Will we ever find out?

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Hi,

Quick few question regarding bursary. We applied for the means-tested bursary for DD five weeks ago, DD is already at the school completing the year 1,
DD has been at the school from the age of three on full fees, but eight weeks ago DH has been made redundant so we are left with my income £24.000 a year, on this we can't afford the fees anymore.
How long is the usual wait before we find out one way or the other?
How likely we are to get bursary for DD?
School has a bursaries to give up to %100, how big of a pot I don't know, but it is available to all pupils pre- prep and prep.
I am getting little bit nervous, should we have heard something by now?
There is one more week of school to go and if the answer is negative I would like to be able to apply for the local primary in time as a mid year admission.
Would it be wise to call a bursar and try to find out if we were successful?
Is that considered to be a big no, no?
I did go and had a good look around local primary, nothing wrong with it, I actually got a very positive vibe while there, Ofsted satisfactory, for what is worth, but it will have to do, if we don't hear anything soon.
All advice welcome, particularly those who have been trough bursary process, thanks.

Nothing to lose by ringing the bursar. Probably unlikely that a large bursary will be awarded in Year 1 though as the majority of funds will almost certainly be used on those in yrs 5 and 6. Good luck though.

Thanks oliverreed, I will ring tomorrow and try to find out, I am aware that large bursary will not be offered, however we are hoping for 1/3 off in the ideal world, it would still be a struggle but manageable.

Have you given your notice to the school. The standard T&Cs require you to give a clear term's notice or pay fees in lieu; so unless you knew this was coming and have given notice already, you'll need to factor in paying until Christmas.

We had this discussion with head when DH lost his job and when we applied for the bursary, at the time we were discouraged to hand in the notice, but instead encouraged to apply for the bursary.
As we had very sudden turn of circumstances Head also assured us notice term fees will be waved.
Which is very kind of them, I might add.

Oh good. Even if they don't have enough cash in the bursary pot to offer what you need, at least they are being as helpful as they can in terms of minimising the impact where they can.

I hope a quick call to the bursar will tell you when you can expect news.

It might be worth applying for a state place anyhow. It'll take a little while to work through the system anyhow, and you can always turn it down if the bursary turns up.

Thank you Edith that is exactly what I was thinking, I will apply for the place at the local state school anyway, if the bursary turns up well jolly good and if not DD will have a place at local school and that is good too.
TBH we have very serious financial issues at the moment, DD school is only one side of facet, and one I am least concerned with, if it works out great, then she can stay where she is, if not I am not adverse to a local state school, I am fairly confident she will be OK there too.
Saying that I do hope for the sake of avoiding the upheaval school will want to keep her, one less worry on my mind.

We had to wait for the governors to agree it. Took a few weeks for said meeting to take place & we were informed the same day via email then the next day by letter. Wishing you the bet of luck OP!

Well, this morning I did call the bursar office, and it appears our application is still on the desk, no decision has been made, and they don't know when it will be made, nor when will they let us know.
So all in all not good, I don't think they will award DD anything, from the tone of the whole conversation I didn't get positive vibe, it was a very dry with yes and no answers, me being the one asking lot of questions.
Does anyone know, what sort of criteria apart from our financial situation(in dire straits atm) school might use to asses and satisfy bursary requirement?