AIBU to accept a +11 scholarship for DD but withdraw her at 16

[sportsmaddd]

My DD has been offered an academic scholarship for a private school local to us. We are over the moon for her as she is also quite sporty and is excited to have access to all the co-curricular activities that the school offers. The local state school is unfortunately in special measures, and some of our friends children, who are bright and hardworking kids, are finding that their classes are being disrupted and that many of their lessons are being taught by supply teachers.
On the other hand, the local sixth form college is pretty good and has an excellent reputation. Many of our DD's friends will be going there, and we think it would be the perfect transition to University if our DD decides to go down that route.
However, the academic scholarship my DD has been offered has terms and conditions attached including: "The offered scholarship is through to the end of Year 13. If the student leaves before that time, the School (at the Headmaster's discretion), may ask for repayment of the funding granted".
My sense is that this condition is pretty loose in legal terms. The school "may ask" for repayment if our DD leaves early, but where does it specify that we are obliged to repay an award? It is tricky for us to ascertain whether the school has ever asked for repayment of fees.
We wouldn't have funds really to keep DD at the private school for sixth form, even with the scholarship. We have factored in annual fee increases however.
Are we being unreasonable to accept this scholarship, even though we would take her out of school at the end of Year 11 to go to the local college?

It's a long way off. You don't know what you or dd will think in 5 years time about where is best for 6th form.. Accept the scholarship.

You can’t possibly know what will be for best until she’s older.

Yanbu, but you are taking a risk. The school are investing in your daughter because that want her at their school, to represent the school. If it's in the contract that they might ask for the money back, then they might!
Is it a large percentage?
I would consider having this conversation with the school. If you can't afford it, they may be additional bursary funding.
It's a give and take situation, the scholarships are for the school's benefit too.

Accept it.

5 years is a long time in terms of school performance. 5 years before we had to do high school applications, the local one round the corner had a dreadful reputation, in special measures etc. When the time came to apply it had completely turned around and both my children are thriving there. You cannot predict what will happen - many of her primary friends will be going to a different sixth form?! Do not make your decision on this! By a year into high school both of mine were friendly with their primary classmates but had new friendship groups.

Congratulations to your daughter what a great opportunity. I am not sure why you would want to pull her out for 6th form if it is such a great school surely staying there is a the best opton for her.

I guess you can take your place and see what happens when the time comes, but maybe take legal advice on it if you are determined to pull her out for 6th form

Your DD may decided that she wants to stay on anyway.

Nobody on here can tell you what the school may or may not do
Lots can happen in 5 years ,the local sixth form could have gone down hill as could the school
I assume the school could also ask you to withdraw your daughter if she wasn't doing as well aa expected?

I would suggest you work out of you could afford to pay back the funding granted. If you could then no issue if she leaves.
With the squeeze on private schools with the new labor government I would imagine the possible that they ‘may ask’ for the money back is higher. And you will have signed a contract which makes it very clear what they may/could/can get back from you.

Let me guess, you'd like to enjoy the numerous educational advantages up to gcse but don't then want her to be viewed as a 'private school candidate' when it comes to applying to uni and are thinking about contextual offers 🙄
Sorry to break it to you but universities have got wise to this tactic now and do look at where the GCSE's were taken as well as the a-levels.

I’d air on the side of they would recoup that cost and I’d imagine there would be some finer print somewhere with regards to the scholarship. It makes sense since they’re investing in your child and so would likely want to see that through. I’d also assume she’ll make new friends in the five years she’s been at the new school and won’t really be fussed about going to a new college with friends she’s not really mixed with for five years?

"Wouldn't have funds really"

Presumably if the choice was repaying 5 years bursary or paying for 6th form you'd find the money. So go ahead and hope you can afford it if necessary?

If you can’t afford the two extra years for Sixth Form then can you afford to pay back the full value of the scholarship?

Sixth form is intense and they need to hit ground running. Virtually all pupils from my dc’s grammar school stayed on even though some lived nearer to an outstanding college. They want to be with friends and know the set up.
If it is an attempt at somehow gaming uni system it usually asks if ever been in private to access certain schemes and opportunities.

Chances are she’ll want to stay on at the private sixth form with all the friends she has made at the school. Her current friends who will be going to the local sixth form are unlikely to still be her most important friends (if still friends at all) after spending y7-11 apart. You need to consider how she will feel at 16, and let me tell you that 16 year old girls and their opinions and feelings about things are not easily handled.

Being cynical, I would suggest that the school will ask for the money back if your DD decides to leave before Y13, but the school would graciously let you off repaying if they decide they no longer want your DD.

And yes, I think you would be unreasonable to let your DD take up the place if you have no intention on letting her stay for 6th form. Unreasonable to the school and your DD. 6th form/A levels are hard - especially if you've been pulled out of school you loved and wanted to remain at.

Yes - the scholarship can be withdrawn if she doesn't meet expectations.
The discount is 20%. She is naturally self-motivated and driven. We can afford to keep funding her until 16 if the scholarship is withdrawn, but would not be able to afford sixth form.

DD knows already that we wouldn't keep her at the school for sixth form. The local secondary doesn't have a sixth form, so many of her friends who are there will go to the college. Indeed, at the private school, about 50% of those finishing Year 11 go to the college. A level results at the private school are not brilliant, and it wouldn't feel like value for money to keep her there. We couldn't afford it anyway, and would rather help her through University if that where she decides to go.

If your daughter is very able, they want to be able to publish her A level results on their website to help attract other students. If she does well in her GCSE's they will want her to stay on her A levels to help bring their grade average up, if she doesn't they may be happy with her leaving to not bring their grade average down and may let you off paying it back.

If she has made good friends, she will probably want to stay.

Yes - I absolutely realise that Universities consider where applicants sit their GCSEs.
Both my husband and I went to state schools and did ok despite the fact that our classes were massively disrupted by other children. We did not have happy experiences though, and want more for our DD. I wish there were outstanding comps near us, but we live rurally and only have the one choice.
The local college for sixth form is probably better for A-Levels than the private school, hence why 50% of Year 11s leave!

I’d want someone with legal knowledge to check the wording. Does ‘may ask’ mean ‘has permission to ask and you must comply’ or does it mean ‘could ask, but you wouldn’t be legally required to comply’? It seems woolly!

There's no finer print on the T's & C's, which we are surprised about..

I think it's a hell of a risk. Can you afford to bank the money over the next 5 years knowing that they may ask you to repay, and then it's a bonus if they don't?? I think for my own sanity I'd have to do that.

Alternatively, can you talk to them and explain that you are not willing to sign a contract that commits you beyond the end of Y11, because you just don't know what will be best for your DD at that stage and what her plans will be, and see what they say?

Yes - this is what we need. Seems incredibly woolly!
I have heard that a sports scholar from overseas moved back home two years after starting at the school and wasn't required to pay back their award..

I would get someone to check it for you. Do you have legal cover with your home insurance? If so they’ll probably have a helpline you can call to ask.

I went to a private school until GCSEs. People leave for all sorts of reasons. It’s ok if you don’t want to commit until 18.

If you really can’t afford the private sixth form then you’d be taking a massive (and stupid) risk because surely the cost of two years sixth form is less than paying back the previous five years’ of fees.
I can’t really understand how five years x 80% fees are affordable (and you’ve even said you could still afford it if she lost the scholarship) but an additional two years is out of the question.