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Original poster

Sibling discounts at private schools?

23 replies

NK132ef1cbX12013fd512d · 17/03/2009 14:41

Hi, I have just found out that the private school my son attends does not offer a sibling discount. As we have a younger daughter and another baby on the way, this is a huge disappointment. I just wondered how common place sibling discounts are in private schools generally and if they do offer them what they are for second, third etc siblings? I would like to have a discussion with the school and want to go fully armed with information! Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
MollieO · 17/03/2009 14:50

Ours offers discounts of £165/term for first sibling, £330 for second, £495 for third and £660 for fourth and subsequent siblings. All have to be concurrently at the school and being at the nursery doesn't count.

annh · 17/03/2009 16:33

Not that common in my experience and not worth a great deal either! Some schools offer perhaps a 5/10% discount for second child, some offer nothing for 2nd and discount only for 3rd.

marialuisa · 17/03/2009 16:48

I've found that they are the norm, but that the value can vary. Best I know of is a RC school that offers 25% off number 2 or 3 kids for the price of 2.

TigersEnglandChick · 17/03/2009 16:54

I know of one prep school and two private schools in our area and, AFAIK, they all offer a discount for the 3rd child.
I don't know how much of a discount it is though.

talbot · 17/03/2009 17:36

Ours is 10% which as we have three children, hadds up to a saving of £2,500 a year - not to be sniffed at,

scienceteacher · 17/03/2009 20:59

Some do, some don't.

My boys' senior school doesn't (or doesn't for two as we don't get any), but my girls' school offers increasing discounts per child.

dilemma456 · 17/03/2009 21:08

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 17/03/2009 21:18

Think it is 5% at DD's prep school.

snorkle · 18/03/2009 09:57

There's a small discount for the third at our school (can't quite remember what, but I think it's around 10-15%), but fourth and subsequent children are free while their older siblings are at the school (the school goes from 4-18, so some families get quite a few years of overlap).

londonartemis · 18/03/2009 10:04

I think some will give a discount if you ask (even if they don't offer it on a prospectus.) Some offer it on the eldest child's fees once the others are in the school, so once the eldest moves on, the discount no longer applies. Depends on the school, but I would ask if I were you.

Galava · 18/03/2009 10:05

10 % at my sons school with the second boy and 10 % at my daughters school but only with the 4th daughter !!!!!

The trouble with single sex schools is you dont get this discount if you've got one of each !

duchesse · 18/03/2009 10:35

Our older children's school does 10% for the second child, and 20% for third and subsequent. Our third child goes to the sister but unconnected school (Older children's school was until recently boys only) and gets a 10% means tested discount which I suspect they grant to quite a lot of older children's school's siblings.

Paula1 · 22/03/2009 12:18

Our school does 4th child goes free whilst they are all attending at the same time

ICANDOTHAT · 24/03/2009 17:34

Both private schools my ds attended did not offer sibling discounts (Surrey area)

Badpups · 24/03/2009 18:22

I was told that there was only a discount for the 4th child. When I pointed out that other schools in the area offer sibling discounts I was offered a 5% discount off the fees for my 3rd once he reaches 5 and whilst the others are at the school. I spoke to another parent with 3 children and she wasn't aware of any discounts so I think it's something that has to be asked for!

CowsGoMoo · 24/03/2009 19:43

My childrens prep offers a 10% discount on the 2nd and 3rd child and 15% on any further siblings.

They do have to be in the pre prep or prep school though. The nursery school doesn't count!

Loshad · 28/03/2009 22:43

we've four at the same school - no discount - the better/more popular schools don't need to offer them

ABetaDad · 28/03/2009 22:52

10% at DSs Prep school.

slummymummy36 · 28/03/2009 23:46

Being Independent schools means that. They can choose what to do.

My children ahve attended a few different schools over the years and the sibling discount was for me more than once one of the deciding factors in selecting a certain school.

We have had anything from 10% for 2nd sibling to 25% off 3rd sibling. And then those that offer nothing at all. At all the schools the discount stops when eldest child leaves/move onto the next school. Most but not all did not include a child in the nursery as a 2nd sibling - they only became a 2nd sibling once in the pre prep.

eatyourveg · 15/04/2009 15:01

first sibling gets 5% second 10% third 15% etc valid for as long as you are in the school regardless of when the original sibling left

Sorrento · 15/04/2009 21:04

I have negotiated 3 for the price of 2 and I'm not the only one, a friend gave me the idea after she'd done it herself, now just have to find funds for the 2

Hulababy · 15/04/2009 21:10

TBH I can see why so many only offer a sma discount generally. It is not as if the siblings are sharing the same schoo resources and they are still using up a full place in the school. All that has to be paid for,

Sorrento · 15/04/2009 22:10

It depends on how much competition there is for places, I am considering returning to the private sector if we have to move house and not one of the 7 schools I've approached have told me they do not have three spaces, so I guess they will be delighted to receive three customers even if only two are paid for places.
We actually originally left the first school because there were only 3 other girls and 6 boys in the class, that is a worse situation than 30 in my opinion.

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