For partners Terra Nova School
Programs and prices, tuition fees in Terra Nova School
Nursery
- Student age — from 2.5 years old.
Education at Terra Nova School for toddlers takes place in a purpose-built nursery building. The attendance schedule can be flexible. After that, the children move on to the preparatory group — in September, when they turn 4 years old.
The educational process is based on the Early Years Foundation Stage program: the approach is rooted in exploration through play, where learning is supported by positive interaction with adults. Teachers carefully formulate questions, observe and analyze their daily practice. Thanks to an excellent staff-to-child ratio, the school provides an individual approach, and teachers take the time to get to know each child.
The school environment fosters children becoming active and motivated learners who grow into self-confident and capable individuals. In kindergarten, classes are held both indoors and outdoors, maintaining an ideal balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities. Kindergarten students attend specialized music and theater arts, sports, and French language classes weekly.
Pre-Prep
- Student age — from 5 to 6 years old.
Children enroll in the preparatory class of Terra Nova School to continue or begin their academic journey. Here, a child’s development – comprehensive and harmonious – is a priority for teachers. Despite the focus on academic rigor, universal skills that will be useful in life are at the core of the thematic curriculum, rich with experience in collaborative learning. ​
Students of preparatory classes receive specialized education in the following areas: music and theatre, sports, French language, and fine arts.
Prep School
- Student age — from 7 to 13 years old.
In the middle years at Terra Nova School, lessons are taught by subject specialists. Highly qualified professionals set ambitious goals for each child. In classrooms with a rich linguistic environment and inspiring spaces, including a science laboratory, DT, Art studios, music and theatre rooms, boys and girls are taught by a team of dedicated teachers: they develop and plan a stimulating, engaging and individualized academic program to awaken students’ curiosity and meet their individual needs. Children and teenagers are encouraged to develop an awareness of their own learning, especially when facing challenges, preparing them for exams.
Special attention is paid to academic achievements, social responsibility and high accomplishments in sports, music and performing arts.
Description of Terra Nova School
- Location: Cheshire, Great Britain
- Year of foundation: 1897,
- Language of instruction: English,
- Type of education: mixed.
Terra Nova School is a preparatory school for girls and boys aged 2.5 to 13 years old. In July 2022, it received an "Excellent" rankng in all areas from the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
Educational process
The highly qualified team of Terra Nova School teachers assesses students' knowledge daily through observations and surveys, checks their English language and mathematics skills quarterly to track student progress in the short and long term. This information is discussed at quarterly achievement meetings where teachers analyze their work and its impact on individual progress. The sequence of studying skills and knowledge for each subject is reviewed and adapted to individual and group needs.
Faculties and colleges
Terra Nova School covers several stages of education:
- Little Novas — classes for children from birth to 2.5 years, held every two weeks according to a themed schedule,
- Nursery group (Nursery) — children aged 2.5–4 years. Nursery includes two sections implementing the EYFS programme: learning based on children's interests and play,
- Pre-Prep — Reception and Years 1–2 (ages 4–7). Themed curriculum, active and cooperative learning, specialist teaching of music, drama, sport, French and art,
- Prep — Years 3–8 (ages 7–13). Lessons are taught by subject specialists; the programme combines Common Entrance with a skills-oriented curriculum.
Scientific achievements
- The ISI inspection in June 2022 rated the school as «Outstanding» in all areas,
- Good Schools Guide (2025) described the school as a place where «pupils of all abilities are supported, given opportunities and wonderful access to the outdoors» — «childhood as it should be»,
- According to ISI, in recent years pupils have achieved significant success in gaining places and scholarships at senior schools of their first choice, including institutions with rigorous academic selection criteria,
- At the end of the 2024–2025 academic year, Tatton House was named the winner among the four Houses.
Things to know about
- Terra Nova School has been operating at its current location since 1939.
- It is a sponsor of the Tier 4 category, which allows it to provide Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to international students.
- Express Uniform is the supplier of the boarding school uniform. There is an Express Uniform shop on site that operates throughout the academic year.
Accommodation, meals, prices
Terra Nova School offers its students accommodation in a welcoming and cozy boarding house managed by a team of professionals who care about the spiritual development of each child. The staff provides their wards with a list of evening activities that promote the active development of interpersonal skills.
You can live in the boarding school with full board or on a flexible schedule basis. Girls and boys aged 8-13 are accepted.
Students are provided with complete, varied and balanced nutrition that ensures good health and physical development of children. The school's team of chefs believes that food — is not just fuel for the body, but support for the overall well-being of students, the formation of healthy habits and attitude to food. Chefs use authentic recipes and cooking methods, the menu is compiled in such a way as to provide balanced nutrition. All dishes undergo thorough checks by specialists to ensure their compliance with high standards in the field of health and well-being.
All students have access to qualified medical care in case of illness or accident.
Activities Terra Nova School
Terra Nova School offers a wide range of opportunities to participate in thematic electives, sports, performing and fine arts.
- For example, the sports department works with students to develop physical skills, build their self-confidence, sense of dignity, respect and ability to work in a team. Weekly competitions with other schools are mainly held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Developing children's creative abilities is an essential life skill that gives students a sense of well-being and helps them form their identity. Studying art and various techniques inspires and allows them to develop critical thinking, improve technical skills. Drawing lessons are held every week and most often outdoors, on school grounds: for example, you can lie on the grass and draw the school building against the sun or sit among snowdrops in spring. Girls and boys can participate in art competitions.
