Spring term fee rebates

[bookgirl1982]

Has anyone heard from their independent schools about any fee discounts for this term yet?

Our school, part of United Learning, hasn't said anything yet but we quite proactive about comms last time round.

Watching with interest, I suspect because of the timing they are prioritising getting online learning up and running and working out what costs they will be able to save. The other unknown is how long it might last...

No, but I have been wondering the same.
Keen to ask school if they plan to make an adjustment given that their operating costs should - in theory - be lower but also don’t want to be that parent. Ours doesn’t start back until next week so I am wondering if there will be an update in the next couple of days.

What I suspect is that there won’t be, but next term’s fees may be lower to compensate. This seems fair to me. Keen to hear from other parents in similar positions and what is deemed fair in these circumstances...

Ours said last year that they wouldn't be able to discount if there was another lockdown.

Which is nonsense as they're rolling in money (I checked the accounts) but the level of online learning for my eldest two (7 and 9) seems to be excellent and I don't begrudge paying full fees for them.

My youngest, only 4, is basically getting a bit of phonics, maths and some recorded stories. Much harder to teach 4yr olds online. I wouldn't mind seeing a rocket reduction of fees for this age group.

Ours charged full fees for senior school. 75% for years 5&6. 60% for years 3&4. 50% for reception to 2. And preschool and nursery were refunded in full. We have a KW place so ours will be full fees including wrap around care. The decision taken on discount is how much parents will be required to help children at those ages. We have full lessons: registration from 8:30, last lesson ends at 3:45.

I would like to see a significant discount for reception fees. Especially as the world and his wife still sending them in under generous key worker provision, even though they have a stay at home parent and/or nanny!

Ours have said they will review costs and give a rebate if appropriate. They also pointed out their largest cost is teachers and that hasn’t changed. I guess they could save money by furloughing support staff, but they had a pretty big keyworker take up last time, and I guess if it’s like other places that might be even greater this time. The way they managed to deliver a great online education last time was by using the non classroom staff to supervise the keyworker kids.

As a teacher in an independent school. I'm not sure how viable it is to reduce costs. Schools still have the same fixed costs, buildings, salaries etc. I think while I have totally sympathy that kids aren't in school I don't know how they can reduce costs and still have a school to return to

Thanks all, we're all waiting and seeing then. I'd imagine all schools will be able to furlough a few staff even with key workers in e.g. transport, some cleaning, some TAs. And food and resources costs will be reduced.

We discounted fees last time - largely through furloughing support staff. Obviously teachers' salaries are the main cost and do not change, plus most building overheads remain even when building only in partial use. Bigger discount for younger years.

That said, I really hope nobody is planning to be that parent and ask on day 2 of lockdown. I mean the priority believe it or not is actually relocating staff and switching back to online/keyworker provision, setting up rotas etc. You don't need to scrabble for your money back this second.

Resources are already bought for the year in September.

No way will costs be lower overall. At our school (secondary), the relatively modest rebate last time must have cost the best part of a million quid (based on my back of an envelope calculation). They've employed additional cleaners and medical staff. They've invested in additional technology for remote learning. They've bought a load of high tech sanitising equipment. They've had to pour lots of money into revised catering arrangements this academic year. They've put up additional temporary buildings to increase distancing. They've presumably lost a load of income from the lack of facilities rental. Not to mention the endless day to day expenditure on sanitiser, gloves, masks etc. And what have they gained? A couple of months of furloughing a few extra-curricular and admin staff. Some money on food during closure. A little bit on heating and lighting (but not much last lockdown as it was hot and light). I imagine they've made a huge overall Covid loss, but their provision has been excellent. I'm not expecting any discount at all this time.

I imagine costs won’t be reduced for schools that much. The main cost is going to be staff, who are working hard.

The Private school I work at gave everyone a flat 20% off last lockdown. This time they are keeping very quiet and I suspect there will be no discount offered - they could afford it but are notorious for penny pinching.

