School fee hike - freaking out slightly

I get that it's a hard choice to move your children's school- but depending on the years they are in, better now than part way through GCSEs, perhaps. I understand if you're unwilling to share, but how old are your children?

Unfortunately, I don't think you can assume this will be a one off. Assuming you're in England, then I do think it's likely that English teachers will get some kind of increased pay offer for next year. My perception (from friends who're teaching in private) is that private schools have to match or exceed the teacher pay scales to attract and keep staff now. Staffing is usually the biggest cost for a school.

There's also other potential big costs coming to schools- e.g. when Windows stop updating Windows 10 (2025), some schools are going to have to upgrade large parts of their IT systems, as they won't support Windows 11. They can't continue to use something that's not getting security updates. So some schools will have to spend significant amounts on new IT hardware in the next two academic years. Unless they have significant reserves, and a 12% fee hike suggests they don't, then private schools will have to pass some of this cost on.

There's also the issue that energy bills could go up again next winter- schools aren't protected by the price caps. Some have agreed fixed deals, but these will eventually run out. Again, utilities are a large part of school costs- possibly even more so for private schools with flashy facilities!

I think the Harper Trust (assume it’s a Harper Trust school) is having a laugh. My son is in Upper Six at one of the schools. Thank goodness we’re getting out before the huge hike. The increase is out of step with at-least one of the feeder Prep Schools, they announced their fee increase yesterday, it’s 5.9%.

Same, expect the letter next week. 10th year for us, 4 more to go. Hope we can hang on. Stormer will be in half way through GCSEs. Really feel sorry for DC that are going to be affected by the inevitable school closures.

I don’t think the OP started this thread asking people to pass judgement on her decisions. She simply asked for experiences from other parents in the same boat.

OP, we haven’t had the info yet but I’m nervous, especially as we’re at the very beginning of the journey. Will update when the letter hits the doormat.

This. If you choose to pay for private schools, you're paying for the education + everything else, plus your share of taxes (which go towards state schools "everything else"). Whereas those of us with kids in state schools are only paying our share of taxes, the education + everything else for our kids is free at the point of use.

Therefore when prices go up it makes sense the private school parents pick up the majority of that tab; they're already proven they have much more more than the vast majority of the population and are seen to more able afford it.

In my view the past few years would have been really tough on independents even without the additional burden of inflation. The attitude of the politicians, the approach of Oxbridge, the approach of the general public, the convictions of the middle classes who were priced out, and the attitudes of the next generation who were overlooked are a significant burden. Allowing for school fees to run away with inflation may just be the final nail in the coffin for those indys that cannot differentiate somehow- which means most of them.

That's a bit simplistic. You don't have any idea why she chose the school she did for her children.

It's not always a choice between Good State Vs Good Private.

12% is a big hike. I'd speak to the bursar. You won't be the only ones especially if you're on the edge of affordability. Other than that can you move to be closer cheaper housing and private schools?

OP, if they were state through primary, and you have 5 years still to go, then you’re anticipating going to 18 with both, is that right? Because state sixth form is usually much better options, so you could consider A-levels at a sixth form college etc.

@WombatChocolate I agree with you. People underestimate the domino effect tightening belts cause on the economy.

For many years there have been waiting lists for many London private schools, I suspect that may change.

Back to the Q of the level of fee increases. We have been told 7%. Fortunately our last child is going into their last year at school.

When we projected forward we did calculations based on 5% compounding over time. Those figures meant our day fees would rise from about £16k to £24k in 7 years.
Luckily, in most years, the fee increase was around 3.5%. We will be finishing at £23k so a bit less than we’d expected.

However big increases of perhaps 12% in the early years of paying fees hit much harder than if they occur later, due to the compounding effect.

I think we will have been quite lucky. As we entered the school, fee increases in the 4/5 years before had been nearer the 10% mark. But then they dropped back and ours have been above inflation usually, but steady.

