Independent school Fees (CoVid19)

[0RedandYellowandPinkandGreen]

Please be kind - first post and still finding my way around the site.

Our DC is at an Independent school (upper end of the junior years). The school has said that they are freezing fees for now, and next term's fees are due in full as usual. However, they will be looking to credit any cost savings they can find, later (for example the savings on food and trips). No deferred fees nor other direct discounts have been offered at this point. Does this seem reasonable in the circumstances? The school appears to be working hard to provide some online teaching, and is usually fantastic otherwise, but at the moment, it leaves a lot to be desired

Apparently a number of other schools have already offered a % discount.

Also, do we know if any schools are looking to make certain members of their staff furloughed (for example, maintenance staff...) as a way to make savings?

We have 3 DC’s at 3 different independent schools. Nothing so far from eldest’s, similar to your ‘refund later’ from 1 and an offer of 15% discount (which you have to request, otherwise they say it will go towards helping those in need. They also say they will refund lunch etc.

Whilst I think the 15% should have been applied with the option to turn it down, rather than having to actively request it, this seems reasonable, particularly as the school in question is doing an amazing job of online teaching. The one offering a later refund isn’t, so far, but hopefully will have its act together a bit more after the Easter break.

Sounds reasonable. Staff need paying, maintenance still needs doing etc etc

DS and DD schools have offered some discounts but i guess depends on how deep pockets the school has.

Boarding schools will offer higher discounts as more savings.

I cant fault either of our kids schools responses and ds especially has pretty full day

Thank you both.

I wonder if our school is planning on only offering a discount to those who request it.

@sleepwhenidie Did the school that offered the discount, welcome parents to ask for a discount, or was it only offered to those who wrote in?

Yikes, I just realised I posted this in 'relationships'! Not sure that is the right place. Is there a way for me to move this thread?

Just drop mnhq a note requesting the move 😊

The school letter said that 15% discount was available if you want to take it up.

And any parents struggling with Freda’s a result of all this to contact them.

The bulk of school costs are presumably staff salaries (not just teaching staff) which will stay the same.

I want my DCs' school to be there in 6 months time, when lockdown ends, so I am paying next term's fees as usual, and I hope other parents at their school will too. I think we need to be realistic about the effect of reduced fee payments, non payments, etc, in terms of the viability of schools, which generally (apart from major public schools like Eton) don't have huge resources. I think there's a risk they could go under.

@ladycolmans a great post. If you want the school to be there in the future, you’ll need to support the school through this time. I’ve worked at an excellent independent school for many years - and the amount of pressure the school is under now is immense.

Watching with interest to see what the collective view is

My DS's prep school has offered a 20% reduction in next term's fees. Some of the parents are outraged that they're not offering more but they've done some decent (though not great) online learning during the last few days of term and are planning to ramp up more next term. I trust them and want them to be around in the future so think the reduction is a fair one.

I will be paying full school fees to support the school in these unprecedented times. Teachers are doing their very best to learn new systems and a new way of working while worrying about their own families and also working from home while looking after their own children. Considering how 'value for money' you think the offer is is downright disgraceful. The teachers still need their salaries paying, they are working harder than usual not less and I want the school to still be around to to educate my three children in the future. No, you are not getting what you paid for but that isn't the school trying to rip you off, most schools are doing the utmost they can to appease parents and teach the children to the best of their ability remotely

My children’s school has yet to send any letters but I will be asking for a reduction. For the last week they have had 2 x 1 hour webex sessions a day and 2X self taught following a power point slide. This is not a full school day and also means I have to be available for the self taught section even though I’m also trying to work full time. If they offered a full days timetable via webex I would be happy to pay minus the school meals and stationary etc, but not in kgs xutteng state/format

Meant to say not in it’s current state /format

@After8itsgrownuptime - so you think you would get a better deal and a full days timetable at another independent school? If all parents at your school asked for a reduction, would the school survive? If you ask for a reduction, would this be fair on other parents? Shouldn’t they be entitled to the same?

Sorry - do you think, not so you think!

The school needs to make a blanket decision for all parents, and I’m sure this decision will be imperative to the school’s survival. Believe me, I worked at an independent school - and I have NEVER worked with a more caring, committed, hard working and inspiring team. I will be desperately sad if the school does not make it through this time - the children LOVE their school.

I think it's fair. My DC school still has to pay the staff some if they've been Furloughed, also all teaching staff are still working from home on line. We have been told we can pay in installments and that obvious extras like clubs and trips will not be charged. So far my pit have done 1 week home schooling, the staff have all put plenty of work on to do and have been responding quickly to any issues.

Pit = kids

My school has just this morning offered a small discount to parents but explained that fees and salaries still need to be paid, so has appealed for those who can pay, to still do so. A lot of our families are self employed and also affected. The staff have all agreed to 80% salary, despite us all working around the clock to learn new systems. Otherwise we will close over the summer. Which none of us want, so we are pulling together as a community and doing what we can.

(Except one parent who believes she has the right to break the contract completely because she believes we are not doing much, and she will restart the contract when this is all over. )

I really wouldn’t take a discount at this time if it were offered. Yes, the alternative teaching they are offering will not be up to the standard you’ve paid for, but teachers are now having to scramble to transfer the curriculum they had prepared, to some form of online platform. Unless your school was already set up for that, it isn’t easy. And as others have said, if you’re school is great, then surely you want it to continue to be so in the future, which means having a little faith that things will pick up again. If you really want a discount, you could ask for it to be added to your deposit when your kids leave the school, that way, cash flow won’t be as impacted.

Concur that this is a completely unprecedented situation for schools, and think there is a whole host of opportunities and teaching materials available online - in addition to what schools are providing. If a great many independent schools end up failing, or need to increase their fees to cope - this will then put a huge amount of extra demand in state schools. I urge you to give as much support as possible to your school through this time - it’ll hopefully be over in a few months.

Mine is offering a 15% reduction. I didn't ask, it was offered to everyone. I don't think you need to ask as such, if it is an option the school will be in touch I'd expect.

Hadjab lucky you to be in a position to refuse the discount on offer. Not every set of parents will be in this position under the current circumstances. If they are then of course they are showing their support and loyalty to the school by paying. Those in a less fortunate position shouldn't feel guilty if they don't. I absolutely agree teachers should continue to be paid in full by the way. There are costs that the school won't be incurring at the moment though.

@sleepwhenidie I’m struggling to think of the costs that an independent school won’t be incurring - apart from stationery. Trips are usually an additional charge when the event occurs. The biggest costs would be staffing, premises which still need to be paid. If the patents have the same capacity to pay the fees as they had last term, then I feel they should follow the school’s judgement. If they are now in financial difficulty themselves because of current circumstances then they need to consider their options for the future. I would imagine it’s going to be hugely difficult for a school - when they are already under great pressure - to offer discounts on a case by case basis.

#parents

@EpicDay me too. I’m genuinely curious.

Thanks everyone for your opinions, it’s really good to hear a wider perspective rather than just the voices in our respective schools.

And, as we can see, they really do vary. I respect everyone’s view, although have to say, it’s those who may find themselves now unable to pay, and the teachers (who hands down will be working harder than they’ve ever had to do, to put in place some semblance of ‘normal’ on behalf of the school) that I feel most for.

Just throwing it out there, but is the right thing to do then, for those parents who have the luxury of being able to pay full fees in these unprecedented times, doing so, so that those who can’t afford to do so now are temporarily relieved of the need to pay full fees and (in the words of our government) enables the school to put their arms around those that need it most (on an individual basis)?