- There are 15+ creative clubs operating at the school, led by specialized specialists: school choirs and theater studios, a string orchestra and a rock band. Today, more than 100 children participate in school choirs. You can join the chamber choir only by invitation, however students can attend individual music lessons with one of the invited music teachers, rhetoric lessons and acting classes with a LAMDA specialist teacher.
- Teachers recommend that all children learn to play a musical instrument in order to expand their knowledge and skills: it has been proven that this helps improve brain function, memory and abstract thinking, develop self-confidence, relieve stress, and become more patient and resilient. Teachers offer individual lessons for learning to play the piano, singing, violin, viola, cello, recorder, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, cornet, trombone, tenor horn, drums, classical guitar, electric guitar.
Throughout each semester, performances, school-wide assemblies, class and semester concerts, choral singing competitions, and school productions are frequently organized.
Advantages
- Terra Nova School develops students as academic leaders and responsible individuals, so they can succeed in various spheres of life.
- The academic program is characterized by a certain rigor that allows children and adolescents to successfully pass exams at the 11+ and 13+ stages.
- The goal is to prepare girls and boys for entrance examinations into senior classes.
Facilities and equipment at Terra Nova School
The school is situated on 32–35 acres of picturesque countryside in Cheshire, near Holmes Chapel and Jodrell Bank Observatory. The spacious campus is surrounded by nature and provides a safe and inspiring environment for study and leisure.
The academic and sports infrastructure includes:
- Well-maintained sports fields, a floodlit artificial turf pitch,
- Tennis courts,
- A dedicated performing arts centre,
- A forest school,
- Science laboratories,
- Technology, art, music and drama studios,
- A design and technology studio for pupils from Year 3,
- Language classrooms,
- A dedicated Reception playground with a garden, sandpit,
- A medical room with a full-time nurse,
- An Express Uniform school uniform shop on campus.
Admission dates and extra charges
- Accommodation,
- Extra classes,
- Visa processing
- Airline tickets,
- Excursions.
Enrolment process
The Terra Nova School admissions committee accepts applications year-round for all age groups, subject to availability. There is the highest demand in the school for places in the nursery or kindergarten, so teachers recommend that parents apply as early as possible.
To enroll in classes from the first to the eighth grade, applicants need to pass non-formal tests in mathematics and English. The administration strongly recommends additionally attending an introductory day with the staff and students of the boarding school.
Another mandatory step in the admission process is providing information from your current place of study, including transcripts and letters of recommendation.Please note that a place in the school will be secured only after the administration receives the completed consent form and the guarantee payment for each child.
Applications are accepted from international students who will live at the school starting from grade 3 and above.Perspectives
According to ISI data, in recent years pupils have been achieving significant success in securing places and scholarships at senior schools of their first choice, including institutions with rigorous academic selection criteria. Preparation is focused on sitting the 11+ and 13+ examinations, with an emphasis on deep and creative thinking.
Entry requirements, how to apply, what is required to enrol
- Admission age — from 2.5 years (nursery group) to 13 years (Year 8),
- For Early Years (nursery group, Reception): a meeting of parents and child with the head of the early years department,
- For Years 1–8: a trial school day with informal assessments in mathematics and English. It is necessary to submit the latest school report, a recommendation from the current school,
- For Year 7: participation in the annual assessment day held in the spring term, submission of a recommendation and school report.
Scholarships Terra Nova School
Terra Nova School scholarships are awarded for achievements in the following areas:
- Academic,
- Fine arts (music/theater),
- Creative projects (art/dt),
- Sports.
Financial support for future seventh graders is available after a competitive selection process and passing special exams. Scholarship candidates take tests in their chosen discipline and an interview with members of the management team.
Parents can save 3% on school tuition next academic year by making a one-time full payment for the year in advance.
Institution on the map
Residence permits, citizenship and other services
- Guardianship services during the studies
- Student supervision
Review about Terra Nova School
Recommendations on when to apply
| Language courses, schools and children's language camps | Primary and secondary education - private schools | Preparation programmes for entering universities - higher education | Higher education (after completing accredited programs A-level, IB, High School) - Bachelor, Master, MBA |
| - we recommend to apply 6-9 months before the start of the course (some camps and schools offer discounts for early booking or for lengthy study programs) - there are some very popular and high demand children's camps, where the applications need to be submitted 1 year in advance (in particular Switzerland , Great Britain , USA , Canada , Austria) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the training program, - some schools have a specific time frame (September-November - please specify an individual school) - some schools require tests in several stages (UKISET, internal tests of the school: English, mathematics, logics, subjects, interview, some require a personal visit) | - we recommend to apply one year before the start of the program, - for Foundation and Pathway programs, IELTS and TOEFL certificates are usually required, respectively | - recommended submission one year before the start of the program, - the deadline normally closes in January, for TOP HEIs and, as a rule, in March in other universities - for a bachelor, a Foundation or Pathway preparatory program a completed A-level, IB, High School + IELTS / TOEFL are required - for Masters you need a graduated higher education, in some cases you need a pre-Masters program - MBA requires completed higher education, work experience preferably at least 2-3 years, etc. |
