Does your child know they have a bursary?

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My doc has been awarded a bursary to attend an independent prep school in September.

I am in two minds as to whether to tell my child there place is funded or not mention it.

I'm interested to know what others have done or would do.

I've always told ds that he has one, but not the amount, he knows he wouldn't be at an independent school without one and as someone else said, it becomes more relevant when thinking about senior schools because often the child still has to do the selection tests etc with the parents having no idea if a bursary will be awarded, so honesty to the older child that they may not be able to attend said school is important (there seem to be only a few schools willing to give an indication of what they can offer before testing etc)
Yes; there will always be parents and their children who find out about your child being on a bursary and getting arsy or making comments because theirs aren't, but you deal with that on a case by case basis (one memorable occasion for my ds was a class mate declaring to all that 'as ds mum is on benefits and my mum says I pay his fees, she should go and work in Burger King' but thankfully thats a rare occurance.

You should absolutely tell them if they understand that they are going to a private school.

Bursaries and scholarships are earnt. Certainly bursaries are based on income and affordability, but they are also hotly contested, and only the academically able will get one. At our school many children could not possibly afford the fees without one, or a combination of several (bursary and scholarships combined). They are in no way looked down upon - quite the reverse. And a child who knows that their offer is performance related tends to take that on as a personal commitment to excellence. It is in no way a bad thing.

My daughter knows. As others have said it certainly isn't anything to be ashamed of.

I have not told my son. The school clearly states that its bursaries are private matters and not to be discussed.

My children know they can only got to their school because I teach at it so we don't have to pay very much. Not quite the same thing though.

I think it depends on the school.

The school I work in has scholarships (nominal 5% and means tested up as required) which all the children know about and are seen as things to be proud of.

We also have bursaries but these are only known about by the headmaster and the parents/guardians of the child receiving it. Teaching staff don't know who's on them because they are only given for reasons of significant disadvantage and need so it would break confidentiality.

So, if the school you're going to works like that, I wouldn't tell the child because they'd probably tell others and it could lead to problems. If it's more like a scholarship then I'd probably tell them.

I have told my son that he has a bursary. We told him at the time of filling in the exam application form that if he passed but didn't get a bursary we would be Unable to take up the place. I think it would have been a bit cruel to make him sit the exam under the pretence that he can attend the school as long as he passes the exam and regardless of finances. How would he have felt if he had got the results saying he had a full fee paying place and only then discovered that he couldn't take up the place because we are poor?

I have told him that it is personal information and not something he should be telling anybody at school, but I can't be sure that he has stuck to that. I am not ashamed that he has a bursary and a very significant number of children at his school have bursaries.

My child knows that without the bursary there would be no private school.
I know most of the children who have a bursary in my child's year.
Most children with a bursary in the year know about my child having one because they shared it. And many without a bursary also know. Which means their parents know.
Which means everyone knows everything about everyone and it's not a problem and it shouldn't be a problem. Parents able to pay fees who have a problem knew the school gave bursaries before they registered their child. Their children have formed close friendships with children attending the school thanks to a bursary and it would take a very mean person to express any negative views about it.
I am very relaxed about the whole thing as you can see because I want my child to be relaxed too - at the same time he feels incredibly thankful and pushes himself to make the school proud.

My pre school aged DC have no idea that we pay for them to attend.

I just don't see that they need to kno at this age.

Yes, because it would have been unfair for her to go through the whole application process without knowing that she could only go if she also got a bursary.