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Education

Can anyone help me please!-independent schools

14 replies

Misa · 29/04/2003 16:44

Hi, if someone can give me an advice or your opinion I really appreciate that.(by the way, I'm japanese so please forgive my English if it wasn't right. )
Me and my husband'd registered our daughter with Montessori for this June so we paid (non-refundable)registration fee and deposit .But just after that they said to us they increase term fee £400 up!!!! from this April.couldn't believe huge increase and and didn't tell us beforehand ..but anyway we found that new amount is really difficult for us. So we HAD to withdraw her from the montessori but obviously they kept £120 reg fee. but it doesn't make sense to me because they never mentioned about this increase before and there is'nt any warning about regular review of term fees in their prospectus AT ALL!!!
Anyway, we changed to another independent nursery BUT! now this school keep pushing back our daughter's settling date and starting date. Why so unorganised? I feel like they are amateur but they charge us so much it's just because we live in London. Is it usual things in British ?should I just get on with it?? but how does everyone get on with these problems?My husband is British but we're both really stressed out. And writing a complaint letter didn't help because they are independent schools. They just ignored us. Is there anyone who had similar problem or any suggestions?
Please help me!. Nurseris making me crazy!!
Thanks for reading.

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Jimjams · 29/04/2003 18:30

yoroshiku Misa

I think a lot of schools have increased fees massively this April. It's to do with changes in the budget- they are having to pay more national insurance for their staff. It is very difficult to get deposits back from private schools.

The new nursery doesn't sound great pushing back the start date all the time- do they have an excuse? Do you have friends with young children? Maybe they could recommend somewhere.

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Misa · 29/04/2003 19:47

I see...Thanks for your reply jimjams. But it all happened in end of Feb and march so they must have known. it just seem to me that they were too lazy to tell the new parents. Anyway , I need to sort out about the new nursery. I can not consider about changing nursery again. so terrible to feel angry and make a complaint to school especially lots of children there. so I'm gonna deal with them for now and if still doesn't look good then i consider changing. I am just unlucky maybe.
but Thanks anyway.!

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alibubbles · 30/04/2003 09:33

Yes, our school fees have gone up a lot, the biggest rise ever. they have only just sent us a letter for the increase yesterday for this term, that started last week.

They also blame national insurance, but all the teachers I know say they got less in their salaries this month!

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Misa · 30/04/2003 11:05

mmmm..understand all the reasons. but they showed no understanding or apology what so ever. They actually sent to us a torn page of their prospectus with a small "WITH COMPLIMENTS" note and they actually wrote the reasons about the national insurance on that paper by hand writing...i mean. I complained to the school and they sent us a torn piece of paper with "WITH COMPLIMENTS" note?????whats that?
I paid them registratin fee to cover the admin cost. I found that unacceptable whatever the reasons they have. They should know how to run a bussiness.

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quackers · 30/04/2003 12:16

Konichi wa Misa!
You sound like you had a bad experience here! The nursery sound very unorganised and a little unprofessional! There are many many excellent nurseries in London but some think they can rip you off and provide a naff service to you and your children. What area do you live? I may be able to recommend one! You should expect better and receive better!! The fees are a pain but private nurseries can charge what they like really and admittedly they have had increased charges as the others say.

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Misa · 30/04/2003 13:10

Hi, quackers. thanks for your message.
If you could recommend me any good one aroundHampstead or West Hampstead , that would be great.
But I am glad that you also think that is bad service because the montessori was really shocked by me when I told them that I am not happy with that service...so I'd thought that "so...is it usual in here???maybe I 'm over reactiing " because most of my friends are japanese and they take their kids to japanese nursery so I don't know the standard in here. Arigato! jya, matane!

