Fees and lack of funds

[AgathaMystery]

I suppose it happens to a lot of people but we have sadly found ourselves in financial difficulties.

It's nothing dramatic - my husband is self employed and there is no work. I work part time and do extra work to make up to about 40 hours a week. I work in the NHS and whilst my salary isn't awful, it doesn't go very far. I have been working extra shifts through my annual leave recently to top up my salary.

We are nearing the end of our savings and I need to know what to do about the school fees.

The school offers very generous bursaries in the senior school but not in the prep. I moved us to monthly notice some time ago as a just-in-case measure.

We have equity in our house but I am acutely aware that that is all we have left now. I also put us on a 5yr deal 4 months ago that means no chance of a mortgage break for 2 years.

I know I need to make an appointment with the head &/or the bursar - I just need some advice please. I don't know how to get through the meeting without sobbing.

Has anyone ever been through this?

Has she got any friends in any of t local schools ?

Having worked in schools coming in age 6 is fine, kids love a new kid 😀

They will be absolutely fine. You can keep them in state until year 9 if your circumstances mean you can suddenly afford private again.

You will be so so relieved once the financial burden is gone and your dcs are happy (which they will be).

They will want to be paid ius the way they operate and wont want to set a president for not paying as it breeds real problems.

My friend had same issue and moved his 2 kids from prep to the local primary he said it was the best thing he did. As funds is an issue i expect you wont be paying for secondary education in which case they are going back into the 'pot' in any case as mine did when they went into High School.

I did take a mortgage extension of 30 k at one point and in truth it was lost in the mists of time and is now only the price of a half decent car. There is life outside prep kids would assimilate in a blink.

I had similar issue.

Main issue is that a state place in decent school is not easy to find. If they were that good you wouldnt have felt need to pay for an education you are already being taxed to pay for. You dont get a tax refund because you dont take up your school place.

You are now in the stakes of begging one as the usual quota was taken up when kids started after nursery etc.

If the kids are in school they are not in urgent need of a place even though it is not feasible for them to remain in school. You pretty much have to be out of school to be a priority and then they will offer you a placement anywhere they can find and I MEAN ANYWHERE.

Travel is not the L/A issue nor is your need to work and balance childcare.

Running out of cash for prep is a priority behind kids on child protection register, refugees, special needs and anyone who has been on the list for some time.

Take a deep breath.

I was suddenly offered a place at a good primary school but only after 4 kids returned to another EU country having entered the UK illegally and were sent back across the channel or left of the parents own wishes.
I know this for a fact.

Doodle - not necessarily, it depends where you live! We had to move when dcs were half way through yr 3/1 - I phoned the local ('good' ) school and they had places, it was easy. We live in a v affluent area, people move in and out frequently (normally work related) so there's a high turnover of kids. The school is full but places come up!

And in our area if they give you a place more than a certain distance away they have to provide transport - they are keen to avoid this!

I’ve heard from the council today & they will view my application in January.

I will write to them tomorrow clarifying the situation further - now I can open a dialogue with them & am not limited to 500 words on an online form. I will be clear that I’d like to be considered sooner if a place at the local school arises.

You are right about the places at decent schools having long gone. Our nearest primary is phenomenal. Our catchment is terrible. I was a regular there doing child protection conferences in a previous role.

Anyway. Didn’t cry today. So far.

January?? Do you think that they think she is in reception? If there are spaces then they should offer them to you straightaway. If not then they need to tell you about waiting lists and how to appeal. I would push them on that.

Sorry I mean applying for a place in reception for September.

No, I know what you mean. They have said it will be January when they look. I am going to write back tomorrow and be very clear about my situation.

Whatever happens I am liable for fees until April. I am just hoping I can get her in somewhere sooner and appeal to the school to cut my notice period a little. Or perhaps let me pay it off over a longer period.

Agatha you have a right under the in-year fair access protocol, to apply for a place at your chosen school right now. There are some admissions experts on this board who might be able to help, such as prh57bridge and admissions. Don’t let the council fob you off. You might miss a place by doing so.

I mean prh47bridge...

it will be a huge relief for you once you realise your DD will love her new school and you do not have that financial burden on your shoulders anymore .
My brother in law sends his three children to private school but can easily afford it as he is super rich and has a country house ,etc etc
I absolutely love their school and sometimes wonder if only ... but unless we can easily afford the fee, there is no way I would put that pressure on my family.
Good luck finding a new school ... your DD will be absolutely fine .

The Fair Access Protocol won't be used unless there are no vacant places at all within about 45 minutes journey from OP's home.

But yes, once OP applies the LEA has to find a place somewhere for her DD, with will be either the nearest school with a vacancy, or if none then LEA will use FAP to force a school to go over numbers (won't necessarily be OP's chosen school, it'll be the one most able to cope with an extra pupil). No matter how much you hate your catchment school or any other nearby one, if there is a vacant place there then they won't activate FAP, and if you turn the place down they are under no obligation to come up with another offer.

