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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Deposit Fees - is this normal!?!

15 replies

nandl · 30/10/2013 10:35

Hi all,

Hope this is the right sub-forum!

We have been applying for our LO at several different private schools for reception and pre-reception (3+) places.

One of the schools seems to have a policy that when you put your deposit down, you only get it back in full IF your LO stays at the school till the very end ie: if the school is from 4+ to 7 or 11, they would only be able to leave at 7 or 11, or you wouldn't get the full deposit back.

This was the first time I've come across this, and was really shocked. The worst part is, it's my favourite school out of all the ones we've seen.

The issue being if our LO does get accepted into a good school where she can stay till 18, we'd want to move her and save her facing the 7+.

Has anyone heard of this kind of thing before? If we had to, we'd take the hit, but it would hurt - badly.

Thanks,
Nathan

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Abitannoyedatthis · 30/10/2013 10:44

I think a full term's notice is normal, with the deposit set off against it or refunded afterwards. Sounds like people are leaving quite early for other schools, I would ask why?

Tableforfour · 30/10/2013 13:32

Lots of schools do this as it is hassle for them to fill a place at a point when they don't have a normal intake. I've heard of schools refusing to provide references too.

Tableforfour · 30/10/2013 13:32

My son's nursery withholds the deposit if you don't stay for a full year.

OldBeanbagz · 30/10/2013 13:34

The full term's notice is fairly standard and i know one family who are being taken to court for not giving this notice or paying for the term fees.

Our deposit was deducted from the first term's fees. It would set alarm bells riniging if the school would only give you back at the end of your child's school life.

What about if you had a change of circumstances and couldn't afford private school fees? Or job relocation? Do they have a high incident of leavers?

LIZS · 30/10/2013 13:40

yes it is normal. It is usually offset against the last term's fees. I'd be a bit concerned about a long tie in if only form the pov that the school's finances may flounder in the meantime. Personally I think committing to 3-18 schools is not such a good idea, you can't possibly know whether a school will suit the child or you that long term.

Original poster

nandl · 30/10/2013 17:03

Having a more calm think about this, I could understand perhaps up to the point of keeping a child for a full year (with a terms notice).

The school has waiting lists and is highly regarded. This was the only thing that put me off, the actual place was lovely and the pupils were fantastic.

I went to a private school (which I hated btw, so would be the first to pull our LO out from anywhere which didn't suit her!), but even then the commitment was for the year.

I think I will speak to the head - as they start at 3+ it makes it really hard as we've applied for schools like SHHS, Habs etc and they generally intake at 4. This must've come up before, and I'd be amazed if they couldn't fill places at 4+.

Fingers crossed this doesn't get us blacklisted! :-)

OP posts:

difficultpickle · 30/10/2013 17:14

I think it is extremely odd. Ds has been at two prep schools. When he left his first one the deposit was refunded. That is what I would expect as you pay for fees in advance. We gave a term's notice otherwise we would have been liable for a term's worth of fees.

Tableforfour · 30/10/2013 19:32

Out of interest, which school?

chauffeurmummy · 30/10/2013 20:50

At my dds prep you get half back at the end of the first term and half back if they stay until the end of Yr 8. Its not a huge deposit though so you wouldn't be losing a lot of money if you didn't stay.

Michaelahpurple · 30/10/2013 21:22

I have never heard of getting the deposit back earlier than the last term (we has to ask for a cheque) but, returning to the OP , keeping it if you don't stay through to the end is increasing in london. In some areas schools are fed up of filling highly contested places at reception only for children to leave at, for instance, 7+. I suspect that if you were leaving for another reason, like a relocation , they might be flexible. It may be annoying, but I wouldn't let it put me off my otherwise favourite school , and I don't think it is a particular sign of weakness.

difficultpickle · 30/10/2013 21:38

Ds moved schools to take up a scholarship at another local school. Both schools oversubscribed but not in London. I wouldn't be impressed at them trying to hang on to the deposit just because we didn't stay until the end of year 6/8.

lunar1 · 31/10/2013 06:28

Ours was deducted off the first years fees and was only £200.

sanam2010 · 31/10/2013 09:00

Is it NBH? I'd be annoyed too but I can totally understand the schools, they are oversubscribed so they actually want to pick the families who want that school, rather than those who are just waiting to switch to NLCS or Arnold House or whatever as soon as possible.

Original poster

nandl · 01/11/2013 15:49

I can't really name the school, as I still want our little girl to go there!

It's London, there's enough demand, more than enough people with the money. Beggars can't be choosers and all that!

OP posts:

BrigitBigKnickers · 01/11/2013 15:52

When we moved our DD from a private school at the end of year 9 we had to give a terms notice (told them she was leaving in February to leave at the end of the summer term) and then when she left they returned the deposit we had paid when she joined in year 7.

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