FAQs

We'd love to have your student experience Derby! Our Admissions Office will help coordinate a visit for your child. 

Our current average class size is 15 students.

Families are welcome to apply for admission to any grade. The number of openings per grade varies each year with some grades having more openings than others (Pre-Kindergarten and Grade 4 are currently our larger entry points).

Although Pre-Kindergarten and Grade 4 are our major entry points, we are often  able to enroll new students in other grade levels as well. Families are welcome to submit applications for any grade level, even if it isn't a planned entry point. The number of openings in all grade levels will vary from year to year. For questions regarding openings, please contact the Admission Office at 781-749-0746 ext. 146.

The school day for all grade levels begins at 8:00 AM and children can be dropped off as early as 7:40.

• Grades Pre-Kindergarten to 5 are dismissed at 3:00 Monday-Thursday and 12:30 on Fridays.
• Grades 6-8 are dismissed at 4:00 Monday-Thursday and 1:00 on Fridays.

Primary and Lower School
In Pre-K through Grade 3, every child is expected to be read to, or read independently each night . Exceptions to this policy include reinforcement of a concept, long term projects, incomplete class work and parent/child activities. This policy is supported by research and by Derby's belief that children should have time away from school to play, eat family dinners and enjoy downtime.

Middle School
Grades 4-5 is 15 - 30 minutes total per night. 

Upper School
Grade 6 is 10-15 minutes per subject per night. Grades 7-8 is 15-20 minutes per subject per night. Our homework policy for our Middle and Upper School students builds incrementally with each grade beginning in Grade 4 with the goal of increasing stamina and building time management and organizational skills.

Exceptions: (1) the nightly per subject amount may be slightly longer for an individual class if a major assessment (e.g., test, essay or major project) is upcoming and/or due; (2) students in advanced math sections may have additional homework as an extension of their course work.

At an additional expense, families may choose optional private bus transportation. We have a North Bus with central stops typically covering Boston, Milton, Randolph, Braintree, Weymouth, and Quincy, and some surrounding towns . We also have a South Bus with central stops typically covering Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield and Duxbury, and some surrounding towns. The bus leaves Derby Academy at approximately 4:00 Monday - Thursday and at 1:00 on Fridays.

The Hingham public school bus is available free of charge to Derby students who reside in Hingham. The bus leaves Derby Academy at approximately 3:00 Monday - Thursday and at 1:00 on Friday.

Our typical enrollment is between 325 - 350 students. The number of students per grade can vary from year to year. Class size is typically 12-16 students. We have two sections per grade level in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 3, and three sections in Grades 4-8.

You may apply for tuition assistance at Derby Academy via the Clarity website. The Tuition Assistance deadlines are the same as the application deadlines.

Yes! The Sarah Derby Merit Scholarship is offered annually to one or two new students entering Grades 4-8 who live in a town or city that is underrepresented in the Derby community. For more information about the scholarship, click here.

We require that all students applying to Grades 6–8 take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE).

We carefully review each candidate’s qualifications and application when a family is considering Derby. A number of factors can help determine if Derby is the right fit for your family.

Congratulations! Please contact us to let us know your intentions so we can begin the enrollment process. Deposit due dates will be communicated in the enrollment paperwork.

Our graduates regularly attend some of the best independent, parochial and public high schools in the area and beyond and gain admittance into some of the top colleges in in the country and around the world. Our Secondary School Counseling department works with students and families to ensure your family finds the right fit for your student. Please learn more here!

Our parents and guardians play a crucial role in our school community. Our active parent and guardian group, "Derby Family Connect" welcomes all parents and guardians, and provides numerous opportunities to become involved as volunteers and grade level representatives.

When our students graduate from Derby, they join an active alumni network of caring individuals who are posed for success. Our Alumni Office regularly hosts alumni receptions on campus, in Boston, and throughout the country to engage with our graduates and help sustain the relationships that began at Derby. Several of our alumni have even returned to campus to teach as faculty members at Derby!