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Forces sweethearts

If you have a family member in the Royal Navy, RAF or army, find support from other Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Does anyone claim CEA (what used to be Boarding School Allowance)?

28 replies

Sidge · 05/05/2008 20:31

If so would you come and tell me a bit more about it please? (CAT me if you prefer to talk privately.)

I'm a bit all confused despite reading the JSP and need to understand a bit more about the value of the allowance - I need hard figures!!

Thanks muchly.

OP posts:
liquoriceallsorts · 05/05/2008 20:34

I get it for my ds and dd.

liquoriceallsorts · 05/05/2008 20:40

Its hard to deal with actual figures unless you know the school you want to use and the fees they charge. You get 90% of the fees paid but only up to a certain threshold (can't remember what that is!) so if they go to an expensive school you will end up with more to pay than 10%. They don't pay for uniforms and lots of other bits or help with the initial deposit that some schools require. We had to deposit £750 per child (refunded when they leave) and kitting them out initally cost us £1000 - you do need some savings I think. Fire away with any questions - brain numb and can't think of what else you might need to know. We are much poorer due to them being at 'boarding' school but it has been worth it in many other ways.

Original poster
Sidge · 05/05/2008 20:48

Thanks liquoriceallsorts, that's pretty much what I thought. I knew they paid 'up to' 90% but can't seem to find what the threshold is.

I also knew about having to pay for extras - that can really add up!

How old are your DC? Are they at a school far from your home/MQ?

OP posts:
nell12 · 05/05/2008 21:42

We get CEA: £5111 a term is the max you can claim for Senior Boarding.

nell12 · 05/05/2008 21:50

We live 1km away from DS' school and dd attends nursery there daily. We drop him off on Monday mornings, he comes home midweek for a night and then we collect him again on Friday at 4-ish. He is in Yr 7.

He has stayed the odd weekend, if their weekend activity is something he fancies but school are very flexible and TBH he can be there as much or as little as he wants.

After a year of boarding, it is possible to revert to being a day pupil (if you are close enough) and still recieve the allowance, but schools are not too keen on this due to the loss in income that they incur.

We generally end up paying another £750 a term. This tops up the fees (ds' school deliberately set their fees at 10% higher than CEA) and also covers insurance, weekly pocket money, trips etc etc.

remember by taking out CEA you are immediately classed as "mobile" so if you are in a MQ and DH gets posted, you have to go with him.

nell12 · 05/05/2008 21:50

We live 1km away from DS' school and dd attends nursery there daily. We drop him off on Monday mornings, he comes home midweek for a night and then we collect him again on Friday at 4-ish. He is in Yr 7.

He has stayed the odd weekend, if their weekend activity is something he fancies but school are very flexible and TBH he can be there as much or as little as he wants.

After a year of boarding, it is possible to revert to being a day pupil (if you are close enough) and still recieve the allowance, but schools are not too keen on this due to the loss in income that they incur.

We generally end up paying another £750 a term. This tops up the fees (ds' school deliberately set their fees at 10% higher than CEA) and also covers insurance, weekly pocket money, trips etc etc.

Remember by taking out CEA you are immediately classed as "mobile" so if you are in a MQ and DH gets posted, you have to go with him.

Original poster
Sidge · 05/05/2008 22:09

Thanks nell, that's really helpful.

We went to see a school today, and depending on the CEA depends whether we can afford it or not. We've got another couple of schools to see, and will talk to the bursar about bursaries as well.

We're not in a MQ but know that we would have to move if DH got drafted.

OP posts:
liquoriceallsorts · 05/05/2008 23:26

My dd is 16 and my ds is 14 and they go to a school 30 minutes away from our MQ (this was deliberate!). DS loves it and still weekly boards altho he doesn't have to. DD hates it and can't wait to leave and go to 'normal' college with 'normal' people! Mine only went from age 11 (DS) and 16 (DD) - perhaps different if they go earlier!?

liquoriceallsorts · 05/05/2008 23:30

oops that should be DD went from age 13..

MotherOfGirls · 06/05/2008 08:23

Both my DDs board - they are 10 and 13. The school isn't close (we are in Surrey and they are in Worcestershire!) but since the eldest started we have had 3 moves, including Germany, so the location was not the most important thing for us.

There are 2 levels of CEA - junior and senior. Senior is currently £5111, as nell12 said. Junior is £3962. They increase every summer but not usually as much as fees increase! Generally speaking, Junior is for prep school and Senior is for senior school, with the switch happening at 11 or 13, depending on the schools.

Do ask for forces discounts - and if you are still struggling to afford it, ask for more. They can only say no and won't think any the worse of you for asking. We currently top up the allowance by £1000 per child per term, although when the eldest moves to senior school in September we will be paying more for her. That is with 20 - 25% discounts!

I think making the decision to send children to boarding school is incredibly difficult and I can promise you will shed more tears than they will! Having said that, our girls are getting a fantastic start to life - one we could never afford without the allowance. They are also becoming truly wonderful, independent people. Sorry, came over all proud mum for a moment!!

How old are your children?

