Private schools and free places??

[BohemianLilly]

Not sure if im posting in the right place but what the hey!!!

Schools in my area arent very good, and by that i mean bad ofsted reports etc

So anyway saw an advertisement for a private school not far from me who offer bursaries and the possibility of a free place

DD is only 3.3 but is it worth giving them a call to find out more?? incase there is a long waiting list, or am i being silly even considering trying out for a place at private school??

Any advice welcome please.....

Oh forgot to say that im a single mum on benefits (im at college) will that make a difference??

I think it depends on the school but it is very unlikely to happen in nursery - bursaries are usually given later on as far as I am aware. Often for academic ability, sport, music achievements.

Yes, give them a call - 3.3 is not too young if they are offering large bursaries in Reception.

If they do, the place will be very competitive, but if you don't ask, you wont get anything.

Your economic situation would not affect whether your DD is offered a place, but will affect how much you have to pay for it.

They usually only offer them in certain circumstances, relatively low income and having a child whose particular needs cannot be met in a state school (ie music or very academic) or already being there but parents having temporary financial hardship, for example. You can call and ask their criteria but I doubt they'd consider it before aged 7 and it isn't just a safety net for a poor state system. Ofsteds can be misleading anyway and not all private shcools are "better" !

Ok thankyou, yeah i am of the opinion that if i dont ask i wont get, so think its worth a try

I went to a shitty school myself and got nothing from it which is why i would like to check it out, but do also understand that places like that ere very limited etc

It really depends on how the school is responding to the new Charities' Act. The simplest way is to offer assisted places, and they will decide what is the best route for them.

If the school regularly has spaces, it costs very little to give away one for free. If they offer it to a gifted or talented child, then it is a win-win. Such a place would inevitably go to a family who could not otherwise afford a private school place.

The difficulty with a 3-year old is that it is very difficult to assess whether they are gifted or talented. Even if they appear so, it may be that they have developed one skill at the expense of another, and that everything will balance out in the end.

Do you think i should maybe wait until next year then??

God i know nothing about private schools so maybe im just dreaming

Phone up and ask them to send you a prospectus. Mull over that, and then decide what you want to do.

If they are advertising, then there is nothing to stop you responding.

The typical approach is to get the bumph from the school and then make an appointment to see the headteacher and have a tour. Seeing prospective parents is a huge part of a head's job - you will not be wasting their time. If the school has an open day, you may feel more comfortable visiting then (they are usually held in October).

If it turns out they are not able to offer anything for KS1, they will be very happy to keep you on their books for consideration for KS2.

Thankyou for the advice ScienceTeacher, will definately do as you just suggested

If you're thinking of Reception entry you really need to be looking now . Some may already be "full", although there will be movement in the meantime.

As far as I'm aware private schools don't usually offer bursaries until aged 11 when they are means tested and given to the highest performing children in the entrance exams (as in the top 5-10 out of potentially 100s of children sitting the exam).

One thing that's worth knowing is that if your child attends a private school which follow the National Curriculum for early years (3-5) and are OFSTEDed you are still eligible for childcare subsidies for nursery and reception. This means that it can work out much cheaper to get your child into a private school nursery (where you're only paying for term time) than a privately run nursery where you have to pay for every day of the year. So you might get nursery and reception at the cost of something like £2-3 grand a year instead of 4 or 5. But probably not worth taking advantage of this unless you could afford to maintain your child when the full fees kick in.

I would have thought that bursaries are not offered until 11. Plus I don't think assisted places are completely free, just reduced fees.

And please don't forget to look at the state schools too - Ofsted isn't everything, you really really need to look and see for yourself!

I agree with Seeker. OFSTED reports are often not all that revealing about the true ethos and spirit of a school, don't write the local schools off on that basis alone. Visit them!
That said, if you are interested in the independent route, call them now. Of course the independent sector has ordinary parents in it too - and those that can do so are offering bursaries etc because they would like to be more diverse. If they are snooty or unhelpful on the phone, they will have lost your custom and may not be the right place for you and your dd anyway.
Good luck.

A lot of private schools (my dd's for example) are offering 7 plus bursaries to comply with the charities act. I have seen about 3 different schools advertise for Year 3 scholarship examinations in the past year.

There is virtually nothing available for reception as far as I know.

Thankyou all for the advice, im thinking maybe i will give them a ring and find out more, but at the same time have a look at some of the state schools a little further out. I know there are a few that people have said are very good so will chexk them out.

Thanks again

There is no substitute for a personal visit . You can't soley rely on what others say , they may have specific reasons for their school which may not relate to you and often people will defend their own circumstances anyway. Ofsted reports are done very often so can quickly become outdated when the issues highlighted have been dealt with.