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Original poster

Private school bursary. Would I qualify?

52 replies

Drasticaction · 10/05/2019 07:58

My poor DD is suffering at school and we are not being supported.

Unfortunately other choices are scarce, we are in densely populated town.
However there's a gorgeous prep close by. What does bursary entail does anyone know?
I believe they dig deep!

DH earns less than 26 I earn 12.

OP posts:

ItsInTheSpoon · 10/05/2019 08:02

All schools differ, so I suggest start by getting hold of the prospectus and looking at the terms of a bursary. You may well be eligible, but it depends on the school’s individual rules.

stucknoue · 10/05/2019 08:03

There aren't many bursaries for prep and they are often nominal in amount- you need to enquire as it's so variable.

Is there not another state option? Look at all your options as fancy prep schools aren't waiting for people who want subsidised places plus your income could be too high, yes I know you can't afford fees on that kind of income!

Adversecamber22 · 10/05/2019 08:36

Are the issues due solely to the school and is it purely the schools response ? My friends child attended private school and it was a huge sacrifice for the family but the issues themselves didn’t go away.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Private schooling

lastqueenofscotland · 10/05/2019 08:42

Bursary’s are rarely for the whole amount, and it’s not that everyone with a household income under £x qualifies! They’ll have a set number the two give out and it will probably be at usual admission windows, so it’s likely that the year you’d want to hop into had the bursary quota filled, as it were.
Also I don’t want to piss on your chips but private school isn’t some amazing be all and end all. I went to private school and I’m not that old (in my twenties) so didn’t leave that long ago and found it a pretty hideous experience and the pastoral care was pretty dire.

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 10/05/2019 08:46

you need to look on the school's website, they will spell it out.

They will look at your income and any capital you have.

It probably won't be for the full amount or anything like it.

Notthisnotthat · 10/05/2019 08:46

Our local private school doesn't offer bursary's at primary level, only secondary and then it's based on being very bright or a talent music/sport and then parents income. Quite tough criteria.

TanMateix · 10/05/2019 08:58

I don’t think having an average salary will put you high in the list for a private school bursary unless there are severe mitigating circumstances.

Besides, private schools are rarely equipped to deal as effectively with certain problems as state schools (from dyslexia to help a delayed child to catch up) and may be too focused in keeping their stats high (like “90% of our pupils get A*-A in at least 5 of their subjects”) so they may only offer bursaries to high achievers. I have only met one kid who was given a bursary on financial grounds but TBH, he couldn’t be more deserving, his family had escaped a war zone, was badly bullied at school despite learning the language fast and doing well with his grades. His parents working very hard but they could only pay for the whole family to live in a bedroom in a shared house. The mum was a cleaner at the private school, when the school knew about the situation they offered to help by providing taking the kid in as a boarding pupil.

I don’t know what is causing the suffering to your DD but if is either special educational needs or bullying, you can hold the school to account. Contacting the school board of governors, the specialist support in the LEA and even your MP if you remain unheard is a good option provided that the issues can be proven and the effects quantified.

TanMateix · 10/05/2019 09:00

Ps. Most bursaries will only cover a small discount to their fees so you still need to find the extra £££££ to cover the difference.

CherryPavlova · 10/05/2019 09:00

Probably better to address the issues than run away from them.

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 10/05/2019 09:02

Tan local private schools to us would certainly offer a bursary based on the OP's household income - but they do take things like the value of your house and size of your mortgage into consideration to.

And private schools are like state and can vary massively. The OP needs to go and see the school and have a good look around and ask questions.

Original poster

Drasticaction · 10/05/2019 09:03

Good ideas given here thanks.
It definitely offer bursary, but as pp point out maybe their quota is taken.
I'm wondering If anyone has direct experience of fee level.

I have Been too private school and I think my DD would benefit from smaller classes and homely school.
Her current setting has form for poor pastoral help. She's not being helped with a tricky situation, there's little feedback to us parents. There is no team working here.

