To apply for bursary at an independent school?

[expokittens]

Household income is just over £70K. We have two cars on mortgage, go on holiday 3 times a year (but we try to make them budget hols), like to go to the theatre a lot and eat out. House mortgage £1200 pm.

The school charges £7K per term.

Anyone in a similar situation who was successful with their bursary application? Would they look at our spendings and turn us down?

Forgot to say they will expect both parents to be working unless there are dependants or there is disability and will also look at your potential to release equity if you own a home.

Ps - it's negotiable at a lot of schools. If they want your dc, then they will find a bit of extra fee remission. Unfortunately the school we wanted only gave scholarships to those with a certain talent and not academic so the bursary alone wasn't enough.

If you do decide to go for it, let your dc know it's a long shot without the remission and have some excellent other options. We were lucky enough to have this.

In my area scholarships are 10-30% and bursaries are 50-110% of fees.

OP just apply and see what happens. I suspect they’ll offer you 50%.

Thanks all. Sounds like different schools take different approaches which I wasn't aware of before.

We'd always thought our DS would go to a local secondary school so we won't be too distraught if we couldn't afford going private.

We will speak to the bursar of the school we have in mind and take it from there.

Also, is anyone aware of the possibility of adding vat on independent school fees with labour government?

To those who asked about reasons for working part time - we don't have any other kids, nor am I a carer but I'm actually a tutor and teach as and when I'm booked. This can include Uk and national students.

*students living abroad

OP people asked about your part time work because schools generally expect bursary applicants to already be doing what they can to maximise their income.

You can’t just choose to work part time and expect a bursary to cover the shortfall.

Why do you think this? out of interest

Labour have proposed doing this but as far as I know have not published a manifesto yet.

In that vein, I don't think schools claiming charitable status really have cases like your's in mind when it comes to bursaries. If you upped your hours and decreased your outgoings you could cover one child's fees. Bursaries should be for people who genuinely cannot stretch that far.

Because even if Labour do get in, they'll put it off and off and then be out of power again in 4 years.

On VAT, currently Labour are very vocal about taking charity status away from private schools, which would mean they are no longer automatically exempt from charging VAT.

EU legislation meant charging VAT on education was illegal, but obviously we’re no longer part of the EU so this no longer holds. It would require a change in legislation with all the red tape that involves. Then there is the pressure it would inevitably place on the state sector, as parents who can’t afford an uplift in fees of 20% take their kids out of private and put them into state.

Nothing is certain, clearly, but Labour seem quite determined to see this through and it’s politically popular as the pledge is to use the tax raised to fund state schools. There is no detail as to how long it would take to implement, would they stagger it, so it only applies to children starting in private, as opposed to risk kids in GCSE/exam years suddenly having to change schools. However, the private sector is more concerned about it than ever before - and it’s a policy that’s been muted plenty of times before.

I hope you’re right on this and other crack pot ideas.

It is popular but a bad idea which will damage the sector

VAT will absolutely happen. I understand why because it is a tax break but the charitable status provides at least some of the money for the bursaries we are talking about.

Of course the reality is that it appeals to the Labour government as it is a kick to people who use the private school system. The stupid thing about it is that it won’t affect public schools or those at the more expensive end (the schools they really like to bitch about) as for the vast majority of people there it won’t make a difference. I know this is the case because it’s been discussed and it won’t make a difference for our DC or any of those in their classes.

However, it will destroy the less expensive private schools where people really do cut corners to send the kids there. So those kids will end up in a state system which is already on the edge as opposed to the current situation where people in the private system pay for the fees and then also for schools they previously didn’t use…

I have no idea why people think this will happen. Of course it won't.

Your income is too high. I know that puts you in the squeezed middle but that's how it is.

You need to talk to the school, some go up to income of 100k but the discount makes it such it's unaffordable to many.

A friend has about 65k income, 50% house equity & takes holiday. She was offered a place with about 35% discount but they went with the grammar place.

Yes you're unreasonable. Frankly I'd be embarrassed to even 'give it a go'. There are many in much less privileged situations who need it more.

wtf

@walkinthewoodstoday it's not though...

@safeplanet and what's wrong with my contribution exactly..?!

Bursaries are for people who genuinely can't afford the fees, not for people who prioritise other things. They will expect you to look at all options available to pay the fees including how much you have got in savings etc.
On your joint income you should be able to afford fees, we have saved for 5 years to gather 3 years of fees in savings before she starts. This is what you should be doing rather than asking for a bursary. Otherwise you are taking a bursary away from a family who could genuinely not afford to send their child otherwise.

@purplerain100 you actually need me to spell it out? 🤣🤣

Can you spell it out please? I think the post was pretty reasonable.

Frankly I'd be embarrassed to even 'give it a go'.

This is a ridiculous comment, why should the OP be embarrassed to give it a go?

There are many in much less privileged situations who need it more.

That's up to the bursar & the school to decide not a random poster on MNs.