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.

Nothing, still teaching a full timetable, even though I have to be his teacher for 6 hours a day

One of our schools is planning a reduction in fees, based on being able to furlough support staff, reduced utility overheads and no boarding etc. The other one is silent on the matter, as was the case in the summer where they gave no reduction at all, not even the boarding fees.

The prep school I work in has 50% of the kids in (over 100) so they can’t furlough TAs etc as they’re still being used. They have lost a lot of money from lettings, boarding income etc so even though they’re looking at it and trying to make savings where possible, I’m not sure there’ll be much of a rebate, if any. I completely understand parents whose kids are at home being annoyed, but I’m not sure what the school should do?

I'm not expecting much discount, possibly not any, as I don't think there's a lot of savings to be made and some costs will have increased. Teachers still need paying. Grounds and playing fields still need maintenance (possibly slightly less if not being walked on, but not much). Just as much cleaning as ever if there is provision for keyworker kids. Minor savings to be made in budgets for practical subjects (DT, science) that won't need to buy consumables. Our fees do include lunch so savings there.

Meanwhile heating bills will have gone up due to open windows in December, lots of extra expenditure on ppe, sanitizer etc. Investment in additional IT capacity.

I think we will get a small discount (10-20%) on fees and refunded lunch and transportation fees for this term. But next year you better believe they are going to jack the fees way up to make up for it (or at least that's what they did this year to make up for the spring lockdown). We are missing out on school trips, bringing in specialist teachers, assemblies, events, parties, sports, after school clubs, etc etc so I'm not very happy to not be reimbursed anything to compensate for that and if anything our school will take this as an opportunity to quietly reduce their offerings next year.

Boarding secondary - boarding fees + 20% off day fees

Day primary - don't know yet. Actually they are running a full timetable (including gymnastics which is hilarious) so all staff are working, often around their own children who are at home. Fine by me if they charge in full - they have been fantastic and I am very grateful.

Our secondary school has said they'll look at cost savings, including furlough, and will let us know. Last time it started as 10% and rose to 15% (I think after some parents complained). Given the level of live teaching and effort they're putting in, I'd see any rebate as a nice bonus not an expectation.

Wasn't at this school last lockdown but I think then it was no boarding fees and c 20% off the day fees.

I think this term will be no boarding fees as I guess they can furlough boarding staff but I am not holding out much hope for a reduction on day fees. They held the fees rather than raising them in September. If they had planned to raise by 5% then we've had a discount all year as far as I can see.

We've had another email stating there will be no reduction in fees and they will let us know the outcome of the extra expenses after making the school "Covid" safe!!??

Arghhhhhh .....

Had the letter to say there’ll be no rebate as they are not furloughing anyone. Fair enough.

By the way @bookgirl1982 did you see that United Learning are potentially in trouble for furloughing teaching staff over the Xmas holidays? There was talk of it on edu-Twitter this week.

Watching with interest .... no news from our primary yet
I'm expecting them to say that they have too many key worker kids in so can't furlough anyone

I'd like to see a small discount for those of us home schooling - the key workers can pay the full fees this time!

Our school is part of the GDST, they are reviewing at half term. I think if they go back after feb half term there will be zero reduction, if they are still off there may be a small remuneration, plus school lunches . The provision has been excellent so at this stage I’m not too concerned about reduction, however if it goes on after half term I think it will be different.

We had no discount in the first lockdown and they've ploughed ahead with raising the Spring Term fees, after doing us the huge favour of not raising the Autumn fees.

We’ve been told they are making cost savings where possible but because they don’t know how long homelearning will be for and the amount of cost savings they can make, any fee reduction will be given for the summer term.

It seemed reasonable to me.

We've been told 40% discount for boarders and 15% for day pupils Seems fair

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-private-schools-we-cant-refund-fees-term%3famp

No fee reduction for mine - but our school is giving 10% for Reception.
Last time it was 25% - but all the lessons are live and children progressing well. No issues with paying the full price.

How are live lessons working in reception? I have a year one child and the only live lessons are registration with an overview of the days activities, general chat plus a group guided reading and a story read bt their teacher at the end of the day. I as parent seems to be necessary for most of the actual teaching! Materials supplied are difficult for year one child to do on their own. She constantly needs to ask me what she is supposed to be doing and I can see why - eg written instructions too complicated for her to read herself, parent involvement needed to supply raw materials or supervise for safety. Half the day is spent on their broad curriculum in which they are palmed off with lessons masquerading as suitable for a yeat one child but which were ibviously intended for older children (presumably same lesson prepared for all age groups). I think we deserve a big discount but doubt we’ll get anything.

@MGMidget for reception we are getting 20 mins live a day which is phonics or maths. Smaller group so only about 5 kids with the teacher

@MGMidget - that doesn't sound great.

We are getting five half hours live - plus circle time, story and registration all live. There are music, french and latin, which are 'teacher supported' - the teacher kicks it off and then stay on live there to support if needed with a round up at the end.

@Joy93 is that for Y1? I would be surprised if anyone is at a prep school and doing more than what @MGmidget mentions for Y1 plus one half hour session every day in a smaller group, but not five. The rest (most of the teaching) is all parent led.

www.tes.com/news/exclusive-teachers-pension-scheme-exodus-escalates

If parents doing most if the teaching then full fees are very poor value! No there seems to be quite a difference on this thread regarding provision for the younger ones judging by a few reported experiences here. I also noticed on a local forum in my area there were quite big differences with some schools state and private doing all day live lessons at this age. Ours did sod all thefirst week but after parental feedback added a couple of live sessions but apart from a once a week group guided reading session the rest of it is not actual teaching but more social ‘togetherness’ when the children give their news to one another (eg a new toy).

Would anyone at a boarding senior DM me with what their school is offering? We are still being asked to pay full fees - even the boarding element! No sport (obviously) no catering - but my food bill is through the roof!!

Full fees for us. They have around 70% of children still in on KW places and the online provision they’re providing is excellent so I didn’t expect a rebate this time. First lockdown we received 60% discount.