepared for secondary transfer?

A slightly cheaper school that requires paid evening Qur'an classes, or leaves you buying tuition for 11+ preparation, can cost more overall than one fee that covers the lot.

FAQ