Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

How far in advance do most prep schools ask for an acceptance deposit?

13 replies

irisblue · 16/03/2013 15:03

Hello,

We've registered my son for a place at a London prep school for September 2014. We've just been sent a letter offering him a place and asking for an acceptance deposit of £2,530, to be paid within two weeks.

Am I being crazily naive to think that 18 months is really far in advance to ask for such a big whack of money? Or is this standard practice these days?

Thanks so much for your help.

OP posts:
meditrina · 16/03/2013 17:05

I am surprised they're making offers so far ahead of the start date (I would have expected the December or January of the school year before admission). But yes it's normal for the fee to be paid within 2-3 weeks of firm offer.

Original poster
irisblue · 16/03/2013 17:48

Thank Meditrina. I would expect to pay the money 2 weeks after the offer, but more surprised to be asked so far in advance, if you know what I mean. Like you I'd expect to be asked one or two terms in advance, not 3 1/2!

I suppose it's to stop people like us pulling out at the last minute. We ideally want to go state, but are in London and worried about getting into a good school (or even getting into any school in our borough) as places are so pressured.

OP posts:
Lonecatwithkitten · 16/03/2013 18:47

Is it actually pre-prep (infants) that you have a place for? We were asked to pay the deposit to hold the place once we had accepted it so about 18months in advance, but it was only £250.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 16/03/2013 18:55

we have had to pay the deposit to hold the place.
I guess it doesn't matter how far ahead it is, you are formally accepting the place and therefore paying the deposit.
it is the same as booking any service.
wedding venues, holidays, kitchen orders... etc.

Kenlee · 17/03/2013 04:16

I have paid £8300 in advance to secure my DD place at school...So I think its Normal...

QTPie · 17/03/2013 09:05

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

JammieMummy · 20/03/2013 20:09

We also paid the deposit for our daughters school within a week or two of being offered a place that was a year before she was due to take up her place. I think it is normal for you to pay once you have a confirmed place. I do think it is a lot of money though.

iseenodust · 21/03/2013 11:05

The school obviously thinks it can get away with it. We have just paid a deposit for DS to start at a school this Sept. but it was less than a tenth of what you are being asked for (disclaimer not in the SE).

MGMidget · 22/03/2013 11:15

In London this isn't surprising. At pre-prep stage we had one school ask for a deposit of a term's fees (just under £4k) about 16 months before starting. Another school asked for a £2k deposit about 10 months before the start date (for pre-prep). The latter school was selective though and they tended to make their offers later than the non-selective ones. They are presumably trying to lock you in early before state school offers or rival offers from other prep schools are made. It does mean that these school can get a bit of a boost to their funds from deposits paid for places not taken up but not much you can do about it if you really want the place and the school is heavily oversubscribed.

maisiejoe123 · 22/03/2013 13:23

London schools can just get away with it tbh. Its to deter parents from keeping their options open (which I hope you dont mind me saying is what you are doing).

Problem is that you either tell them to get stuffed and lose the place or pay it knowing that you might get a fab state place.

If it was me I would pay and be prepared to lose this money. After all - if you need to withdraw because of a state place then think of all the money you will save!!

One of my DS's friends put his name down for a well known senior boarding school and paid £250. He didnt pass the pre-test and they didnt give him anything back which is somewhat harsh.

MGMidget · 22/03/2013 17:54

maislejoe123 - it doesn't surprise me as the £250 was probably called a 'registration fee' rather than a deposit and they would probably argue that it covered the cost of administering and marking the exam. I bet the deposit requested at a later stage (if he had passed the exam) would have been a lot more!

scarlettsmummy2 · 22/03/2013 18:03

My daughters prep school only required a £75 deposit, and then a dd set up for the fees to come out from the beginning of term.

maisiejoe123 · 22/03/2013 18:13

I guess so re the marking of the exam - and a good prep school will steer pupils hopefully away from schools they are not likely to get into

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread