To not accept a private school bursary?

[CurlyTop1980]

So I've just started a new job (p/t 3 days a week) at a local private school. It's an international education. I started last Friday and was perplexed when everyone I met asked me what grade my kids were in and when I said they they're in the local primary they looked confused. Anyway, I found out yesterday that all permanent staff members are entitled to 100% bursay for up to 2 children.

Now I'm really torn. My kids are due to start Yr 7 in September. We applied for the local school. They are happy to go there and we know loads of people eith kids there already. But the private school has amazing provisions but a transient school population. Plus the bursary is only avaliable as long as I work there.

Wwyd??

If your DCs are happy and settled then I would leave them be and stick with the state school. Stability, continuity and friendships matter most in these years - miserable kids are less likely to thrive academically regardless of the school. It also means less pressure on you if your employer does not have an additional hold over you so to speak.

Give yourself more time to get to know the school , staff, ethos, etc by working there.

I agree this is a bit suspect. 100% seems very high. And it is a consideration that you would be fairly tied to the school.

On the other hand I think it would be mad not to at least consider it, particularly if you think it would suit your kids.

Thanks for all your comments. It really has been great to get everyone's views. I'll see how it goes and I'm gonna discuss with DH later. Xxx

@CurlyTop1980 you might find that lots of uniform can be bought second hand - this is often the case.

But - do they have a year 7 entry point? The deadline for year 7 applications has passed in most schools - are you sure you've not missed it?

I think you have stumbled into an absolute gift that some people would angle and try and get.

I would grasp it but how stable is the job.
I could have done it for 5 year's.

I think I may have missed it. I'm in work today ill find out.x

@CurlyTop1980

I think I may have missed it. I'm in work today ill find out

There will normally be flexibility for staff children

Well. I spoke with the bursar today.

At point of recruitment bursaries are only given to 'Faculty' staff so these are teachers-which I am not so I'm not eligible for this.

If though I work there for 2 academic years I would be eligible for this at the discretion of the H/T.

But I am eligible for the universal bursary and there are a finite number avaliable for the staff each year... these are 100% fees paid only.

My daughters are not keen on this. They are really set to go to the local school. And the deadline for the application is Monday.... they haven't even seen the school yet!

The families are MEGA rich, I did a home visit to a mansion today. Although me and DH are by no means poor, this is another level!!

But I am eligible for the universal bursary and there are a finite number avaliable for the staff each year... these are 100% fees paid only.

Have you considered what would happen if you were only offered one fully funded place?

My daughters are not keen on this. They are really set to go to the local school. And the deadline for the application is Monday

In that case I would listen to your daughters. Being happy and settled at school is really important.

Slightly different perspective- I would be wary of teens in an international school for secondary. Until recently I lived in Asia and my DC went to an international primary school (taught English NC in English, for clarity). The students were a diverse mix of nationalities and but almost all expats. City had a heavy financial services focus so a lot of people there on 2-5 year stints/ secondments. Therefore the churn was pretty high - think one year DS lost 10 kids of a class of 22 due to relocation. At primary it didn't matter too much as the friendships were more flexible and I think it was a net benefit, but I think in secondary, it could be more problematic if good friends keep leaving. I also feel that it would be a bit weird to be the local kid when almost everyone else is an expat. It's one of the factors why so many expats where I lived either relocated back to home country for secondary or sent Year 9 DC back to board. This school may be more stable, but I would look at student turnover carefully.

Also, what curriculum is this school teaching, as if it's IB and you leave and they have to go back into ENC, that could be problematic?

@OP don't do it! just don't. Having sent 2 dc to private I would say:
If its a good state school and the academics are good i.e they offer all the right subjects at GCSE and A'Level e.g languages, its local so the dc will have all their friends around them many within walking distance.

Instead, I would look at what the dc at the private school are getting and try and source those locally. E.g music lessons. Your dc are already involved in sport. The state school probably has a shorter day plus weekends where you can do things as a family. The private school most certainly will have much longer days and maybe even Saturdays? in the end they will all go to the same universities.

You will never have the headache of wondering what to do about the cost of any extras plus if they add VAT on private schools, the school could go back on its bursary and charge something. You have peace of mind where you are, I'd stay there.

I’d do this.

What happened with your kids at private school?

If it’s US curriculum I wouldn’t as they finish
at a much lower level at 16/18 than the gcse/a level curriculum.

From what the bursar said they would agree for both children. They only give give bursarys for 2 children per family only.

I am swaying towards the local school though. I understand lots of people on the thread would apply for the bursary. But I think the best step is to work there for a while, get a lay of the land and then bring the kids to see it. Get a sense of it. And if they want to apply next year if I'm committed to staying. But if theyre settled in their school then decide at that time what is best for them.

When I was a teenager my friend won a full scholarship to a posh boarding school with very rich kids. But she didn't get any extras for additional lessons, and the gap between her and the rich kids was very obvious because she couldn't do the violin lessons and extra tennis and skiing trips and theatre trips and all that stuff, which the others did. She definitely felt like the poor charity child amongst them, and ultimately didn't fit in well and wasn't happy.

@OP we went private because our catchment school was pretty awful to be frank. While the private school was very good & we could afford it comfortably as in didn't look at bursaries at all and they thrived there, there were lots of cons as well.

Very long days! including Saturdays which I believe weren't really needed. The good state school out of our catchment actually closed early on Fridays and sent kids to the same universities the kids from the private school went to.

The long days meant we had very little time to spend with them each day, as it was prep then straight to bed. I envied the state school kids that came home relaxed or hung out with friends.
The mandatory Saturdays (lessons & sport) were annoying and interrupted family activities.

Every yr fees went up (and it will go up even more if VAT is added)

Most friends weren't local

The uniform cost a fortune!

But they survived and did well there. However, if I were in your shoes with DC due to start at a good state school near home & friends etc (FOR FREE!)and relying solely on a bursary, I just wouldn't do it, wouldn't take the risk.

My daughters are not keen on this. They are really set to go to the local school. And the deadline for the application is Monday.... they haven't even seen the school yet!

There's your answer then.

Another aspect (and it won't change in a year or two) is that schools like this a bubble.

I'm abroad and moved my kids out of an international education and into a local school. The children who stay in these schools often - not always, but often - are disconnected from the community around them. They kind of pop in and out if it, never really belonging. That's one thing if you're a temporary foreigner in the country, but if it's your home country then it's actually quite sad. Yes there are incredible opportunities and that can be important, but the lack of really belonging in the wider society they live in has an impact.

I'd work there for a while to suss it all out. What are the teachers like, results etc before making a decision. You may hate the role and want to leave but can't because your children are settled etc.
If you like it amd are happy there, I'd bite their hand off

Finding a good state school with 2 places available could be tricky after Y7 (probably higher churn in London though), regardless of whether the schools teach the same curriculum.

Surely you’re too late this year anyway? Admission deadline has gone and what are your chances of getting two of the ‘finite’ (how many?) amount of staff bursaries even if it’s still open. How do they judge who gets them? Entry exam (which you may have missed)?

No I'd turn it down too. You don't even know if you're going to like working there and it's too much of a commitment. It would make me feel trapped because I always have an eye on the door. Plus the other kids moving on all the time is a big negative for me too.

Yes. I already said that I have missed the deadline. It's actually on Monday. So I wouldn't consider it anyway for today. I don't know how many they offer in terms of finite numbers. Buts that for new staff members only. Existing staff bursaries just continue. They don't need to re-apply. Just fill in this Google form confirming the continuation. We all got an email yesterday!