Boarding schools, fees, notice periods and coronavirus.

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Does anyone have any insight into how this is likely to work?

Assuming the school is closed for the whole of the summer term, can they still demand fees? Or if I want to keep my y11 child living at home and just bring them into school for exams (assuming exams go ahead), can they insist on us paying the boarding fee anyway?

I know nobody knows how this is all going to pan out, but wondered if anyone had any idea what might happen in these very exceptional circumstances.

I've been wondering exactly the same....

If it’s like the schools here in Ireland the teachers will still be working, setting work, marking it and communicating with the children. They might set up a conferencing system so they can still teach directly. So they will still charge fees, whether they give you a discount on the boarding part probably depends on how much reserves they have. They won’t want to push themselves towards bankruptcy.

Yes if your private school is offering distance learning they will expect a fees payment for the summer term. The schools will go bust if you don't pay as the teachers are paid every month. Whilst the private school sector have insurance to cover business interruption it won't be enough to cover the wage bill from April to August.

For anyone wondering if they will be able to afford the school fees from Autumn term onwards give your school "provisional notice to leave" from now up until last day of Easter holiday and you can leave at anytime and only pay for Summer term (this is the case in most private schools but always check the terms & conditions).

I’ve just given provisional rolling notice as I have no idea what our financial situation will be like next month never mind by summer term.

@Permenantlyexhaustedpidgeon , good on you, best place to be. I work in private schooling and I can ensure you all private schools are rushing to finalise the planning in distance learning so they can keep teaching and Charging fees & terrified that there will be mass notice given in next few weeks as parents either don't take up places or move to state sector.

Our small pre-prep lost 17 pupils last year (out of a total of 65) They have a large trust behind them, but I genuinely worry they are not financially viable to continue with another hit like that this year.

Sorry, that was to @Frostyskies1223!

Yes I agree, small pre-preps totally vulnerable, they will be taken over by school groups or go bust. Staff wages take up at least 70% of fees income, no school can afford to lose 1/3 of fees income by non payment by parents & still pay staff.

Ah, I’m glad other people have been wondering the same.

This is actually a state school with boarding, so you don’t pay for the education, just for the boarding element. I imagine the scgool’s budget does some cross-subsidising, but legally I imagine they’d be on more shaky ground if they boarding wasn’t available on the usual terms.

My kids’ prep school shut from tomorrow indefinitely. I personally think that is really not on when people are paying and govt advice Is to stay open. I really am not happy paying fees in a few weeks without reassurance that they will be following govt advice. I mean it’s different if there are confirmed cases but this seems to be precautionary. I don’t want school to go under but equally I’m annoyed. What do others think?

It may well be that they are closed because so many teachers are self isolating as advised to. Would you rather they open and risk the safety of stidents even further by putting them in large groups together due to lack of teachers? Personally if you can afford to keep paying I would, as otherwise there is a very real danger there will be no school to return to.

I take your point but that has not been communicated clearly. There is a drop in pupil numbers so I would think they could manage personally. If large underfunded state secondary schools can cope I would expect a prep with far smaller classes to be able to.

Private schools tend to have good online learning options, and staff readily available for email/Skype individual support

Final term tends to be ‘shorter’ in the sense of suspension of lessons for study leave, plus finishing early after end of exams. But cost is the same as other terms, as the yearly fees are amortised across all terms.

You might be able to secure a partial refund on boarding fees (in respect if things like food which will not be consumed, and which there is plenty of notice to cancel, but not the catering staff)

If the school actually closed completely, then there may be no fees. If it is open, but supporting those who learn off site, there will be fees

I will pay fees. But private schools are treading a difficult line, who wants to pay fees for kids to sit at home when other kids are at school. It’s fine for a week or so extra but if the private schools come back later as well (if at all this academic year) whilst other schools have returned, I won’t be happy. I work in nhs so now stuck at home. Anyway, bigger concerns just wanted to assess views.

A lot of smaller private schools are running close to the wire already. The reality is that they will go bankrupt if you do not pay the fees

I agree. I hope schools don’t put themselves into a riskier position by acting differently to governmental advice. They should be playing things by the book unless there are confirmed cases, or parents might not pay.

DS's boarding school has just shut. Hoping to be back to normal after Easter (they can't hope it any more fervently than I do). DD's is still open, but I'm expecting it to close.

Watching this thread, as I have been wondering all these things too.

Not expecting a rebate on full fees but I would expect some sort of rebate on thebbiarsing element if they close for summer term, even if nominal. The school will be saving on food, electricity, laundry, etc so you would assume they would pass these savings on. They will still have to pay all staff so not expecting a full refund but giving back even a small proportion would be the right thing to do. Early days though..

#The boarding element

There may be some room to negotiate on the boarding element of fees if at home I guess.

However, our school (which is still open) has set up numerous Google classrooms and the teachers will be teaching online at the same time as their normal timetabled lessons. Attendance will be taken. Work will be submitted and marked electronically and the teachers available to contact in the same way as if they were at school. I am actually really impressed with everything they have done.

In my eyes they are still providing largely the same service, albeit far from ideal, so I am happy for normal day fees to continue less costs for food etc after the Easter hols if they are not back at school by then.

Our fees have an element for lunches and trips (the main one is still to come and will almost certainly be cancelled). I'm happy to pay my fees but I would appreciate the lunches and trip element to be waived.

I'm in serious financial trouble - travel sector and we have lost about 95% in the last week. I'll probably be out of a job soon

I think it depends.

Legally if they cannot offer the education then the contract may be considered frustrated in which case no fees are due.

My son is in last term, no exams it seems, we certainly need the money.....

@ShootsFruitAndLeaves if everyone takes that approach the schools will go bankrupt

Yes, mine also in y11, preparing for exams that will not take place.

We’re in an interesting position inasmuch as because it’s a state school, they can’t charge fees for the education, only for the boarding side. So logically, online lessons means no boarding provision = no fees?

Even if schools reopen during the summer term, there’s no point in y11s attending since they’re no longer preparing for exams.

We’ve been promised an email today with more details of arrangements, so hopefully things will be slightly clarified at that point.