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Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

What do private school offers specify?

12 replies

BrightandEarly · 07/04/2016 13:52

DD is on the waiting list for our first choice private school, and we've been told she's in the top ten and likely to get a place.

However, since places were offered (May 2015) there has been very little movement, even when the popular local selective schools made their offers in January 2016.

So now I'm wondering whether parents who have accepted places but do not intend to take them up (because they've been offered a place elsewhere) have any incentive to release the place.

I know they'll have paid a deposit which they most probably have lost by now (we are in the same position regarding our second choice school, if we were to choose another school we will have lost that deposit). But my question is, once someone's accepted they've lost the deposit, what incentive (beyond moral sense of duty) do they have to release the place?

Sorry this is a bit complicated.

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BrightandEarly · 07/04/2016 13:52

Sorry my thread title isn't great. I meant to say "specify about giving up places"..

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writingonthewall · 07/04/2016 15:01

what incentive (beyond moral sense of duty) do they have to release the place?

None. sorry. good luck for the wait - it can be hideous.

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Michaelahpurple · 07/04/2016 15:28

Is she doing 13+ - presumably so to have had an offer more than a year earlier than the start date?

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LIZS · 07/04/2016 15:32

What age are we talking about? Usually if notice is given after the start of Summer Term they would forfeit a term's fees in lieu so I would expect any further movement for September entry to occur in the next week or so.

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Balletgirlmum · 07/04/2016 15:34

We lost an entire terms fees in lieu because we declined a place for dd without giving a full terms notice so I would expect some movement next week.

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minipie · 07/04/2016 15:36

Some may be waiting to see if they have got a state school place - which will be offered around now - so you may well see some movement very soon. Good luck.

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BrightandEarly · 07/04/2016 15:37

Sorry it's for Reception.

I've called the school many times and the latest is they expect movement in w/c 18 April when state school offers are made.

But they did tell me in December that they usually have a lot of movement in January when selective school offers are made, but nothing happened.

Ironically we are holding on to one of the selective school offers but are more keen on the non-selective schools for various reasons. I feel we can only give up ours if we receive another offer, but wouldn't hold on to two offers if you see what I mean.

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minipie · 07/04/2016 15:41

Oh duh, I see what you mean - even if they have got the state (or other private) school place they want, they may not formally give up the place at the school you want, because they've already paid the deposit so nothing to lose.

I imagine there will be some parents who try to ask for the deposit back, so the school might get to know of some non taker uppers that way? Also perhaps the school sends out emails, letters etc to future pupils' parents about practical stuff (uniform etc) - and if they get no response it might be a giveaway they don't intend to take up the place?

Otherwise, I think the next "incentive time" to give up the place will come when the school asks for the first term's fees. Not sure when that happens - sometime over the summer I guess?

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Balletgirlmum · 07/04/2016 15:45

For us fees were due on the first day of term. But we had to pay them whether or not the place was taken up.

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BrightandEarly · 07/04/2016 16:06

Sounds like we may have more waiting to do.

Frustrating as I'd like to start preparing DD for which school she'll go to, and the school with the waiting list is very different from the one where she currently has a place.

Also the school where she has a place is about to offer DC2 a sibling place for the following year which I won't know what to do with.

Oh well, nothing we can do.

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MMmomDD · 07/04/2016 23:28

Normally private schools require one term notice. That means that if people are holding on to a place starting in Sept., but do not want to take it AND do not want to have to pay fall term fees - they need to give that place up by giving notice before summer term starts. That means next week.

If I were you, I'd call your first choice school in the morning of the first day of summer term.

Btw - same is true for you. If you get your first choice and give up your second choice, you, most likely will still be liable for 1st term fees in your second choice

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BrightandEarly · 08/04/2016 11:02

Thanks MM, that makes sense. Yes fingers crossed things will finally start moving in the next week or so.

DD, who has seen both schools (the selective one to go for assessment, the non-selective she came to an open day) really wants to go to the non-selective one which we also prefer. If we end up with the selective school as our only option (which would not be a massive issue, it's also a lovely school), I would like as much time as possible to prepare her for it / sell the idea to her.