We got 15% last time but no info so far this time.
There was a mention of a catering fees credit but that’s all

I wouldn't expect anything to be forthcoming from independent schools this time. My son works in finance department of one in East London, and the Covid crisis has cost them a lot of money. Furlough of a number of support staff and office workers, here and there is doable, however saves little to no money in the grand scheme. This time of year, his school cant really furlough anyone, as the office and admin teams are frantically trying to administrate both the entrance exam debacles, exam queries, online learning stuff etc. etc. The weather is cold, the buildings are old, so kids or not, the heating has to be running, the lights are on for the teachers who are (on the whole) are till attending school to run their online lessons, etc. No money is being saved by lockdown, in fact purchasing new IT equipment for staff has cost them £100k and other COVID costs from cleaning, to social distancing signage and equipment etc etc has cost them near £200k. Its bleak, and the sector (apart from the rich schools) will be running little to no surplus, or a loss this year. We all made the choice to 'go independent', we've got to take the rough with the smooth (all the benefits of the independent sector), man up and get move on.

I am not expecting any rebate to be honest, apart from services not used (transport, boarding, extra curricular activities).

Our school has a great online provision. Last lockdown some schools weren’t at all prepared and some provided nothing or were very shoddy. If the school is still giving an awful remote learning experience then fair enough to ask for a discount. If your child disappears for most of the day and is engaged and learning then they are doing their job and what you are paying for.

I do think years reception and 1 probably warrant a discount though - very tricky to teach young children online so parents have to take over.

Boarding school-20%,to be reviewed at half term

10% for us for the first half term. It was 5% in the last lockdown. It’s excellent provision so I’m happy.

I've heard from mine who have said due to the vast numbers of critical workers attending they won't be offering a discount.
I find this wrong mainly because they put no policies in for those sending their dc back into school and there's a lot of sahm having dc attend with no questions asked,

someone at our school is a sahm with one dc and her dh lives overseas yet has sent her dc in no questions asked. I feel like I'm supplementing the people who are stretching the rules to suit themselves.

The provision we've had is ok. But only ok at most, no sports, no lunches, no social interaction a number of lessons requiring parental participation and I am a bit annoyed about it all. I work to pay for it so it's quite raw now my job is also being affected by it.

I think the private schools feel under a lot of pressure to stretch the rules on who is allowed in. They are trying to please the parents as they can’t afford to lose pupils at the moment. It’s very annoying though. Lots of kids who don’t need to be in - who have a sahp. It’s a catch 22 as well because the more pupils are in school that reduces the ability of the school to furlough staff. In the last lockdown at ds school all the TAs and the majority of support staff (maintenance catering etc) were furloughed, not this time.

Our Prep has said they'll review the fees for the summer term once they know what kind of savings have been made this coming term. It was too late to do anything for this term and most had already paid.
In terms of online learning ..... oh my God there is so much. Hours and hours of live lessons with work to be turned in daily. From what I can see every member of staff is in school working.

I wasn't expecting it but gdst said they are thinking about it as are independent prep. I can't think there will be huge savings?

I don't mind not getting a rebate for the teaching, but we haven't heard anything about boarding fees turning into day fees except for a statement of fees due. Has anyone had confirmation on this?

None for ours as they offering a full curriculum online.

Told this on first day of term.

Our school has refunded extracurricular, lunches and coaches straight away. Fees will apparently be reviewed at half term. The chat amongst the parents seems to be that people aren’t expecting (calling for) anything. The provision has been great so far, and all teachers, specialist support staff and TAs are working, and from the live lessons most seem to be at school in their classrooms running the lessons. The school won’t be making and savings at all right now, in fact they’ll be taking a hit on the refunds as I’m sure the catering/coach contracts aren’t fully refunded by the operating companies, and the extracurricular definitely won’t be. My strong belief is that unless you’re being served a dogs dinner of a online learning provision, sadly we’re all in this together and we’ll just have to take the hit. Education generally at my DSs school is fantastic and COVID is not their fault, fundamentally these schools are charities and shouldn’t be expected to take a hit if they’re doing their very best. Do we really want to push our DCs school into a stressful financial situation, which stops future investment or could even threaten the school’s future existence entirely. Like someone else said, when we choose an independent education, challenge if you’re being sold a pup, but generally you have to got to take the rough with the smooth.

Yep, I completely agree with you @Strandguildford