Private school parents - what % fee increase are you looking at for Sept?

[EldonAve]

Just had our letter - almost 8%

Meant to add - as I predicted letter arrived Easter Saturday just to liven up the weekend and revive the debate about why do we do it...{grin]

Last year it was 8%, which many thought was extraordinarily bold (and out of touch) given the severe economic climate.

This year we've been told the increase will be 'only' 4.5% because of the economic climate.....

4.5% because they have to track the national teachers pay award at 2.35% errmm.......

as i have been given a 1% pay award ( and was suprised to get that) and dh's rates have fallen it puts us on a hiding to nothing

also the joy that they are introducing an entirely new PE kit next year...having bought the entire thing in september. I will not be buying another one.

thank god we are only in this for 2 years, it has made me realise that we really couldnt commit to this until 16.

our teachers also seemed to be getting the same pay award as those in the state system

6% for us but DD1 just starting so all the uniform to buy. most of it has to come from the school shop

olivo - check to see if the school/parents' association/etc have second hand uniform sales.

I have gotten most of dd's uniform second hand in the past. Everything I bought was in good condition, and I saved a significant amount of money.

3.5% here, but fee increase used to be each january and has been deferred to September.

thanks earlybird, i contacted a friend who said they do, so i am on the case! she is also going to passon some of her dd's things as she has a ds. i'm hoping things are in good condition, as they grow so quickly out of things at this age,don't they? and hopefully i'll be able to keep most of the things for dd2 as well!

I have just received my letter (DS1 who is out on a visit from his UK boarding school hid it for a few days) I bloody livid. Increase is 11.4% which is an increase of over 1,100 per term!
DH is going absolutely mad.

Lizs can you recommend your DCs school, sounds far more reasonable and I think you are in the Surrey area?

around 3%

name address and phone number of your school stillenacht please

lol mo - it only goes up to 13 though, no boarders ! Think the cost is fairly comparable locally but not the cheapest. This is their "lowest" increase in 10+ years apparently but major building programme starting next year so wonder for how long ....

so he can repeat a few years!
DH still fuming and has gone out for some fresh air to clear his head but doubt he'll find any fresh air in the middle of the desert!
How the hell can they justify an increase of 1k+ per term

Last year: 3%

This year, no more than 3% (which in effect means a 3% increase - methinks)

Well we dont tend to get told until half way through the summer term and actually last year it was the end of June - this is for rises to come into effect in the September.

Seems its not the norm and I wonder where someone would stand with their terms notice if they decided the fee increase was too high.

More waiting for us - ignorance is bliss for now!

DD off to uni so no more fees for her!!!!

But DS (just about to go into the sixth form so we have a big hike in fees anyway) - frozen last year and nothing about the increases yet - they usually wait until just before the last day of term in early July. DS has a managed to get a music scholarship for sixth form so I'm hoping that will offset any increases.

WOW - 8 - 9.5%! Those are steep.

I wonder if this is happening in schools in financial difficulty or had a lot of parents not paying fees (bad debts)?

We had 2.7% increase and that we thought was totally out of order.

Goodness me. If I had got a letter demanding 10% or more on fees the DSs would be out of there like a shot. That really smacks of a school in financial difficulty or totally out of touch.

BeenBeta, toally agree. Problem is, when your DC is halfway through AS/A levels the buggers have you over a barrel as they know you can't just pull them out 1,125 per term increase here

mumoverseas - that is a really rotten stunt. Seems they are being quite deliberate. Not surprised you are.

Just mentioned this thread to DW and she reminded me that our DSs school only selectivey raised fees for certain year groups and avoided doing so at those years where people were likely to leave.

bloody crooks
Well this has been the final straw for us and DH has put his foot down and said DC 3 and 4 will not go private. Too much stress

'not more than' 3.5% here - which I'm assuming means 3.5%!

Still waiting to hear from ds's new school!

His current school always let us know during the Easter holidays so I'm a bit miffed at the new school!

Not a school, but our private nursery put our fees up by 5% this year, and 6% last year. I've yet to come across any parent who has received a similar level of salary increase.

0% increase last year so I expect there will be something this year. Haven't had letter yet. I didn't get a pay rise last year or this.