Private school fees - have yours gone up for next year and by how much?

[Hulababy]

This is DD's first year at private prep school - in PP1. We have just had the letter announcing the rise in fees for next year, and was just curious if the level of rise is standard.

Not complaining or anything - we knew it would happen most years, but keen tof ind out more!

DD's fees have gone up by about 15%.

I went to state school, was seriously bullied, couldn't get into any of the other local state school as they were over subscribed and not in my catchment area. My parents made huge sacrifices to send me to a private school which I absolutely adored.

People who take the piss about private schools are exceptionally judgemental and narrow minded. I'm not bothering commenting any more on this thread because people just piss me off.

Sorry - I know that is totally off topic from the OP but some of the comments on here really astound me.

And Xenia, I can't decide if you are taking the piss or not with your witty 'Better carpets and oil paintings too and better quality of champagne. These things matter you know.... laughing as I type...' I'm guessing so in which case I suggest you grow up.

I hope you don't think that I was taking the piss out of private schools.
I am also head of dept in a state school btw

Well said. People who are against independent schools in my experience either have some other agenda (eg some of our friends were frankly just jealous when we sent our children to private. I think our friends had pigeonholed us both as poor teachers and couldn't handle it when DH went to work in the independent sector!!)Or of course you get the minority who had a bad independent experience themselves, and then use that to make sweeping judgements. When for all they know, they could have had a worse experience in the state sector!

Apart from the fact they tend to be better on just about every basis except that you don't mix with very poor children, the other things do matter too. Why not have your children educated in gorgeous ancient buildings with rolling hills and lakes and wonderful parent events with the orchestra playing and the wine too? Why shouldn't I prefer these things? I've seen mumsnetters saying XYZ state school is good because it has it's own pool or grounds or the buildings are new. I am just saying the same thing.

Having seen the prices quoted, think even with the rises we are not bad. We have an all in price too.

Ph and for what it is worth:

There are good and bad independent schools
There are good and bad statae schools

No one independent school is the same
No one state school is the same

You can't judge all indepepndent schools based on your experience of one or two
You can't judge all state schools based on your experience of one or two

And what is right for one person and circumstances isn't always right for another!

And I really do think Xenia lives in a very different world to many people on here who use independent schools, and probably isn't very representative of those MNetters using independenet schools. However, if that is why Xenia choses the schools she did, then that is her choice! Wish the views didn't come out as so way out at times thouggh, as I don't want everyone thinking all independent school users think that way.

Interesting to see what you all pay, I have been wondering if most schools do decent sibling discounts? Our fees are comparatively high but they are inclusive of most things, and the discounts for the younger children make quite a difference to the total bill.

Xenia, I don't entirely disagree with you, but you do have a very particular way with words

how very narrow minded coco

xenia - my daughters STATE school in the NORTH ( shock horror) is 11th in the country for gcse

xenia my sons STATE school in the NORTH (shock horror) is 21st in the country for a levels
take your petty narrow minded views on a world about which you know very little - and stick them where the sun dont shine

I'm narrow minded to like nice old buildings and enjoy a glass of wine at parents' evenings?

Hmmm. Only time I have been to a parent's evening were there was any sign of wine was when I was teaching, and it was a state school in special measures! No wine at DD's little prep school - not on parent's evening anyway.

you are narrow minded to think you cannot get that elsewhere

also not that bright

me - I send my kids to a fab state school and save my money for vintage bolly

Ah, but vintage Bolly def not worth the extra cost IMO!!! Far better, less pricy fizz than Bolly. Actually, if you do like fizz, you really should try English sarkling wine. There is a really good one by Merricks. Think you can get it in Waitrose. It was excellent!

well said hatty!
My dp had a lovely local girl in his consult room yesterday
she is in he second year at Oxford having gor 5 a* from a STATE school

She says she is loving loving loving her course at oxford and very happy but had considered leaving as socially it was dull
her own slant on this was that the vast majority of students were privately educated and sadly - no fun.

will do hulaby!

Meant sparkling BTW But it is worth a try. We got some for a gift at Christmas and had never seen it before.

In response to the OP, ouch hula, that is quite a hike.
Ours normally rise by between 3 and 5% per annum. This year a specific investment is being made in an extra member of staff, sounds fine by me.
WRT Xenia's reasons for choosing independent education, can I please join the chorus of those saying her views are not typical of the sector as represented on MN, IMO.
There are lots of us posting on here unconcerned by accent, cachet, academic selection, expansive grounds or "the right sort of society". Some choose the private sector because of their concerns about SATs, league tables and the way the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are implemented locally.

thank the lord marina!

My, you are rude OttersPool. I have many good reasons for having chosen my children's school, the wine and nice buildings are a bonus

Hulababy, you could always take your own!

good to see you back otter
hope little otter is much improved
ps i though you got jumped on unfairly on blue lip thread -hijack over
for what it's worth, i hate the mass generalisations that are made about both state schools and private schools.
there is such a variation in them all, adn a variation in all our children
FGS just live and let live, stop trying to batter everyone else until they share the same views as you (probably aimed at the most one track minded person i have ever read on MN)

maybe its my state education Coco

most of my private school friends 14 year olds cannot string a sentence together socially