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Boarding school

Connect with fellow parents of boarding school students on our supportive forum. Share experiences, tips, and insights.

Fee increase

98 replies

SchoolFeePain · 01/08/2023 21:28

So I’ve put it here to hopefully cut down on the diamond shoes comments…

Is anyone else just staggered by the fee increases this year?! Fees have gone up 11% for us, 9% last year. We’ve cut back and cut back, DS is starting Y11 so realistically we can’t move him for a year but then DD moves to Y11 the September afterwards.

OP posts:
CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 07:35

@lolo99 "Happened in a couple of schools I know and still going on. Nothing is done about it."

What happened when you reported it?

lolo99 · 14/08/2023 08:21

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 07:35

@lolo99 "Happened in a couple of schools I know and still going on. Nothing is done about it."

What happened when you reported it?

Nothing happened - nothing

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 08:31

@lolo99 Or possibly-it was investigated and found to be an unsubstantiated rumour? Because that happens.

MariaVT65 · 14/08/2023 08:34

Windswepts · 03/08/2023 08:40

There is no comparison in my opinion, state school teachers are more professional and can actually teach. Parents don't have to rely on tutoring which was the norm at our previous school despite the high fees.

Interestingly, both my husband and I found this not to be the case.

Both our parents had to complaint to our state junior schools as the teachers were holding us back on our reading skills, not providing books that were anywhere near the level we could read.

I also found the teachers in my state junior school were absolutely unable to cope with the behaviour of the kids. One of them had a mental breakdown and left. And they also did absolutely nothing about a group of my male classmates trying to beat me up with a scooter (which I only evaded by climbing over a fence).

My private secondary school always catered well for different academic levels, and although there was no physical bullying, any kind of bullying (which was more bitchiness) was dealt with straight away.

Having said that, the main difference for me between my state and private schools were the other kids.

MariaVT65 · 14/08/2023 08:36

OP, I know many parents choose to send their children to private school because the local state schools are really poor. (This was the case for me as a child). Do you have any decent state schools in your catchment area?

Alternatively, might it be actually cheaper for you to do a slight relocate to a catchment area with better state schools?

lolo99 · 14/08/2023 08:37

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 08:31

@lolo99 Or possibly-it was investigated and found to be an unsubstantiated rumour? Because that happens.

Not a rumour - I watched it

twistyizzy · 14/08/2023 08:37

CurlewKate · 03/08/2023 08:37

@BlossomCloud ". my children's head teacher was rubbing out answers in SATs and correcting them"

Yeah-course she was.

Happened in DDs state primary in both sets of SATS. I know because DD was one of the kids who it happened to.
This is what happens when you judge schools by test results.

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 09:15

Just to reassure people-allegations of misconduct in SATS testing is rigorously investigated.

It has to be reported first, of course.

Worriedmotheroftwo · 14/08/2023 09:18

*Just to reassure people-allegations of misconduct in SATS testing is rigorously investigated.

It has to be reported first, of course.*

A teacher tried to help me with my SATS maths exam when I was in Year 6, a couple of decades ago. I never told anyone. I was 10 or 11 at the time.

BlossomCloud · 14/08/2023 09:22

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 09:15

Just to reassure people-allegations of misconduct in SATS testing is rigorously investigated.

It has to be reported first, of course.

I know it happened, my son is very trustworthy and his story was consistent with the stories from his equally reliable friends. Unfortunately I think I was the only parent who reported it, the HT is still in post.

I am sure almost all teachers are honest. But some clearly are not.

BlossomCloud · 14/08/2023 09:23

Why are you so keen to deny it @CurlewKate ? Why does it make you feel uncomfortable? I know there are dodgy people in my profession, doesn't mean I am not comfortable that I act with integrity at all times.

Allthecatseverywhereallatonce · 14/08/2023 09:34

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 07:35

@lolo99 "Happened in a couple of schools I know and still going on. Nothing is done about it."

What happened when you reported it?

My dd also went through this, her and her friends described what was happening, yes answers were being rubbed out, the teachers were reading over the kids shoulders and telling them how to answer or correcting them.
There was a huge list of things the teachers were doing that the kids all corroborated. It was a horrible time.

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 09:40

@BlossomCloud I'm not denying it happens. Of course it does. What I am saying is that a) it doesn't happen often, b) if it is reported it is investigated and c) malicious accusations are made depressingly frequently.

Also, I have heard this point used to discredit state schools. Which is vile.

surreygirl1987 · 14/08/2023 09:44

it doesn't happen often

I guess we don't know that really. As I said above, I experienced a teacher trying to help me cheap in my Yr 6 SATS. I never told a soul (until now, on mumsnet!). These were wonderful teachers in a lovely little village primary school. I have to wonder how many other incidents like this go unreported. I was 10/11 and never dreamed of mentioning it to anyone... but I knew it was wrong, and I remember it so vividly so it clearly stuck with me.

BlossomCloud · 14/08/2023 09:52

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 09:40

@BlossomCloud I'm not denying it happens. Of course it does. What I am saying is that a) it doesn't happen often, b) if it is reported it is investigated and c) malicious accusations are made depressingly frequently.

Also, I have heard this point used to discredit state schools. Which is vile.

I'm not saying it should be used to discredit all state schools, just to sound a note of caution about the ones with dramatic turnarounds/glittering results.

Just as state schools in affluent areas get great results irrespective of teaching because parents pay for tutors (about half my DSD's GCSE year used English tutors for instance, DSD included. I was predicted a C in maths thanks to rubbish teacher - i had always been v good at maths - and got an A after my parents paid for a tutor)

It's horribly unfair on honest teachers /those who teach in deprived schools.

twistyizzy · 14/08/2023 09:53

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 09:40

@BlossomCloud I'm not denying it happens. Of course it does. What I am saying is that a) it doesn't happen often, b) if it is reported it is investigated and c) malicious accusations are made depressingly frequently.