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quackers · 30/04/2003 14:44

Misa,
Is it a nursery school or actual school your child is attending ( or trying to attend!!) How old is she/he? Try www.childcarelink.gov.uk for a list of nurseries in your area, get prospectuses, visit and ask lots of questions. Make sure you are happy with the place you are leaving your child. You wouldn't leave your money/car with just anyone! Be completely comfortable leaving them in the hands of other people. Have you tried to enrol your child at the same one as your friends? I don't think you are overreacting at all though. I think you should be treated a lot better!!! The dates should not be messed about with either. Not at all organised. Have you looked on the internet using the search engines. I found lots of nurseries but don't know how close they are to you or if you have tried them.

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Misa · 30/04/2003 15:39

she is 2 and a half now and she's going to private(do you call that?)nursery. I'll try childcare link thanks for letting me know.
I think you're right . I should prepare for the questions before I visit nurseries so that I won't forget when I'm there. japanese nursery is a bit far for us..

obviously, there is a big differences from the enviroment where I grew up. Actually goverment funded( state??)nurseries are cheaper and efficient (and usually big garden !!)in Japan so that those nurseries always have long long wating list. and private one is for the people who's wealthy enough or want education really early age. but in here, Private ones are popular aren't they??seems to be.

still lots to learn. and there's primary school stage to learn for me!!Ahhhh!

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quackers · 30/04/2003 15:52

Yes very different Misa. My daughter is 21/2 now too! Did you know that you can get a grant towards your fees when she gets to 3? I think in your area it's about £1200 per year. Not bad really for free. Most private nurseries take part in the scheme. It's because there are so few government nurseries now. make sure get you tax credit too. I wish I could help more but you should get a feel for a good nursery when you talk to the carers. I would be tempted to not bother with the one you described though! I am just changing my daughter to another one. I felt that she was not being stimulated enough. She goes to school September 2004! scarey! She's only 2!! By the way I used to work for Nihon Koku! Yoroshuku onegaishimasu!!
xxxxx

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Jimjams · 30/04/2003 16:03

Misa- I used to teach in Japan (in a nogyo koto-gakko) so other end of the education spectrum, but I do think the State takes more repsonsibility for education in Japan than here.

Ask around for a good nursery- word of mouth is always the best way. I found my son's excellent nursery (having removed him from a dreadful one) by word of mouth.

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Misa · 30/04/2003 16:19

Kochira koso Yoroshiku. quackers.

I didn't know that about grant,Thanks a lot!! probably I can get more information about the grant at those places you go for WFT credit?

By the way, do you have a waiting list for the primary schools( both goverment and independent)? lots of people put your childs name down a year early or something??
All my friends are interested in go to Japanese nurseries and primary schools but I 'm not sure that's I want to do. and I don't know anything about primary schools. Do you take same process like you apply to nurseries?

sorejya, mata!

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quackers · 30/04/2003 16:33

I would contact your local eduaction authority and get your childs name down ASAP! They will also advise on the grant for nursery. If you call your local council and ask for childcare dept, they will help. Then go you the school dept at the Council and they will tell you what catchment area you are in for a primary school. This is generally the one you will use unless you have a particular religion or need (Japanese for example) I would look on the Ofsted website then and look up the schools that are possible for you and look at the Ofsted report for the school. This will give you an idea of how well it does ad the morals/ethics of the school. It's a good babsis for your decision. Do you know other Mums in your area that could help with thier experience of the local school?

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Rhiannon · 30/04/2003 16:46

I would definitely be asking for my £120 to be returned. You were not told the prices would increase by so much so I would ask for your money to be refunded. If they get stroppy threaten to report them to Trading Standards.

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Misa · 30/04/2003 17:18

I 'll contact LEA tommorow. Thanks quackers.
I moved from Brighton to here about a year ago and our daughter is the oldest in our friends and they not so bothered about going to Brirish schools so I have to find out bymyself. so I really appreciate your advices.

I have considered about trading standard...but I wasn't so sure. I felt like "it's only £120" but then again " it's not about the amount we were misled by them and £120 is really important for us as the new parents".
I might to speak to the trading standard office.