A TOP Dorset independent school is reducing its day fees to make its education accessible to more children.

Following recent research, and in response to increased local interest, Milton Abbey has announced its day fees will be £5,495 per term, a reduction of more than £2,000, from September this year.

Research was commissioned into admissions inquiries, current fees and the requirements of local parents and prep schools, and as a result the school has identified an opportunity to make a Milton Abbey education accessible to a greater audience, particularly to those children who live locally.

Most pupils at Milton Abbey are full-time boarders.

Headmaster Magnus Bashaarat said: “By making use of our existing and improved facilities, we are able to offer a ‘boarding experience without the boarding’ to local parents who are interested in taking advantage of the comprehensive academic and pastoral opportunities Milton Abbey has to offer.

“We look forward to increasing our numbers of day pupils in all year groups, to complement our well-established boarding ethos.”

Day pupils are fully integrated into school life and are assigned to a boarding house where they have space to work and are able to take part in house-based activities.

The school also runs a minibus service for day pupils that covers routes to and from Blandford, Poole, Dorchester, Shaftesbury and Salisbury.

Milton Abbey will be hosting an open day on Saturday March 1. To register to attend or for further information contact the admissions office by email at admissions@miltonabbey.co.uk or by phone on 01258 882182.

Milton Abbey is a co-educational boarding and day school for pupils aged 13 to 18 and is situated midway between Blandford and Dorchester.