Also, I have heard this point used to discredit state schools. Which is vile.

Vile to discredit state schools? Because in your eyes they are beyond criticism?
The state model is very far from perfect and SATS just encourage teachers to cheat as they, and the school, are performance judged on these.

80sMum · 14/08/2023 09:53

I used to work in a private school, in the Bursary, so was aware of the state of most of the parents' finances. There were many like you, OP, who made huge sacrifices in order to be able to pay the fees. I used to wonder why it was so important to them to send their child to a fee-paying school when it was barely within their means to pay for it.

Have you considered the following?

You could contact the bursar and explain your financial difficulties, perhaps at the same time suggesting a solution.
Would the school, for example, consider agreeing to a monthly payment schedule for the fees, which would run beyond the time when the youngest child leaves, thus reducing the monthly outlay but increasing the number of months that you would be paying? Think of what you could actually afford to pay each month end offer it as a potential solution. Negotiate with the school. Go and see the bursar in person, if possible. Face to face meetings are always better, imo.
Alternatively, would you be eligible for a bursary? Most schools have some sort of bursary scheme for parents who are unable to afford the fees.
Or would the school consider offering you an increased discount for your DD, while both children remain at the school?

Are there any local charitable trust funds that you could apply to for a bursary? Sometimes, when a private school closes, its assets are realised into a fund, administered by trustees, to be awarded as bursaries to children attending other schools in the area.

Are there any other, less expensive, independent schools nearby where your DD could transfer to? You might find that if she's offered a place, the new school might be prepared to pay for the fees in lieu of notice that the existing school will charge you. Boys' schools that have recently started taking girls might be prepared to offer a generous discount to a newly joining girl.

Good luck with it all.

BlossomCloud · 14/08/2023 09:55

(I think we all know private schools game the system too, my university course was had quite a number of private school students with straight A's who could barely write an essay let alone articulate an original thought, it was obvious they had been spoon fed/had their coursework "tweaked")

80sMum · 14/08/2023 10:00

@SchoolFeePain Sorry, I should have tagged you in my reply just now, so you could find it amongst all the other discussions!

I do hope you manage to find a solution that works for you.

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 10:11

@twistyizzy "Vile to discredit state schools? Because in your eyes they are beyond criticism?"

No. Vile to suggest, as I have seen suggested, that SATS can't be trusted because there is so much fraud.

BlossomCloud · 14/08/2023 10:13

CurlewKate · 14/08/2023 10:11

@twistyizzy "Vile to discredit state schools? Because in your eyes they are beyond criticism?"

No. Vile to suggest, as I have seen suggested, that SATS can't be trusted because there is so much fraud.

More vile, surely, that honest teachers end up comparing unfavourably to dishonest ones (like the meteoric rise of the cheating HT at my son's school)

Susannainblue · 14/08/2023 10:28

WayDownInTheHole · 03/08/2023 11:49

Contextual offers don't apply to every state school, though. Just going to a state school is not going to get your offer reduced, and not every university uses them. This is from Unifrog on what might allow you to receive a contextual offer (https://www.unifrog.org/know-how/contextual-offers-getting-the-bigger-picture#:~:text=Contextual%20offers%20are%20those%20made,circumstances%20when%20considering%20your%20application.):

Not all UK universities make contextual offers. For those that do, each one sets its own criteria, but they usually include a few of the following:

  • You have a disability
  • If you have a physical or non-physical disability, you may be eligible for a contextual offer.
  • You’re a young carer
  • A young carer is anyone who - unpaid for - cares for a friend or family member who cannot cope without support due to illness, disability, a mental health problem, or an addiction.
  • Your school’s overall academic performance
  • If, for example, the performance of your school, college or sixth form is lower than the national average, your academic performance so far might be given special consideration.
  • You’ve been in care
  • This means you’ve spent time in local authority care. Very often, you’ll need to declare that you’re a care leaver on the UCAS form and have it confirmed by your referee.
  • You’re a first generation Higher Education attendee
  • This means that you’re the first in your immediate family to attend university. Your parents therefore, did not attend university.
  • You have a lower family income, or live in an area with a lower socioeconomic status
  • You might be entitled to discretionary payments or free school meals at school/college. Schools also assess whether you live in an area with a lower socioeconomic status using the POLAR or ACORN postcode search. POLAR and ACORN are both classification tools which provide data on young people participating in higher education.

I was just about to say this. Our school gets contextual offers because it's not a great school. Certainly not one of those shining examples that people have mentioned above. If I had the money I would be going private, the difference in provision and attainment, especially during Covid, between our school and the local independent is absolutely staggering.

That said, a friend runs herself into the ground to pay fees for the independent school and her kids don't feel they fit in as they can't afford the extras. No one seems to tutor though.

lolo99 · 14/08/2023 21:17

surreygirl1987 · 14/08/2023 09:44

it doesn't happen often

I guess we don't know that really. As I said above, I experienced a teacher trying to help me cheap in my Yr 6 SATS. I never told a soul (until now, on mumsnet!). These were wonderful teachers in a lovely little village primary school. I have to wonder how many other incidents like this go unreported. I was 10/11 and never dreamed of mentioning it to anyone... but I knew it was wrong, and I remember it so vividly so it clearly stuck with me.

I agree- who knows how often it happens. I reckon 'a lot' and it is so unfair to those schools being judged on their results and playing fair.

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