Has anybody got their kids in private school considering taking them out?

[cba]

I have three children, two of which are school age. I am seriously considering taking them out. The fees have gone up yet again and a recession looks certain.

I am not looking for an argument but just wondered if anyone is in the same position, or have already done so and what was your experience?

Thanks

[iMum]

We are, but to take them out would mean to have to move and in this climate?!?

Watch and wait and move when the time is right

[cba]

yes, imum. I am not going to do anything yet but have got the thoughts in the back of mind. It was such a turmoil deciding whether to go private in the first place as we have excellent state schools, it was only class size that was the issue.

The school is excellent and I am happy with it, but is it really worth the money? That I do not know.

[cba]

imum, are you going to move first then take them out? is that your plan?

[iMum]

OUr termly fees have just gone up to £1900 per term (we only have ds1 there so far) local schools are shite matters are complicated by the fact that the local senior schools are more shite, we could never in a million afford to send any child to private senior school and we have 3 dcs to consider. if they all pass the 11+ all well and good but if one doesnt then what? we'd have to move annyway so why not do it now and save a packet??? i dunnno but there are only 14 children in his class, and its such a lovely school!

[iMum]

I think so, move first and then take them out as they finish in the lower school and not put them through the 11+ just go straight to the excellent senior school in the are we want to move to, about 30 mins away.

[cba]

well my fees are £1946 for one and £2500 for the other, and the third child is not there yet.

The way fee increases are going it will be well over £10k a year.

I pressume you must have a local grammar school, is that your plan?

[cba]

oh, so do you plan to take them out around year 6 before they would go into ind senior school and then put them into state comp?

[iMum]

No, if pos I'd rather not put them through the 11+ as then if one or all of them didnt get into the grammer we'd be up the creek really as the upper school where ds goes is way out of our price range he is only in year one at the mo!!!

So move before ds1 leave lower school and get him into the very good senior school in the new area and keep the other dc's in the private school until they leave for seniors.

Agghhh!

[iMum]

Luckilly the stae comp that we plan to send them too is very very good and dh went there!

[pgwithnumber3]

iMum, we have just removed DD1 from private school due to escalating fees (up 13% this year) and was finding that it was a total waste of money tbh. Went to visit a couple of state schools just out of the area (but still in catchment area) and was amazed at how good the facilities were compared to private school.

Another factor was that when we enrolled DD1 she was an only child (and was intended to stay that was as I was infertile) but since then I am now pregnant with DC3 (as name suggests!) and there is NO WAY we could afford too put 3 children through private education.

If you have to do it, you have to do it, don't worry too much yet until you really have to make a decision.

How old are your DC?

[pgwithnumber3]

Sorry just realised that it is not iMum's thread - meant to reply to cba!

[cba]

dont worry pg3, hormones do that to you. That was a big hike in fees 13%.

imum, I know what you mean with the 11+. I have the dilema anyway with the ind school they go to that if one passed and the others didnt, what a predicament.

Our local comp has excellent results, but, it does look rather scruffy and prison like. It also scares me.

Although ds1 who is moving into year 3 is already asking if he can go there.

[cba]

my kids are 7,5 and 3. moving into year 3, year 1 and nursery. Even nursery is a couple of thousand a year, might keep her at the state school for nursery. But is that mean!

[pgwithnumber3]

These hormones are sure messing me up on Mumsnet atm!

It is not mean if you simply cannot afford to pay that £2000, I am sure if you could you wouldn't hesitate to put her in the same school as her siblings.

Would you really want to move to change your DC's school, just think of the expense of that - stamp duty alone is extortionate and could you sell your house easily?

[cba]

we are in a really good area anyway if I am honest so there is no need to move house. I am just talking about nursery for my dd, then move her to the same school as the boys for her starting reception

[pgwithnumber3]

Bit confused, are you thinking of removing your two eldest DC because you can't afford their fees or removing them because you can't afford to send DD as well?

[cba]

was thinking maybe of removing two eldest at some point, if we hadnt done it by next year then she would start school with the two eldest.

It is just something I am thinking of and wondered if anyone else in the same situation

[pgwithnumber3]

Can you really afford to pay 3 school fees? I think if you can't then you need to consider looking around for another school for all 3 DC.

[cba]

we can at the moment, but just looking at the increases year on year, would struggle sending three to secondary school.

[pgwithnumber3]

Are the Secondary School fees a lot more? They are similar here primary to secondary.

[cba]

yes, secondary are over 10k already

[elmoandella]

cba i wish school fees in scotland were that cheap.

the ones i've been looking at in my area are the same price for a term as yours are for a year.

[cba]

elmoandella, you must be kidding. Day schools 10k a term???? My god that is extortionate.

[CoolYourJets]

I know what you mean Elmo.

the DDS school is about 7K a year. Each.

[cba]

elmo and cool the prices above first quoted are per term, at the moment we are paying about £4500 per term for two, roughly 13k a year, it rises to about 10k a year each for secondary