Norfolk independent school open days: what is on from November 2026

By Helen Marsh Schools and Family Editor Nov 1, 2026

8 min read

Most of Norfolk’s big independent school open mornings ran in September and October. Seven of the ten independent schools a family moving here is likely to consider still have an event before Christmas, and all ten advertise a private visit by appointment, so you have missed few chances to look round. The application dates are the bigger risk. Norwich High School for Girls closes sixth form bursary applications on Wednesday 4 November and senior bursaries on 30 November, Norwich School gives 10 December as its main deadline, and Gresham’s date for Year 9 and sixth form entry passed on 14 October.

Every date here comes from the school’s own website or booking page, read on 1 November 2026. Schools change them, so book before you travel.

What is on before Christmas, in date order

What is listed after Christmas

Norwich School has open afternoons on Thursday 11 March and Thursday 17 June 2027, with the Lower School from 1.30pm to 2.30pm and the Senior School from 2.30pm to 4pm. Gresham’s gives Friday 30 April 2027 for its prep open morning and Saturday 1 May for senior and sixth form, though its open day page still says only May. Langley says it holds open days in March, May and September, from 9am to midday, and its page gives no 2027 dates. Norwich High runs an open week in spring and an open day in summer, also with no 2027 dates printed. Norwich Steiner School says its spring dates are coming soon.

How to book, and how to visit on another day

Two calendars were out of date when we read them. Town Close’s page still gave 9 October as its next open morning, and it runs two a year. Beeston Hall’s only date was 26 September, with more promised in the autumn and spring terms and no days given. Ring either school and ask.

Langley Prep’s free week, 2 to 6 November, is only for families who came to its open day on 3 October. Notre Dame Preparatory School is a separate school from Notre Dame High School, the state secondary on Surrey Street, which our faith schools guide covers.

Application dates come before the spring open days

Norwich High asks for applications to Years 7 to 10 and the sixth form by 31 December in the year before entry, and says later ones depend on places. Its bursary and scholarship dates come sooner. Sixth form bursaries and academic scholarships close on Wednesday 4 November, and the first stage for sixth form art, textiles, music, drama and sport closed on 31 October. Senior bursaries and the first stage for senior art, drama, music and sport scholarships close on Monday 30 November. If a bursary decides whether you can apply at all, ring the school this week rather than waiting for the 10 November discovery day. Years 7 to 10 also sit an assessment morning in January. The prep school and nursery have no deadline.

Norwich School’s senior application page gives 10 December each year as the main deadline and says late applications can be considered if places remain. That wording still reads as last year’s, so confirm it with the admissions team. Senior assessment days are Saturday 9 and Saturday 23 January 2027, with decision letters in mid-February, and the sixth form assessment morning is Saturday 21 November. For senior entry in September 2027, use the 10 November open afternoon or a private tour, because the 11 March afternoon falls after those decisions. The Lower School takes applications on an ongoing basis while places remain.

Gresham’s gave Wednesday 14 October 2026 as the deadline for Year 9 and sixth form entry in September 2027. Year 9 assessments are on 9 November and sixth form interviews on 14 November, so if you have missed the date, ring admissions now on 01263 714614.

The younger years are easier. Town Close says it has no deadline for the following year, Notre Dame Preparatory School says children can be enrolled at any time of the academic year, and Beeston Hall takes entries according to space.

The state application runs separately

Independent schools take their own applications, outside the council’s form, so a family still deciding should make the state application as well. If you do not live in Norfolk yet, that application goes through the council where you live now. The on-time date for a Norfolk Year 7 place passed on 31 October, and our secondary admissions guide explains what a late application means. Reception and junior applications close on 15 January 2027, and the primary admissions guide covers those.

Our private schools guide has the latest published fees for ten of the schools and the nearest school to each town, and the prep schools guide compares the younger years.

How we produced this guide

We cover the eleven mainstream independent schools on the Department for Education’s Get Information about Schools register, which also lists independent special schools and two other independent schools. OneSchool Global’s Swaffham campus is attended by families of one church, so our counts of seven and ten leave it out. Dates, times and booking details were read from each school’s website and booking pages on 1 November 2026. Several schools print the day and month with no year, so we checked that each weekday falls on that date in 2026 or 2027. Last updated: 1 November 2026. Author: Helen Marsh, Schools and Family Editor.

Run a Norfolk school and want to correct or add a date? Tell us and we will check it.

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