Long term effect of coronavirus crisis on private school sector

It will all depend on whether the lockdown is loosened in 2 weeks - private schools could then choose to reopen (as can day nurseries). Some boarding schools still have students as they couldn't go home - the one I'm in the process of dealing with expects to be reopening by May

I expect we would do a version of home schooling with other similar parents and good tutors if it came to it. In fact we would probably look at that before the state system.

Being in catchment only gets you a place if there are places though? We would easily have got a place at several of our local schools at Y7 entry, but there's no way we would as an in year admission. I realise this isn't relevant for you, and in any case your local school might well have spaces, but this will be the situation facing lots of parents if schools close or parents lose their incomes. (I'm not talking about the serious 'power and influence' types, who I agree won't go anywhere near state).

We aren't in a grammar but we are in catchment so yes, we would get a place. It's purely theoretical though because of their school did close (it won't), we would find a private boarding that hadn't closed. If none available we would use the state option with tutors to help if she needed it.

tonyaster would you get a place though? If we had to leave our private school, the good schools nearby (all the grammars plus the well-regarded non-grammars) are massively oversubscribed.

This is not going tp happen because in general those "with power and influence" are not sending their DC's to the sort of schools that are going to struggle financially in this current situation. State education is not and has never been on their radar yes, very good point. Dh says he would consider dd going abroad to board before state in this country.

"Ultimately I want the private sector to slowly breakdown so that those with power and influence have children in the state sector and start funding it properly."
This is not going tp happen because in general those "with power and influence" are not sending their DC's to the sort of schools that are going to struggle financially in this current situation. State education is not and has never been on their radar.

@resskiestonight

“We had to give notice - we hope to withdraw it in Summer but seems sensible thing to do in circs. Our income has significantly reduced. We have had no reduction n fees from prep school and mainly a load of twinkl sheets to date. I’m concerned school may go under given it wasn’t awash with funds Pre- CV.”

Perhaps our dc’s were at the same school! We were planning to withdraw dd from school anyway because she wasn’t getting on well there - but I was shocked by the parents that apparently loved the place saying they weren’t going to pay fees.

DD has a place at another independent school for after the summer but I’d consider state now. Not sure. It is all so uncertain.

I haven't read the article but I will as its interesting to know why this is thought. I have 5 girls in 3 different private schools so have a bit of a range to compare. As others have stated already all non teaching staff other than the burser, accounts and admissions have been furloughed. All catering, cleaning, maintenance, teaching assistants, and reception staff furloughed. PE staff have been furloughed.

They have lost revenue from breakfast club, after school and holiday club. However have equally zero cost associated.

In our case at least the schools have long waiting lists (thus the girls not able to be in the same prep).

We have been offered between 10-18% reduction in fees and if a parents financial situation is struggling they have offered support. In each of our girls cases I am not aware of anyone forgoing their place at school, why would they at the moment we are only a few weeks into this change and parents have either been continuing their work as pre c-19 or have sufficient funds to be unaffected.

That's just my experience, no change to date.

This may be a good thing for society in the long run. I feel sorry for children who were expecting one school and may not have it to go to come September's. Ultimately I want the private sector to slowly breakdown so that those with power and influence have children in the state sector and start funding it properly.

dd would go to our local private
State!

We've supported the state sector for years and don't want it taken advantage of by parents who thought it wasn't good enough for their children

Taxes paid. My private school won't close,.but if it did dd would go to our local private, which I have supported just as much as any state school parent already by paying taxes. No, it wasn't good enough for my dd before, but we'd make the best of it and she'd probably be in all the top sets and do very well academically.

Because it's relevant---the question of whether it is worth it to pay for a private school is obviously dependent on the relative quality of what you could get for free

If it were that simple noone would use private school - when dd was at state secondary she got an ok education for free, and reaults were good for the clever students. In my case I believe what my private school is offering during school closure is far superior to what the state is offering. All the puplis have good quality pen enabled tablets for a start and they've been using a tech based approach to lessons for 18 months already, so a lot of the technical issues won't apply.

Well that is what is going to happen cheesenmarmite. And private school parents pay their taxes as well so entitled to use state education if they need too.

I hope they don't go bust and close, we don't want an influx of former private school children flooding state schools and pushing class sizes up. We've supported the state sector for years and don't want it taken advantage of by parents who thought it wasn't good enough for their children.

'm not sure why on a thread about indies people need to talk about how much o line work their super state school is providing?

Because it's relevant---the question of whether it is worth it to pay for a private school is obviously dependent on the relative quality of what you could get for free.

I think there has been a bit of an arms race in facilities in the past decade at some places from what I have heard. However, I believe that the really big factor pushing up costs was the change in pension contribution rules in about 2010/ There is not really any way to economize on this one, because the one thing a school simply must have is good teachers and they have to be paid for.

