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Paying school fees-where do I even begin? Am an sp and broke-help!!!

136 replies

Justtwosecondspoppet · 13/03/2008 12:40

I know this has been done so many times but I think I may be searching the wrong threads as I can't find anything! The plan to send dd to local state until she is 7 has fallen flat as we are not christian enough (due to having to take time out from church attendance to care for terminally ill mother at the weekends fgs!) so am going to have to send her from 4. Where do I even begin with paying the fees-I will be on a good salary when she is 7/8 as I will have qualified as a barrister, but at the moment am entirely broke. However, don't want to send her to bad school where she will learn bad habits until 7 and then get ridiculed by the other children when she does change (which is what happened to me at 13). HELP!!! The prep school is ideal-we looked round at Christmas and she adored it, the headmistress adored her, and she can stay until 18, on top of which it is brilliant in it's league rankings. Help help help help help!!!

OP posts:
susie100 · 13/03/2008 14:02

I agree - all schools should be good and the current system is very unfair. 'Choice' is non existent really unless you have money which is grim. In the meantime we all try our best. If you get into a good or satisfactory school you are lucky.
Best of luck.

motherinferior · 13/03/2008 14:06

Actually most of the state primary schools in my area are fine, thank you.

PrincessButtercup · 13/03/2008 14:07

Sorry, may have been suggested but: if you are Christian and the real and only reason for non-church attendance was your mother's sickness, can you not speak to your vicar/priest about these mitigating circumstances?

susie100 · 13/03/2008 14:08

You are lucky - we have one good and 4 in special measures!

CissyCharlton · 13/03/2008 14:08

Have you secured a funded pupillage/pupillage with guaranteed fees and/or funding from your Inn?

TheHonEnid · 13/03/2008 14:09

mine is 8

at local state

knows ALL times tables pretty well
is kind, thoughtful and creative

all in all lovely

"What exactly do dc's do at school until they are 7? Do they do nouns/verbs etc or a lot of sandpitting?" sorry are you for real

duchesse · 13/03/2008 14:09

Honestly, as long as the school she goes teaches reading and writing, she would be fine in the state system until 7. We did this with ours, and frankly, they were better off in the state system. We only moved them when our views and the school system re appropriate amount of exercise, thinking skills, languages, homework amongst many things, began to diverge markedly. As I said, as long as your little one learns to read, write and add up, she will be fine in the state system for a few years yet. Failing that, there's home educating until you are working and able to afford school fees...

pooka · 13/03/2008 14:10

Same here MI.

HairyToe · 13/03/2008 14:11

Mine too motherinferior. Although I get the feeling my definition of a 'fine' primary school (ie the kids are happy and safe, teachers reasonably warm and friendly) is different to some people's definition of a 'fine' primary school hence the percieved problem.

TheHonEnid · 13/03/2008 14:12

"Honestly, as long as the school she goes teaches reading and writing, she would be fine in the state system until 7. "

I absolutely hate parents using the state system as free childcare until the snob factor kicks in at 7

sorry

I know I am wrong to say that and there are lots of mitigating circs but it makes my blood boil

FluffyMummy123 · 13/03/2008 14:13

Message withdrawn

HairyToe · 13/03/2008 14:14

Oh and my local primary school (the one DD1 will be going to soon) was in special measures a while back. Still doesn't change my own opinion from visiting it and already being involved that its a lovely school and the DCs will be fine there. With my loving parental support of course...

duchesse · 13/03/2008 14:14

Alternative is to stick the cash in a bond that yields 5% tax free and grows the capital. On 200,000 you'd get 10,000 a year, keep the capital and it would grow by about 2% a year (subject to stock market fluctuations). Call a financial place (we use Hargreaves Landsdown) and ask them about it. We've always found them friendly.

FluffyMummy123 · 13/03/2008 14:14

Message withdrawn

duchesse · 13/03/2008 14:15

That's nice, Enid. And completely uncalled for and snobbish in its own right.

HairyToe · 13/03/2008 14:16

Oh cod does this mean I have to start saving up now for the cost of the tattoos It all mounts up doesn't it

TheHonEnid · 13/03/2008 14:16

whats snobbish?

to say I hate it?

I really do.

motherinferior · 13/03/2008 14:19

I'm going for stick-on tattoos, HT, much classier.

FluffyMummy123 · 13/03/2008 14:19

Message withdrawn

motherinferior · 13/03/2008 14:20

And we do special Teenage Pregnancy classes every Wednesday.

mumblechum · 13/03/2008 14:20

Oh, ours all get pregnant without special lessons

duchesse · 13/03/2008 14:20

My definition of a school I did not want my very active 7yr old boy to go to, was one where they had NO playtime after the first term of yr 3 (just 5 minutes's break in the book corner in the morning), and did no PE or games apart from 1 hour of X country running once a week. My son would have been on Valium at 8 under that regime. He is very physical, needed the exercise and was never going to get in at the (top of of league tables) junior school he was allocated. FWIW he is now 14 and training for Ten Tors which involves a 35 mile walk in 36 hours. Not your average unphysical teenager.

Issy · 13/03/2008 14:21

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request

TheHonEnid · 13/03/2008 14:21

a bit OT but I was privy to hushed convo between mums at a coffee thing about the state kids who had joined their private secondary

'REALLY - but did he have the LATIN'

boak

pooka · 13/03/2008 14:22

Agree with Enid. Why at 7 does state education no longer appeal? Obviously things change, and people might decide that the system is failing their child, hence a school move. But to actually start at a school with a definite view to moving a child after cosy cuddly infants? I don't understand the psyche.