MotherOfGirls · 06/05/2008 08:29

Forgot to say, there is a helpline for the CEAS (Children's Education Advisory Service) on 01980 618244. They will be happy to talk you through the initial paperwork. After the first term, the serving partner applies each term via JPA. The money is then paid into your bank account so you can pay the fees.

MotherOfGirls · 06/05/2008 08:31

Let me know if I can help any further. I would CAT you, but I'm new to Mumsnet and don't know what that means!!

Blandmum · 06/05/2008 08:32

If you get this allowance you can also tap into a considerable amount of special needs support for your child.

Our son is mildly dyspraxic (would just about get of the school action level in the school I work in and get no support and his needs are relatively minor). He gets 10 hours of 1 to 1 support and the effect on him has been astonishing

MotherOfGirls · 06/05/2008 08:37

We are just in the process of applying for this for DD2. I agree, it is a huge bonus that extra tuition is covered if needed.

Original poster
Sidge · 06/05/2008 11:24

Thanks for all your replies, they've been very helpful.

If the prep allowance is £3692 I don't think we can even manage the difference in that and the fees for the (not hideously expensive) schools we are looking at.

I will obviously ask the bursar what they can offer (I'm a cheeky moo and have no shame!) but am thinking that even with CEA it's going to be out of our tiny budget (DH is only a CPO and we have a mortgage and I can't work much as am a carer for DD2).

Oh well if you don't ask you don't get! Right, what can I do to wow the bursar??!

OP posts:
liquoriceallsorts · 06/05/2008 14:07

If it helps I know schools in Wales are cheaper - friend has just been down from Wales and is horrified at our fees! Our fees are £5300 per term if you fancy rural Cornwall (that figure is before CEA money).

nell12 · 06/05/2008 20:08

Have a chat with the Bursar, they are generally very pro CEA families as it more or less guarantees the fees being paid (you would be amazed at the amount of parents in arrears at any given time )

DCs school also do a deal whereby you can pay monthly, rather than termly. It meant the amount was slightly more manageable to our finances.

See what they can offer

littlelapin · 07/05/2008 07:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

scaryteacher · 07/05/2008 11:33

Liquorice - where in rural Cornwall is that? I only know of the preps /schools around Tavistock, such as Mount House, Kelly etc - does this Cornish school take them to 18? Currently unimpressed with international school funded by MOD, and maybe looking to move him back to UK. Can't justify Canford fees, which is what I'd really like, but looking for viable alternative.

MotherOfGirls · 07/05/2008 11:42

scaryteacher - I seem to remember from other posts that you are forces. Sue Anderson Education provides a free service to forces families, helping them find UK boarding schools. Might be worth getting in touch with her.

Our DD is joining Malvern College in September - but that is also quite expensive....

Googiesmum · 07/05/2008 11:50

I hope you don't mind me butting into your convo but boarding discussions always catch my eye as our three are boarders as DH works abroad. Have you considered state boarding? They are much cheaper as you only pay for the boarding costs not education (around £3000 a term), standards are high and in our school priority is given to service personnel. Have a look at the STABIS site. Hope this helps.

scaryteacher · 07/05/2008 11:54

Thanks for that...it's the cost that's the problem and weighing up what's best. I worked to pay day fees in UK as I was stable and dh weekended. Moving to Brussels meant that the day fees here are picked up in their entirety and there's no need for me to be in gainful employment. If we move ds back to the UK to board, it gets expensive as I'd like him to go to Canford or perhaps Kelly College. The former, preferably, but it's £23000+ which is then another £8k+ to find with extras/uniform etc. It's possible that we will be here until GCSE's (he's year 7 at the moment), otherwise we come back at the end of year 9, and I have to start making some plans soon, as I'm not impressed with the local comps where we live in Cornwall.

Do you know if the MOD pay CEA if dh goes to MOD in London to work? Having miraculously avoided it for 30 years, that would be the most likely place for his last job (which is why I'm hoping they'll keep him out here, rather than promote him and make us go home).

scaryteacher · 07/05/2008 12:01

Sorry - before the pedants get here - GCSEs, doesn't need the apostrophe. Googiesmum, I'm looking at that for sixth form, as I went to Symonds in Winchester for mine (Dad was Forces too), and I think ds would enjoy it. He really doesn't want to board at the moment, and I am loathe to push it. He is my one and only, and I don't want to miss out on the teenage years, as I think they will be fun! However, i want him educated somewhere where they will stretch him, as I don't think they do at the moment, and he is bored. He is also the type of person who would make himself miserable if sent to boarding school because he could, iyswim.

MotherOfGirls · 07/05/2008 12:17

Yes, MOD pay CEA when your husband is at MOD - mine is there now! They will pay wherever he is, provided that you are a mobile family i.e. you live with him at his place of duty. I believe a posting to MOD is the only time you can actually claim CEA and not be accompanied (except operational tours!), so if you chose to live elsewhere for the duration of the tour, and he took a flat in London, that would be fine. We considered that option but it suits my DH better to come home to a meal and his own bed every night - oh and to me as well, I guess!

MotherOfGirls · 07/05/2008 12:19

By the way, scaryteacher, saw you injecting some much needed common sense to the thread about boarding schools 'damaging' children. Couldn't bring myself to contribute as I would have had to attack those with extremely prejudiced views