To not want my personal financial affairs to be pored over by randoms?

[MxGrinch]

i am looking into getting DC into a private school as he is way too clever for his state school.

I knew of one in the next county and discovered they had academic scholarships for Yr9 entry. Had to register with them (non returnable £100 fee! we are a low income family) and arrange for DC to take the entrance test and scholarship assessments which he’ll be doing next month.

I’m obviously nowhere near as clever as DS as I thought a scholarship meant the fees would be paid! It seems they are only 10-20% paid so we will need to apply for a bursary.

I was sent the application form last week and need to return it tomorrow.

They want so much personal information such as 3 months bank statements, full income and expenditures, children’s income and expenditure. debts, car reg and value etc.it’s really flipping complicated and will take ages.

I know they need to assess whether we can afford the fees but seeing as there is no guarantee DC will even pass the entrance test, this is not information I want to share at this point as it may not go any further.

Theg have said if we don’t return it by tomorrow DC may not get a bursary at all.

AIBU to not want to give loads of private info until DS is actually offered a place?

Why would you want to raise your child's expectations, put them through an exam and then potentially have to tell them that even though they passed they actually can't go to the school because you can't afford the fees?

No ‘broadening’ is not on offer @2greenroses! That’s the issue.

All jokes aside, if the deadline is tomorrow and you’re nowhere near having everything ready to submit, you’re failing your son.

Quid pro quo Clarice I’m afraid.

I don't know why anyone thinks the teaching at private schools is any different. Its the same staff. Teacher's move around between private and state in their career. If its a local private school, they are likely to be seeing some of the teachers moving between the two schools.

Private schools may have better facilities, and smaller classes, but no difference in teaching. There is the advantage of being able to get rid of poorly behaved students much more easily. There are more networking opportunities.

Many advantages to private schools, but teaching is likely to be exactly the same - it isn't really the clever children that benefit the most. It is children who get lost and cant keep up in big classes, or who have SEND and need more input, etc

MxGrinch it is always on offer... but the child has to respond to opportunity. A bright hardworking kid will learn anywhere.

Unless your son is in a disastrous failing school i think you may be disappointed by private school. They are full of mediocre wealthy kids.

Have you looked at state selective?

I honestly think it’s quite unlikely this is a real scenario because why would you wait til 10pm on a Sunday to ask MN if it’s unreasonable?

Of course it is! That's the function of the school.

Dems the rules.

Oooh not seen a decent stealth boast on here for ages.

They probably won't look at it if your son isn't offered a place.
However if he is as clever as you think, then surely you assume he will pass so what is the issue?

Of course they need to do a thorough financial assessment otherwise they could be giving bursaries to people who shouldn't qualify for one.

I don't know why your DC will be less bored at a private school. My DD is at private and they do the same stuff in each year group as my DS did at his state school. The state school is actually far more pushy , gives more homework and expects the brighter ones to do extension tasks. My bright DS thrived at state school.

My far less bright DD's private school is far more laid back which is the reason why I moved her from the pushier state school which stressed her out.

Not in DSs school @2greenroses. He gets top marks for everything with ease. Has taken in the various GCSE papers he’s sat at home for fun to show his teachers, asked himself for higher level work and nothing has been done. Not a boast just fact. He’s also very conscientious, well behaved and mannered.

I would expect a student awarded an academic scholarship in a private school to be worked hard and a lot expected of them. That is what DS needs. He loves learning.

I have 6 kids.

Eldest - Learning difficulties
Second - Bang on average
Third and Fourth - Gifted and Talented
Fifth - Top sets but not G&T
Sixth - G&T

All attended (or are attending) the same state school, because it is a good school.

Your issue isnt state v private, it is that your childs current school isnt very good. You would be better served putting your energy into finding him a better local state. Start with OFSTED reports, look at % of C grade and above passes at GCSE and A Level and then do visits with your sons reports in hand and ask them how they would help him progress. You will probably have a bit of a wait on your hand for the realy good schools but it will be worth it and wont cost you a penny. In the meantime, look into extra curricular learning clubs that would interest him.

Exactly this. Cringeworthy post.

Who are these 'ransoms'

You can't be "too clever" for a school.

Fill in the forms if you want the scholarship/bursary/whatever.

Don't let your child catch on that you think he's brilliant. It won't serve him well. Every child has strengths and weaknesses.

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a typographical error.

HTH

But he's so clever he won't fail the test, right? So what's your problem?

There’s plenty of academic kids out there who would probably do better in private school, but considering the fees for the ones near me range from 14K per year to 30K per year, they have to have a limit on how many free spots they give out.

I find it mind boggling that you didn’t bother to check all the financial information before you signed up for the exams and told your child.

If they’re anything like the private school I went to, they’ll want this information every year, and will adjust the funding accordingly, so you need to be aware of that, too.

My step parent earned an extra 5K one year (self employed, parent wasn’t working), so my bursary dropped from 100% to 75%. They couldn’t afford the difference. Fortunately, my Grandparents stepped in and paid it.

GPs were also paying for

• Uniform, approx £600
• Bus pass £120 per term
• School trips £1000 per year
• Extra curricular stuff (expected) £600 per year
• Ad hoc expenses approx £100 per term

And I’m going back 20 years… And that was without playing Keep Up With Jones’

You are woefully underestimating the actual costs of private school.

you say hes too clever for state school

then say not sure he will pass the exam

imo if a child is bright they will flourish at any school as long as they work hard

PS - in order to get that bursary, I had to score in the top 3%.

I believe they belong to the King

It doesn't help really.