I don’t think anyone paying fees expects sympathy from those not paying fees. However, increases in the cost of living hit everyone and create different difficulties for people across the financial spectrum. People with large mortgages on variable rates get hit hard by interest rate rises, and people paying for expensive school fees see big increases. Yes, it’s not the same as finding you’re struggling to pay for heat or food. No-one is saying it’s comparable. But it’s still a reality that significant inflation hits everyone. Most fee paying parents won’t be looking to remove their kids, although some will. Most will be belt tightening in other areas. It probably won’t mean going to food banks like many will be, and it might not be going without a holiday, but it could well be choosing cheaper holidays or deciding not to move house. Yes, these are luxuries many couldn’t afford anyway before. However, they are still changes for the people facing them. No-one is suggesting they are comparable to having to choose between food and heat or that people should feel sympathy for those already well-off enough to pay fees. But at the same time it should be possible to acknowledge that all types are hit by inflation. Both things can be true at the same time.

Smart money says that the independent sector has ridden the upside by accumulating capital for two decades. Capital reserves are there.

Time to ride the downside by using those funds to invest and claim the 20% back on costs.

Double digit increase is a swan song type risky move in an environment where their relative value added vs state/day schools is questioned at every turn, see Oxbridge rates.

This is the benchmark.

I'm so sorry OP. I really feel for you. I'm sure you're one of many, many parents in this situation. Unfortunately private school parents get eaten alive on here if they complain about fees so I suspect that's why you've not heard much from others in your boat. I hope it won't come down to your children having to move, but i appreciate that's not much consolation in what's probably a very stressful situation.

I have family in New Zealand. The private schools are partially state funded and uptake is high. There are scholarships and for some fees are also means tested.
I don't think it is unreasonable model.
It takes pressure of the state system.

In my cousins example, he and his wife both work longer hours than state schools are open but private matches.
One of them would have to make a career sacrifice or employ before and after school care if they went state.
It would actually cost them more and that is without matching the sports and extra curricular opportunities the private school gives.

It's not the end of the world to send your children to a state school!

The vast majority of private schools in London run all those things already. Every single one near us runs holiday clubs and rents out their gyms in the evening on a membership basis.
A lot have become for profit too, with many being taken over by investment companies. Only the big names are staying as charities and even those are slowly dropping that.

If fewer parents are able to afford private schools, costs are going up but things are unsatisfactory in state schools, it might make sense for private schools to create additional revenue streams to meet those needs. There are a lot of middle class parents who are worried about issues at their child’s state school, do not have the money or financial confidence to them to private schools, but might be happy to pay for tutoring and enriching extra curriculars, educational summer childcare/summer day camps etc at private schools.

There is a school of thought which says that in the long run, it might be better for charitable status to be removed from private schools, because it would remove the need to keep acting like charities and allow private schools to innovate as businesses, with no restrictions on their activities.

The CCP has actually tried to ban tutoring on the grounds that the cut throat education culture in Chinese cities is shredding the fertility rate! They are certainly not making it free.

@Smartiepants79 I think parents need to be careful and keep a close eye on school finances otherwise they may find their kids school suddenly closes. This is happening so much at the moment.

But if the school's energy bills and staffing costs have gone up, what's the alternative for them?

Last year we offered free tutoring to students through the government catch up program. I signed up to offer it as a teacher, and was allocated 5 students who were identified as being likely to benefit.

Only one of them attended regularly. Her friend then asked if she could come as well, and we were able to offer her a space.

The others, we never heard from.

It's obviously complex and for various reasons I could only offer one specific day- students might have another commitment on that day. It's after school, some have jobs or caring responsibilities that make that impossible. One of the identified students had health issues and was already struggling with just an ordinary day in school.

But people do turn it down (other teachers had about the same take up rate, so it wasn't something personal about me!).

Ours was an increase of 11.5% this year. A lot of these schools are going to have to be very careful or many people will not be able to afford it and they’re going to start losing kids.