Short term places in private schools?

[ladyjaja]

Are private schools happy to admit pupils on a short term basis, or are they really strict on having pupils committing to staying the full course?
We may have to put our DC on a waiting list for a state school and were wondering if it's feasible to use a private school as something of an open-ended short term measure.

If they have spaces, do they tend to be glad of an extra "bum on seat" or do they reject pupils if they think they're not in it for the long term? I can imagine they wouldn't mind if it was a family relocating etc, but if they thought you were just waiting for a local state place would they send you packing?

Has anyone done this and were you upfront with the school?

Thanks!

No experience but would suggest that in the current economic climate some schools would happily take your money. I probably couldn't carry it off, but why would you need to tell them your plan anyway? Simply make sure you can give a terms notice or you'll have to pay the fees for the next term.

I have heard of people doing it round here. You do realise you have to give a terms notice for your child to leave - so if they are they are there for a term it will cost you two terms + often another non-returnable deposit.

I would never say it was a short term measure, you don't know how short term it is. A school that would be happy with this would not be a school I would want my child at. Home educate an option?

thanks!
I would be absolutely terrible at the pretending bit and I think I could only do it if I could explain that it would be a temporary measure. But just wonder how you then turn up every day knowing you're only there till another place comes up?

We asked about this as DS was offered several places for Y6, and two deferred for Y7. As it the Y7 schools we are interested in , I did ask the others if he could go for a year pending his move in Y7. They said no, on the basis that it would be disruptive to him to change schools for such a short time.

I definitely wouldn't HE. The alternative would be whatever state school had places which would obviously be some distance away and also presumably undersubscribed because fewer people want to go there. That might be the easier option, but there again, I would probably want to make it clear we were on a waiting list elsewhere.

Losing fees would be gutting, but at the end of the day I'd just be wanting to do what's best for the kids.

I'll keep pondering...

We had someone who only did reception year whilst waiting for a place at the local state school. His parents were quite open about it.

MGoG - I suppose that's a reasonable position for the school to take. I can definitely see why it's not an ideal course.

Interesting Mollie - so the school were quite happy with that? Was it awkward with the other parents?

There is no obligation but often a financial incentive to stay (ie deposit offset against last term's fees). I think you'd need to be aware you may have to take up a space mid-term at a state school , or lose it , and could effectively lose a term and a half's fees in notice. How long could you afford to wait it out and by that stage what if you/dc didn't want to move ? A good private school may not have the relevant spaces at short notice anyway. Other parents may give you a wide berth if they believe you are not going to be a long term friend.

Lizs, I take your points. The lost fees would be a real blow but not the end of the world. I would though, really worry about our child settling in and loving it and finding it hard to move. We would be looking at a situation where the older sibling would be at the state school already as there seem to be places in those year groups. So maybe that would help in that respect a bit?

Re parents - yes, that could be a dodgy one - maybe parents wouldn't want to start up playdates/friendships if they felt we were moving to a state school - i had wondered about that.

Any way you look at it, it's not a perfect solution! It's hard!

ladyjaja no problem with the school afaik and no problem with other parents. It maybe because it was reception year and we had some new pupils during the year anyway and also more new ones when we got into year 1. Probably a more fluid couple of years than you will find in the older years.

Not many families, but certainly half a dozen families in the last 4 years that I know of, for work reasons, have done this. This is both foreign and moving around the country. No problem either to the school (although don't know of financial agreements families came to), and no problem with the children integrating and being welcomed. Although it was harder (understandably) for those children who did not speak english appreciate not a problem for you.