Admissions Process
Congratulations on making the decision to explore Buckingham Friends School (BFS) for your child's education!
The following outlines the information we will need from you throughout our journey of getting to know one another. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions at any time. You can call us at 215-794-7491 or contact Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, Melissa Clayton at [email protected]
Application, Teacher Recommendation(s) and School Records:
- Submit an online application. Submit the completed application with a $55 non-refundable application fee.
- Next, please print the teacher recommendation form and provide this to your child’s present teacher. Teachers may either email the form to the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Melissa Clayton, at [email protected], or mail the form to Buckingham Friends School, Admissions, P.O. Box 159, Lahaska, PA 18931.
-
For families with children applying for Grades 2-8, please provide more than one recommendation form if your child has different teachers for math and language arts.
-
You will also need to print the Transcript Request Form and provide this to the main office at your child’s present school if your child is applying for Grades 2 and above. This form must be returned directly to BFS from the school.
Classroom Visits:
Upon receipt of your completed application, the director of admissions will reach out to you to schedule an admissions visit. The nature of the visit will vary depending on the grade your child is applying for.
Applicants for Kindergarten and first-grade will participate in a 2 ½ hour visit with other applicants at the Jane Jackson House (where our after school program is housed). During the visit, we will be playing games and drawing, doing simple assessments, and enjoying a healthy snack together. This visit is designed for us to get to know your children better (and most importantly, to have fun together!).
Applicants for Grades 2 - 8 will spend the day at BFS with the class they will join should they be accepted and enroll at BFS. This gives them the opportunity to experience a real school day at BFS and a chance to meet their potential classmates. This visit also gives us an opportunity to get to know your child better. They will be asked to participate fully in the school day— which could include working in small reading groups, joining in music class, doing a Science lab or even having a go at a World Language.
A special part of our admissions process is a parent/guardian conversation with Head of School Paul Lindenmaier and Director of Admissions & Financial Aid Melissa Clayton. It is a time to ask any final questions, to talk further about your child and to learn more about our mission and core values. This can be scheduled after your child’s admissions visit.
Admissions Decisions:
Students are admitted on a rolling basis. After completing the admissions process, prospective families will learn about the admission decision for the coming year. If your child has been accepted to BFS, we will send out a Letter of Acceptance and an Enrollment Agreement. Parents are encouraged to sign and return the Agreement along with the $1,000 Enrollment Deposit within the deadline in order to secure your child’s space in the class.
Should your child not be ready for our program, we will communicate with you privately and honestly to help you understand your options and our recommendations on your child’s behalf.
After the two week deadline has passed, unreserved spaces will be made available to other families waiting in queue for admission.
Buckingham Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national and ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in administration of application for admissions or financial aid. Siblings, faculty/staff children, and legacies are given priority in the admissions process should all other factors be equal. Admissions is never guaranteed for any student and these candidates, as with all candidates, will not be admitted unless they demonstrate qualities important to their future success at Buckingham Friends School.
A sibling is defined as a biological or adopted brother or sister of a child currently enrolled at Buckingham Friends School. Faculty and staff children are defined as the biological or adopted children of faculty or staff members. Legacies are defined as biological or adopted children of alumni.