Bursaries

[LoveRedShoes]

I'm hoping for a little general advice on the usual criteria or financial info needed to apply for a bursary. We are a long way off, as DS is only due to go into reception, but just want to get an idea of the general criteria.
I had read that those on a household income of 50K or less will be in with a chance, but what about things like property values, mortgage payments etc...
I am also a little confused as a friend of mine has a full bursary to a top girls school, yet they live in a 600k house - although being freelance, I know they were able to hide a significant amount of income. Are bursaries based only on income?

Each school had different criteria - they generally look at income outgoings and don't expect you to sell your property.

Some schools only offer bursaries only to scholarship candidates, some only 7+, others 11+ - each individual school has its own criteria there are no general rules.

You can ask the bursar if they have any set criteria but often its case by case. They are often given to exisitng pupils whose parents have been hit by unemployment/divorce.

I would not send a child to private school hoping that they would get a bursary in the future very risk strategy.

I have two ds both on bursaries at very different independent schools, the criteria and application for both was very different.My older DS is at a very academic school and he had to pass the entrance exam before applying for assistance, the form for application was very long and intrusive and I had to provide evidence of income outgoings etc. For my other Ds,at a smaller and non selective school the form was just a couple of pages long but I was also visited at home by the school bursar before he was offered his bursary. For both of them I have to fill in new forms anually.One thing I did do was look up the schools on the charity commisson website, these tell you how much money is set aside for bursaries and other financial help and how many children are actually benefiting from bursary help the figures may surprise you obviously many people who receive help keep very quiet about it.

Thanks for the info. I am looking at the fees and the fact we have two DCs is making me very nervous. I am a SaHM and my DP is on a decent salary, but some of the schools around here are up to 8k or 9k a term. Times two, it seems impossible. I didn't think we would be in with a chance of bursaries, but if incomings and outgoings are considered, perhaps we would be.

They would expect you to go to work unless you have a disability or long term illness. My DH covers day to day expenses and I need to work to cover the fees.

My DS gets a bursary it is expected that when ds2 gets to school age I should return to work full time.
We still will not earn enough to cover 2 sets of fees and have been assured we will still get a bursary however the assesment is repeated annually.

I am happy for my children to attend independent school as long as possible and if for whatever reason the bursary ends I will have no worries about sending them into the state system.

I would think it would be highly unlikely you will get a bursary if you are a SAHM to children over school age and have no other reason to be there .

meant to add that all the bursary applications I have seen state that in order to apply both parents need to show they are contributing as much as they can so if that means like me I can only expect to earn between 16-20k p/a then I have to work full time ... god not sure that makes any sense

Yes, it does. I would intend to be returning to work when both DCs are school age, although the intention would be to start up my business again.
With some of the fees I have seen I am not surprised that a lot of bursaries are needed.

Our bursary application forms ask things like the value of our car, value of house contents, etc. I'm not sure where we would "hide" anything....!!

How would they know if you are telling the truth about value of contents etc....?
I know my friends have hidden some of their income by not declaring it. They have decided that playing 'poor' (their words) is of better benefit due to the free school fees, but it means they will never be able to increase any profits on their business in the long term.
Strangely enough, they have just booked up a nice expensive hol and bought a new car.
The bursary has just freed up some money for them

Well I hope they get found out,their actions have deprived a candidate of a bursary and they have obtained one under false pretences,an absolute disgrace,if I was the parent of a child that needed a bursary and failed to get one because of this Id be furious ,whats the phrase- "obtaining goods by deception"?

I do feel like this propatria, as well as feeling bitter because they are quite smug about it, and feel it is their place to tell me I can't possibly consider state. Well I can, because I am not prepared to lie to gain a bursary, and I will be happy with independent or state, as long as my DCs are doing well.
I must admit I feel in my darker moments like sending a letter to the school, but that is really awful. But I particularly hate deception.
However, they are really shouty horrid pushy parents, so perhaps their adorable DCs are better off boarding at a nice school.
It just seems so unfair.

DS and DD got bursaries to their school to top up their scholarship (which only paid 10%). I have been on long-term incapacity benefit due to a RTA injury so I have been on benefits (as a single parent) the whole time they were in school.

They never questioned me on whether I was able to return to work, they just sent a form asking for details of income and letters from the DWP. The form was quite detailed but I was able to cross a line through most sections (second homes, investments, shares - I wish! ).

Eager I think your situation is quite different. No school bursar would expect someone on incapacity benefit to work. I think it is perfectly reasonable to expect a SAHM with school age dcs to work if she is able to do so.