So Agatha the schools you think are 'decent' may well be full, but you can still apply for them and sit it out on the waiting list. As your current school is paid for until Easter, you might want to try that for a term.

And do look round potential new schools if you can - you might be pleasantly surprised.

Your old school may well agree a repayment plan over a longer timetable. They might reduce the notice period (especially if they fill the place) given what the head said, but this is less common - this isn't a 'near miss' IYSWIM, but I hope the school will do something because I really think they should have made it clearer that a month's rolling notice wasn't an option at the time you first made the request.

Yes, be clear with the council that you are looking for a state school place immediately.
Also know that you can contact schools direct to se if they have places. Schools with empty places don't get their funding, so will be glad to hear from you and fill sooner rather than later. Ask them to add you to their waiting lists.

If you add your name to 3 or 4 lists, between now and April it is likely one will come up with a place because there are 6 months. If you only join lists in Jan or later, there is less time to get a place at a school you want.

I would ring the individual schools and also ring the council and speak to admissions and explain your situation. Be very clear that you are ready to move if an acceptable offer is made. Don't make too much of having until April. If they only seriously start looking at your request later, you will be left with having to say 'yes' to an offer in any old school, which may well not be where you want.

Hi all, I thought I'd update.

Not much has changed here - I must give notice to school on the first day of next term in Jan.

My lovely dad has offered to pay 1/2 the fees (for as long as he lives) so I have accepted his kind offer for the time being.

I have asked the LA to please bear me in mind for any vacancies. I've been to the local primary and the secretary remembers me as I've done 2 fundraisers for them in the recent past. She is going to look out for my application and will take it to the governors for me.

DH has a short contract on the go and continues to look for perm work whilst also looking for some food delivery evening jobs. I am down to working 46hrs a week and am very tired but I'm thinking I might take Monday off. I'm working on my 2nd job this weekend. Working so many hours is paying off. It literally doubled my salary for November.

I've applied for 2 new jobs and got interviews for both. One interview I canx and the job was so far removed from originally advertised it wasn't funny. The other job I wasn't successful but I'll keep going.

Thanks for all the support recently. It made me feel less alone.

Do you know which local schools have places? Have you looked at them yet?

OP it's great that your Dad will help but it still sounds like you are flogging yourself for this. To only be working 46 hours is still too much! As it's only primary you have a long time left of fees so it's good you are exploring state primaries. I don't think you can go on that way long term.

We are the opposite - trying to save to see if my one DT can go private due to problems at comp and after stupidly giving up a grammar place (he's year 7 now and has a twin at grammar so one set fees to find) but not wanting to cripple ourselves for the next 4.5 years.

Middle I agree - I am flogging myself.* It will have to be like this until DH finds work. There is no choice - school fees or no school fees I am the only wage earner right now.* Good luck with saving - can the grammar not take him?

Cappuccino I do know which school have vacancies.* Haven't been to see them as have been at work.*

Sorry. Don't know what's going on with the bold.

Good luck whatever you decide.

I really think if you are finding so hard you should go state as your child is young and she will adapt quickly. With all the sacrificies you are making she will feel pressure to achieve just to pay all the sacrificies you are making for her, but will she be happy?

What matter for me is family, health and having a roof under our head and that the children feel supported. Money comes and money goes. I know it must be hard for you but is not the end of the world.

Can dh not visit the schools?

You sound completely exhausted.

My dh had to move from private to state school at 14 for financial reasons. A poor age to move; moving at 6 is a much, much better idea. I know exactly what you mean about moving her away from her friends. It really, really will be all right. And you will no longer have to work absolutely all the hours (I work about 40 hours, on a contract of 37.5, and I am knackered most of the time). The extra time she has with you will really make a difference to both of you. The lack of worry about those bills will make another difference. In a few months, life is going to be so much better. In the meantime, hope you can hold on and find some support where you can.

I'd see if one of you can have a morning/afternoon off or take a day and visit a couple of schools. Speak to the head. Choose one and start in January.

Honestly you can stop flogging yourself with work and January is a perfect time to start a new school. After all the Christmas fuss a perfect time for a new start.

You only have a week or two to visit them though so you really need to be on it now. Or even ask to speak to a senior person by phone/look at websites/ask around.

Dragging it out cant really help anyone amd January really is a natural time to start so it's worth cutting your losses if it means a smooth transition. You can order uniform and start in the new year. A couple of weeks in if necessary but it would be a good time to settle.

Agatha - agree that if you could take time off that you could visit those schools.

Sadly for us once we tried to get the grammar place 'back' we couldn't, which I completely understand. just wish we had a crystal ball.

Let us know how you get on