AIBU to question rising private school fees amid declining GCSE results

[Sidedoors]

Private school GCSE decline.

What happened? Is this an example of what’s to come?

Fees are rising well beyond inflation annually yet, results are in decline.

State schools prioritising, ‘reserving seats’ in house for 6th Form. Risky investment?

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/gcse-results-day-2026-6-key-trends-from-this-years-data/

Both my children attend private school not for the “best” results but because I know these settings will support them and push them where needed, they’d both get lost in the state system as neither of them fit the mould.

Essentially their mental health won’t suffer as they’re in the right school for their needs.

Now that’s a smart private school parent! Believe me there are many (all feeling the same!) those in receipt of discounts 1/3 are laughing and mocking but it’s not at all funny for those footing the bill!

Yes, this. Most people that I know who send their children to private school do so for a variety of reasons, none of which are better GCSE marks. Think SEN, learning difficulties, the need for smaller class sizes, previously been bullied etc.

The bursary brigade 1/3 one third! Are the only ones left still championing the Independent sector.

You’d have to be a moron to be satisfied paying more receiving less! Which by its very nature goes against the purpose of “independent education”

Burseries are not normally paid from general funds. They normally come from endowments and cannot be used to reduce fees more generally.

“Normally”

well they’re not. Fact.

Quite clearly not resentful of those on bursaries at all!! I wonder where I got that idea from? 😂😂😂

Unfortunately, this has been my unpleasant experience. We have remained living in a bad area because we paid full fees, so the money that we could have spent on buying a house in a decent area, was spent on tuition fees. Because of that, we could not afford hobbies and holidays, seriously, but we were happy because we thought we were buying something special. School trips abroad were also out of the question. Imagine my surprise when I found out that people from posh areas were on bursaries - not a thought in their parents to release equity to finance the fees, always a begging bowl out for the rest to pay for them. There were also several minority pupils on bursaries, with properties abroad, second homes in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but still pleading poverty and begging for bursaries. The bursary committee clearly could not care less - they did not check properly, because even from Instagram posts it was visible that they were lying.

Ok thanks for clarifying who you are, again.

Bored of you now. Ta ta.

Why is it a shock to private school parents that some students are on bursaries? They all advertise them. And what relevance is there anyway? You must assess value for money on the basis of your own child.

You sound like a parrot OP. Our indie (outside London) is brilliant - quality teaching, good grades, careers advice and a wealth of extracurriculars.

Networking is far more important at university.
Some private schools have a suspiciously high rate of extra time in public exams for their students which was going to be investigated.
250k is one thing. But what about the actual life time cost of university education for the many now. Far more topical and interesting with the 9% tax rate now potentially for life.

My DD has just finished yr 13 at a private school in the Midlands on a 100% assisted place from yr 7.
At the time of award I was contacted by the Bursars office to say 2 old girls wanted to sponsor my childs education but however, if I wasn't open to this, her fees would be paid out of the foundation endowment.
After talking to my dd, we were both delighted & overwhelmed at the huge generosity of 2 ex girls & snapped the offer up. Due to safe guarding, its only since turning 18 she has been able to meet them (at an old girls lunch). Two City lawyers who were also once recipients of bursaries - paying it forward, wonderful, wonderful women.

As for my daughter? - Well despite coming from a single parent household of small means, always having lived in one of the most deprived areas in the UK (Index of Dep - think the low 100's) - she just got her grades for Oxford & will start in October.
I'm beyond grateful, but at the same time, she delivered for both school & sponsors.

Sorry you seem deeply hurt by your experience as a full fee payer. You live & you learn eh?

It’s a reasonable thing to question. My daughter was in a private prep school but we pulled her out when we decided the value for money simply wasn’t good enough to justify what we were paying. That and the fact they had a rather interesting relationship with the truth (another story!) We also decided against even going for the grammar schools because yeah they get good results but of course they will given they only admit brighter kids. Our reason for not going for those was largely demographic.

Just imagine if OPs child was at Edinburgh and discovered Scottish students weren’t paying fees!!!

Definitely worth question value for money for your child and moving them if not. But the issue here is, having decided it isn’t value for money, OP doesn’t seem to want to do anything about it other than complain to MN.

Just another anti p school thread with the usual delights - thick kids going private, why would you pay without results etc…I feel sorry for anyone that thinks education is just about results - wherever you go to school. Or that you can or should categorise humans as thick etc.

I urge families to start sharing the begging letters (not just on what’s app chats) online. Once the illusion is destroyed and the spell is broken everyone will see things as they are.
Op
You want private schools to fail, yet upthread you said you can’t change to state as it would be unsettling for your dc.
What will you do if your campaign succeeds and your dc’s private school goes bust so she has to go to school elsewhere?
Won’t that be ‘unsettling’?

@Sidedoors Just wondered how you felt about independent school staff receiving reduced fees for their children? I’m a big fan of it and would like to know your thoughts, especially if you have some interesting data you could share too.

Independent schools must provide the truth. The whole story.

The only people responsible for private schools failing is themselves and their own financial mismanagement.

Everyone is permitted to research prior to investment to avoid being ripped off. If independent schools are thriving as protest suggests this should be welcomed and supported.

Why would that happen?

The above accounts are saying there are no financial difficulties, there are no begging letters … I beg to differ!

In response I simply suggested that the claim can indeed very easily be verified!

Anything which requires a large investment will be researched.

No one buys a car without first ‘looking under the hood’ When independent schools issue begging letters and emails explaining cut backs to provision The first thing families who are paying the extortionate fees in full will do is screen shot and share complaint with family and friends. Circulating in open what’s app groups. This is not a secret! It’s common knowledge

That is wonderful and well deserved I champion these bursary

You misunderstand complaint is non means tested runaway bursaries gifted to the middle classes or administration, their own discretion! I can assure you you the 1/3 or 1 in 3 receiving financial assistance are not those students means tested and of gifted ability. It’s a free for all.

This.

Beside the point. Extra-curricular stuff is still markedly better than in state school. As my kid is in a private school I'm in a pretty decent position to judge how the provision compares to the local states.

Personally I was in favor of the VAT increase. I want state schools to be better for everyone and the money has to come from somewhere. If in my kids' educational lifetime they are levelled up to such an extent the provision is genuinely like-for-like with privates, I'd move my kids obviously.

But as long as I have money and private is even a teensy tiny bit better, I'll pay.