If you sent your dc to private school, do you think this financial plan is feasible?

[Hubjaww]

DC is 20 months. I am a single parent but ex is v successful and currently I have maintenance of 1,100 a month. I know this is not a guarantee.

I have saved 50k towards DC’s school fees and currently save 1k a month. When nursery fees increase soon, I will only be able to save 800 a month. Obviously dc will start school in 3 years so don’t have ages to save.

My mortgage is massive, I owe 290k (value 520k). I could, if still in current job, save 1k a month indefinitely (assuming interest rates don’t go higher and affect mortgage).

Is this a good starting point for fees? I’ve looked and it’s around 18k a year for secondary, 20k top end round here. Primary a bit less.

I know that other costs will be relevant but dc has very doting grandparents on either side and does not go without on any front. A car fund is already in place for them, for example, as well as a house deposit.

Having never been to private school myself I have no idea if this financial plan is reckless? Ex has no desire for dc to go and says it’s up to me what I do with the maintenance.

Worth relocating for though if that’s an option.

I was a sole parent (father not involved, no maintenance) and I did private primary then a grammar for secondary for DD. It worked well but I hadn't appreciated that, in my area, private meant a SAHP or a nanny, so I completely agree with @TimeandMotion that the after school clubs were nowhere near as busy as I'd been expecting, and DD was in them five days a week until 6pm.

Holidays - nine weeks over summer was tough but I started my spreadsheet in January and booked people in as and when they said they've have DD for a few days. We always went away for a week every summer too, and DD is now 26 and we still have that week's holiday, just us two. She lives and works in London.

I wouldn't have carried on with private secondary if she hadn't got into the local grammar, on the grounds of cost. Her primary school didn't cost much more than her nurseries did.

You’ll also have to account for the potential increase when VAT is brought in in fees, and I would rule out schools losing their false ‘charity’ status still which could affect fees - not to mention the 5-10% increase that many schools stick in every year.