Allowing larger class sizes might allow costs to be cut, but you do get some parents who pay for private school specifically because they want small classes.

Another parent here with experience of both sectors, and two of my children are at a secondary state school which is doing the most fabulous job - I would pay for the learning they are receiving. The fact that it is not all zoom lessons (the school is using mostly microsoft team with continually updated lessons and objectives - also instagram and email) means 1) they are learning to study independently which is going to help them massively as they get near big exam time in next couple of years 2) they are taking responsibility for how they best learn - just the right amount of hand holding but also they are being left to use their brains to work out what suits them best, what a great skill in preparation for the work place later in life) when the weather is lovely, we can take a few hours off to do something creative outside and then come back and make it up later 4) they don't have a long holiday with nothing to do - the school has given them plenty to get on with so it isn't going to be feast and then fast in terms of input. They have lots of contact from school/ tutors/ children in each subject class. They have lessons for all their subjects including dance, drama, p.e. They are happy, learning, being creative, getting exercise and learning so much about life whilst helping me support more needy people in our community. So please please don't generalise by sector - each school in each sector is different, and some in state are doing cracking job at this difficult time, some in independent woeful and vice versa. My other child has mostly twinkle sheets but she is happy and smiling too!

There was never any intention of one-upmanship on my part. I wish all schools - state and private - the very best as they seek to find a way through this. What I will call out though is lazy representations, on the basis of at most limited anecdotal evidence, of state schools providing "mundane" online offers in these difficult times. I am so grateful to my DD's state secondary for all their efforts and I will continue to praise them to the rafters as they continue to do their best for all the young people in their care.

Our private school had online learning up and running quickly. While not ideal, it was in this circumstances a good solution. They have tweaked it for the summer term after a parent and student survey, allowing for some work away from screens. They have also extended the school year and given us a 25% discount. Of course they are worried about retention. And they do have a significant boarding element and are in the middle of building a boarding house.
I will keep.my child there - I've had a 40% reduction in income and it may well get worse, but her education is a main priority for me and she is in Y10 and I do not believe there is an alternative state school of anywhere near the standard where we live. Not one of my closest friends have yet spoken of removing their kids, but I can see maybe for younger reception and primary age it will not be so crucial.
Many businesses will close, and a few private schools will inevitably. This may also mean an increasing strain on the state schools that will need to educate them.

*"Do we need ever larger sports halls, swimming pools, auditoriums, sixth form common rooms that look like Costa on steroids etc.

I always just wanted my children to go to school and be taught well.

There is always some kind of building work going on, each school desperate to 'stand out' from the crowd with latest newest bauble.

All those grounds and facilities need staff to run them and adds to the overall operating cost yearly that parents must pay for - plus the extra costs of all the new buildings that are ever bigger, ever grander..."*
I think this is a very valid point. But sadly many wont agree. In the boarding sector (which I know the most about) where schools are competing against each other many parents what Olympic sporting facilities including stables lakes and golf courses, high standards accommodation; single rooms and ensuite bathrooms, grounds like Kew Gardens science labs that wouldn't look out of place at MIT and theatres that would put the National Theatre to shame. and of course top results. I can understand it £45k per child PA is a lot of money. But personally I think a lot of this this is all window dressing Ive looked at some breath taking facilities over the years frankly I got bored of looking at rowing lakes and manicured 18 hole golf courses, no child will do all of this stuff, for me its whether you like the ethos that under pins the the place but of course thats more subjective and harder to actually ascertain.

Public schools tend to offer generous amounts to bursaries, they should hopefully be able to weather the storm but the real concern is for prep schools. Early education is so incredibly important and while public schools may survive, if the majority of children complete there prep years in the state sector this is really going to make the job much harder for senior schools.

"I did think it's pretty stark for someone representing a large group of private schools effectively saying they're inclined to think hundreds of fee paying schools could close before the year ends."
Whilst I accept the TES is not the DM we don't know who or what a "consultant working in the sector" actually means or what real knowledge he has. On the other hand Peter Woodroffe, of the Independent Schools Association, is obviously going to paint a more optimistic picture as he doesn't want parents jumping ship.
I think it impossible to predict at the moment, it all depends on how long this goes on for, how much help businesses will get from banks (very little currently), whether Covid19 reoccurs in the future and causes another lockdown. But I do think for many struggling schools especially small preps in affluent rural areas with small village primary schools which are very good and who normally struggle to fill their vacancies the future probably isn't very good.

We are really worried about this. Ds is supposed to start in year 7 in September at a local independent day school. we knew it had experienced some financial difficulties and a new head was taking over who has had success in London with schools in a similar situation. However now with the current situation I’m seriously concerned that this might be the nail in the coffin. No idea what we will do if it goes under. We don’t have a credible plan B.