School fees deposit

[HelpMeMNet]

We are currently house hunting in two areas, both are quite far away from each other and we are undecided which we prefer.

We have two children and want to send them to a private prep school. So we had registered for two schools that we liked (one in each area) a few months ago for admission starting in April 2026 (they have nurseries).

One school has gotten back to me that they have a space for our daughter for April and it is the school they I would LOVE my daughter to go to if we moved there.

However they want a £2k deposit which is non refundable.

I am in two minds what to do, what if we end up choosing the other area? Then we lost £2k!

What would you guys do? AIBU to pay it and risk losing the £2k if we don’t move there?

I would check what the deposit entails. It is not unuusal for that to be a part of a contract and you would also have a full terms fees to pay even if you do not pick this area.

I personally would not pay a deposit unless I was certain that is where you are moving to.

I'd look at the state school options. I don't blame the private school for asking for a deposit, as I expect there are some parents who don't do financial calculations beforehand, and others who just are flaky.

I'd wait til you are in the area, are they likely to not have an in term space at that time?

It is usual to ask for a registration fee + deposit but 2K seems high.

It’s very very oversubscribed especially for the nursery and so unlikely to have an ad hoc space :(

Thank you I just re read. Wed have to pay £2k plus a terms fees but the fees are refundable if we tell them the term before if we aren’t going. Deposit is not refundable.

No one can answer this for you-it’s essentially up to you to decide how badly you want the school place if you move there and whether you can afford to lose £2k if you don’t!

Whilst two thousand pounds is lot of money, it’s not a lot of money in the moving house arena.

To be blunt, you should not be considering private for the next sixteen years if you are wobbling about two thousand pounds.

I certainly wouldn't cough up £2k under those circumstances. The sxhool is pressure-selling to you and that would put me off. I very much doubt they will actually be full to capacity by the time you are sure which area you will move to. For almost all private junior/primary/prep schools rolls are falling. The weakest are closing but the ones that aren't at risk of that are still finding it tough to recruit and retain pupils.

Don't gove a deposit. Tell them you won't do so until you have signed contracts for the house you are buying, and if there's no place available at that point then you'll make other arrangements for your children's nursery childcare. I doubt there will actually be a problem getting a place once it's actually school rather than a posh nursery and there are plenty of other options before school age

Is part of that 2k offset against the last term’s fees? If you want to school place , pay the deposit and narrow down your property search.

Totally get that. I’m able to afford it and am happy to pay that for the education but not if I’m unsure if I’m even going there that may be a waste of money?

In your situation I’d probably hold off. With the introduction of VAT on fees you can’t really use data on past chances of getting a place for what is going to happen going forward.

Are you sure this school is going to remain as oversubscribed with introduction of VAT?
Many schools are anticipating a downturn in applications in the early years as families are going to save the money so they make sure they can afford the secondary years

Anecdotally from friends and posts on MN - that doesn’t yet seem to be the case in London where I am!

I think it’s more I just want her to go the nursery to begin with because it’s so much nicer than many I’ve seen.

So for start September 25 you need to let give notice early April 25 if 3 terms or early June if 6 terms (depending on how the school counts terms some uses half terms as a term making 6 others use full terms making 3) will you know by then? If not you need to consider if you want to pay a full terms fee

We will deffo know by September

It won't be by September though that is a month's fees to pay You need to know before the term prior to her starting.

@Enkothe OP said she is looking at 2026 entry

A £2k deposit is pretty standard for a senior school but is high for a prep school (round here).

Yes but if you pay the deposit and don't know by approx 22nd April you will be liable to pay fees until January if you choose the other location.

Even if April 2026?