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Original poster

do private schools ever give large discounts for siblings?

27 replies

hidehi · 11/10/2007 11:05

Excuse the name change - feel a bit coy discussing finances.

I would quite like to send my children to the private school in our village - but I've got three in close in age (now in Y4, Y2 and one due to start school next year) and wouldn't be able to afford fees for 3.

Could stretch to fees for 2.

The state school they attend is a drive away and I'm not v. happy with it, they could walk to the private one. My youngest attends nursery there and it's very good.

I know the private one isn't exactly overrun with pupils, they had to put some classes together and have made a few teachers redundant, so do you think there is any chance they might give me a decent discount (not the piddly 10% off for siblings)?

OP posts:
Hallgerda · 11/10/2007 11:09

Some Catholic ones do, I believe.

In answer to your question, there's no harm in asking/trying to negotiate, but I suspect you may not get anywhere (after all, they'd have to be fair to everyone in the same position).

Hulababy · 11/10/2007 11:12

5% discount for siblings at DD's school, but only for the period of time when both children are at the same school.

I wouldn't have thought they'd offer ore than 10%. Most private schools are non profit making charities, so have to cover their costs. Sounds like they are struggling as it is, so not sure if taking on more children for less would help them. You can ask though.

BeetrootMNRoyalty · 11/10/2007 11:12

Ours gives 4% for child 2 and 8% for child 3 then 12% for child 4.

But they are always open to discussion

So go around the school and then go talk to the bursar.

remember that ffees get higher and highewr as they go through the school

DaisyWhoooo · 11/10/2007 11:13

I would be wondering why they have so few pupils - good schools tend to be full IME. Some places have bursaries available - might be worth asking.

preggersagain · 11/10/2007 11:13

it is worth asking- when i was at school i was given a scholarship- my parents still could not afford all the fees for me to be a boarder so the school gave me a bursary as well- mum always said it was cheaper to pay for me at school than if i was at home eating them out of house and home

Original poster
hidehi · 11/10/2007 11:15

I'm worried about coming across as a market haggler

and if I don't get anywhere I'd still have to face them daily when taking my youngest to nursery

OP posts:
Loshad · 11/10/2007 11:15

Varies wildly - i've 4 at independent school, no discount but they would fill all the places tomorrow if I pulled them out so no need for the school to offer a discount. I know of plenty of other schools that offer as much as 35% off if you have three children in the school at the same time.

Hulababy · 11/10/2007 11:16

So is this a prep school?

Original poster
hidehi · 11/10/2007 11:16

none of mine have any special talents or are oustandingly academic so can't see them getting a scholarship

OP posts:
Original poster
hidehi · 11/10/2007 11:17

yes, they go up to year 6.

I think they're not full because there are quite a few prep schools in the area, and they're off the beaten track.

OP posts:
indiasmum · 11/10/2007 11:20

the school ds1 goes to offers only 10% discount for siblings too. i also have 3 dc and wonder how i will afford to send the other two. ds2 has started reception in our local primary this yr and so hopefully by next sept we may be able to afford to send him to the private one too. you feel embarassed asking about help with fees dont you? am so of people who's parents pay for their grandkids to go to private (which i read somewhere is soemthing like 70%- ie 70% of fees are paid by grandparents!) i keep dropping hints but no luck so far!

Slacker · 11/10/2007 12:27

It's definitely worth asking, but it sounds like the school might be in financial trouble anyway? So it's impossible to predict their response. I have four in the same school and the discount is 5% for 2nd child, 20% for 3rd and 50% for 4+ so some schools clearly do think it's worth it

Caroline1852 · 11/10/2007 12:40

My DS2 gets a 5% sibling discount (until his older brother leaves obviously).

fedupwasherwoman · 11/10/2007 13:14

Get a friend from out of the area to 'phone up and ask.

They could say that they are moving into the area and that they've been looking at other schools and because of the closeness in age range and "bulk booking" so far they have secured a 15% discount on the second child 25 % discount (or whatever) on the third and ask them what their school could arrange ?

Nothing ventured nothing gained and if a friend does it on your behalf, no loss of face either.

Caroline1852 · 11/10/2007 13:34

I thought child benefit could be paid to anyone with parental responsibility. The person receiving it receives home responsiblities relief for the state pension. It would be incredibly sexist if it could be only paid to the mother.

Caroline1852 · 11/10/2007 13:35

Sorry - posted last post on wrong thread. Rushing as usual.

Squiffy · 11/10/2007 13:39

They won't think you are a haggler and if they have been making redundancies they'll be pleased you called regardless. Call them and say you are interested in the school, but have three children to educate and only the resources for 2 - sounds like a reasonable place to start the conversation. The worst they can do is say no. Doesn't sound much like a downside to me...

Anna8888 · 11/10/2007 13:41

50% discount for siblings at my daughter's school .

Busy collecting all the arguments I can for baby no 2 .

alycat · 11/10/2007 14:03

5% for 2nd, 10% for 3rd at our pre-prep.

Things to bear in mind...Nursery Vouchers (or whatever they are called now)count towards your fees. This term my DS's fees were £86!!! As the nursery vouchers had been deducted.

Not only do fees increase as you progress through school, they also go up for other random reasons. When we looking into it we estimated a 5% inflation to the fees each year (on top of the age related increase) it has been between 12-25% most years!! This has been everything from teachers pensions to new dining hall.

Blandmum · 11/10/2007 14:04

%% for the first 10% for the second sibling

Caroline1852 · 11/10/2007 14:42

Anna - don't the French government give very generous financial incentives for people to have more children?

Anna8888 · 11/10/2007 14:49

Caroline - yes, the tax breaks for children here are legendary .

But, as usual, the higher your income, the less you get as a % of your total in tax breaks.

Quite honestly, we are outside the tax bracket where it makes any real practical difference. Obviously I can't complain about that.

However, I am delighted to say that we are about to totally fleece the French tax man when cashing in stock options .

LIZS · 11/10/2007 15:14

5% here.

floaty · 11/10/2007 15:16

Or school gives 10 % for the third and 100% (yes free) for the 4th as long as they are all in the school at the time

Caroline1852 · 11/10/2007 15:43

Floaty - Is that 100% discount for the 4th child available at Our Blessed Virgin Mary School for Very Large Catholic Families?

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