Will private schools reduce their annual fee increases, to stop children leaving ??

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, I just wondered how the currunt financial situation will affect private schools annual fee increases?
The nursery my daughter attends is part of a private school and the fees tend to increase by 8% each year, well above inflation.
Do you think they might try to keep the increases smaller to stop children from leaving?

[LadyMuck]

I think that their problem will be that their costs are increasing, especially heating etc. So it depends on how they are run (charitable or for profit) and what scope the trustees/owners might have. They might defer some capital spending for a year or two say.

And even if it did result in a smaller increase next April, the chances are that there will be a larger increase in later years.

[janinlondon]

No. Very much doubt it.

[soapbox]

I don't think they will. I think they will keep the fee increases but use discretionary bursaries for those that are in financial difficulty, where they can.

[pgwithnumber3]

We removed DD1 from her private school, one of the reasons being that they hiked the fees up by 13%. Ludicrous in that they held a summer fair to raise money for a white board for the reception and year 1 class - all things which should be standard in a private school (as in State).

[schwotz]

I think like many other business they will tough it out and make cut backs, but I would be surprised if they reduced fees.

[schwotz]

White board in our school had 80% funds raised by the PTA through raising money/fairs, book sales and muffty day (bring in a pound).

[jelliebelly]

Good schools will have waiting lists of children wanting to join and replace any that leave so I doubt that they will need to take such measures tbh.

[mummyloveslucy]

This is a charitable school owned by an order of nuns. They are non profit making, I think.
They say they offer burseries at the discression of the head teacher, but I don't suppose that applies to junior school age. It would be great if it did. It would be worth a try.

[mummyloveslucy]

I've heared people talking about school fees on hear before and say they are £4000-£6000 a term etc. This school is less than £200 a term for the juniors, and it is fantastic.

[pgwithnumber3]

enduringsurrey, I doubt parents could sell their houses (especially if above the £500,000) bracket quickly enough to help out with school fees. I would have moved hell and earth to keep DD1 in her school if I felt that it was the best school for her but in the end, I realised that the only benefit to her was that it was around the corner from our house. Even the small class sizes were a hindrance, not a lot of friends to choose from.

She is now in our outstanding local State School and within a few weeks (she is 5) can now pick up any of her own books and read the majority of them. Her reading has excelled.

[mummyloveslucy]

pgwithnumber3- That's great, I'm glad she's doing so well.
Our daughter is 3.5 but will have to come out just before she's 5 to go to a state primary. (If I manage to concieve a second baby). The school has a good reputation and is very friendly. I really hope it's the right decission.

[MollieO]

Our school has put some capital projects on hold in order to ensure minimal fee increases this year and acknowledged that they don't want parents to struggle with fees resulting from a large fee increase. No idea about other years of course.

£200 per term mll? Where do you live and do they take boys??!

[mummyloveslucy]

Friends of our have sold their house to keep their 2 girls at the school. They have also borrowed a huge amount of money.
I think it's madness to be honest, but they just want the best for their children.

[mummyloveslucy]

That was meant to say £2000 a term.

and it's a girls school I'm affraid.

[MrsMattie]

You mean, like the way banks are making it easier for us to get a mortgage, petrol prices are going down for our convenience and utility companies are sucking up the rising price of energy by reducing our bills?

i doubt it.

[gladders]

there was an article in the Times about this.... Fee increases are usually so large because they help fund building / other large projects. So it is quite likely that they will reduce (but will reman above inflation to cover wage increases) - as schools scale back their plans during this recession...

Wouldn't count on the £200 a term going down at all though?! (assume that was a typo?)

[mummyloveslucy]

I wish it was £200 a term. Yes that was a mistake. (I didn't add enough zeros)