Other schools are full and the one that isn't is brilliant but finishes at year 2. So I'm thinking from year 3... can we afford it.
Maybe it's worth testing the water and getting a quote!

OP posts:

Original poster

Drasticaction · 10/05/2019 09:04

Btw the one I have in mind is excellent so no worries there. It's only prep so it would be 4 year's only of fee's.

OP posts:

Hollowvictory · 10/05/2019 09:04

What do you mean getting a quote?
Have you called the bursar? That's your first step.

Original poster

Drasticaction · 10/05/2019 09:05

Weeping can you tell me the significance of what our house is worth.

OP posts:

Original poster

Drasticaction · 10/05/2019 09:06

No I haven't called anyone yet.

OP posts:

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 10/05/2019 09:07

if you have a small mortgage but your house is worth a lot the school may expect you to release capital from that before expecting a bursary.

We could get a bursary based on income but wouldn't because of the capital in our home.

Original poster

Drasticaction · 10/05/2019 09:10

Ah I see.

Yes our mortgage is relatively low however it's a level we can Just afford!

It's not low with us on huge salaries.

OP posts:

Fazackerley · 10/05/2019 09:12

The bursar will want at least 3 months bank statements, want to know about your cars, holidays, why you can't get a better paid job, can your parents help and what your child will offer the school.

This is my experience but only at secondary.

I dont think many preps give huge bursaries unless your child is extremely academic.

I do agree with PP it is pribably worth trying to get to the bottom of this yourself. Preps are not always the gold standard for pastoral care.

Fazackerley · 10/05/2019 09:13

No school i know would expect you to sell you house. The governors would raise an eyebrow if you had no mortgage because youd been bequeathed Farquhar Manor.

Hollowvictory · 10/05/2019 09:13

They also may expect both parents to work full time

TanMateix · 10/05/2019 09:14

My son only did pre-prep in private, it was a long time ago (more than 10 years) but at the time the fees were around £6000 a year plus some sizeable extras to consider but the fees were up to 3-4 times that by the time they reached A levels.

DS qualified for a maths bursary for prep school but honestly I just didn’t want him to carry the responsibility of “paying” for a sizeable part of his education with good grades over his tiny shoulders. So we opted out as we weren’t prepared to sacrifice some key things to ensure we could pay for the whole fees if his grades went down.

mrsm43s · 10/05/2019 09:15

Not sure what you mean by " get a quote"

The school fees are likely listed on the school website.

The amount of bursary offered would vary by individuals. Generally schools have limited bursary funds, and they are prioritised for children who the school want, who would not otherwise be able to afford to attend.

Most often, bursary funds are only offered to scholarship holders. So children who are either very academic, very sporty, very musical etc. The actual amount offered would depend on the families financial circumstances. They will look at income, capital (including house equity) and also any support you will get from family members etc. It's a rigorous process. They can't just look it up on a table and make you an offer!

Unless your daughter has something really special to offer the school, I wouldn't count on her being offered a bursary.

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 10/05/2019 09:18

No, I'm not saying they'd expect you to sell, but they might expect you to release capital by remortgaging, might they not?

DragonflyInn · 10/05/2019 09:33

they might expect you to release capital by remortgaging, might they not?

Yes, they might and I know of some that do.

escapade1234 · 10/05/2019 09:41

It’s not hard to find out the school fees.

London and surrounding: £14-15k per year is typical at Prep.

Other parts of the country will be less, but not less than £10k.

Just look on their website under admissions. Fees will be listed. Being a low earned doesn’t get you free admission to private school otherwise everyone would get a place. There needs to be special circumstances.

Do you only have one child? My parents both worked. One to pay my school fees, the other to pay for everything else.

If you’re child has special educational needs, private isn’t usually the best way to go as their reputations are results-based.

Bursaries would usually be for exceptionally bright children who couldn’t otherwise afford to go.

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