Private School Deposit

[cjm10979]

I have my daughter down for a local private school and I'm about to pay the deposit. Our plan is that if she does not get into a good state school we will put her in this private school.
The terms and conditions of the deposit state that you need to give one term's full notice if you intend not to take up the place otherwise you would be liable to one term's full fees.
In our area parents are noticed of the state school allocation on 16th April 2015. However, at this private school the term starts on the 14th April 2015. Technically, if we gave notice to them on 16th April we haven't given them one FULL term's notice by 2 days.
Has anyone else been in this situation? Did the school ask for a full term fee (and in our case almost £3000)?

Yes - this is completely standard, and our local private wants £1000 downpayment and the first full term before you even start.

You may get the school to waiver if its only a day but a lot of schools get narked if they feel you are only holding a place as an alternative to your first choice and stick you for the fees anyway.

They can do, yes. I guess you could give notice on the 14th and then say that you've changed your mind on the 16th if things don't work out.

Depends on the school. Some will, some won't - if they have a waiting list and are confident they can fill your space immediately, they are more likely to be relaxed about it, but some schools will be very much to the second on something like this.

PS - term starting on the 14th is a little bit of a give-away that they might be strict about it; it's almost as if they have deliberately chosen it so it is 2 days before the allocations...

It is standard practice and prevents schools from having empty spaces which they could have filled with another child. A terms fees is a lot of money for the school to lose based on a parent wanting to hedge their bets on getting a good state school allocation.

Not really Patricia - most schools in our borough start back on 13th or 14th if they're having an INSET on the 13th. I'm not sure it a huge conspiracy, just unfortunate timing.

Yes unfortunately I had to pay a full terms fees when dd started secondary school (although we only have notice at May half term as she was offered a late place at an alternative school.

This was despite her having attended the linked junior school & ds still attends.

Interesting term start date around here Private schools don't go back till 22nd April. I would make very suspicious they will rigidly pursue this.

Round here private schools use the deposit to stop people doing exactly what you're planning, so yes they would keep the deposit if you gave notice 2 days into the term, they are really strict on it because they don't want to lose money by holding a space.

they probably will pursue it, I know friends this happened to. From their pov, it's totally understandable, you've taken up a space they might have offered elsewhere and you withdrawing a child will affect their budget plans. You have to suck it up and look at how much you save long term by staying out of the private system.

Standard procedure I'm afraid. You could try pointing it out to them but fear they may then get about your commitment.

The state schools here all go back 13/14th, but the privates all seem to be the week after. Depends where you are in the UK a bit I would imagine.

The last thread on this concluded that yes they will want deposit and a terms fees

Thanks for the replies. I don't mind losing the deposit, after all they are holding the place. But £3k for a service we may not use is a bit much. I think it would be more appropriate to say that you would need to pay one term's fees if you hadn't given notice by 5pm on Friday 17th April. Therefore, take a state place or private place and no fathing about with appeals etc. There is a shortage of places in the area in both state and private. I applied to two other private schools and only got on the waiting list for these schools as children in their nursery get priority. I suspect that a few children in the nursery will leave and that will free up places, and may get calls from these schools! Interesting to see that other private schools are going back the week after.

I have heard of people waiting until much closer to the deadline and then putting in a request to have an extra couple of days until they are committed to the terms fees....with an honest explanation of why.

The school might well be reasonable, if you ask, by perhaps Christmas and are honest.

When I was considering giving notice at a private school the Head told me that a term's notice meant letting them know by the last day of the previous term, not by the first day of term. So it may be even earlier than you think.

Good point. I think it generally is the last day of the previous term. Read the terms and conditions very carefully and if in doubt ask for the date in writing or email.

But £3k for a service we may not use is a bit much.

By holding the place you are preventing then selling it to somebody else and collecting £3k. The school should not have to 'lose' £3k due to your indecision.

They'll have set it like this deliberately.

They want to be reasonably certain they have sorted out their admissions, not face headaches of refilling places in a last minute hassle. One way to maximise their chances of doing this is to structure it to deter hedgers and hope they are left with those who really want their school as a first choice.

I think this is fair enough. No school wants to end up with unallocated places at late notice when they could have filled them in their standard admissions round.

Their position is pretty clear and you will be liable for your deposit and a terms fees.

The school want firm acceptances from people who want to send their children there, not backstop acceptances from people who are using them as an insurance policy.

It is very cheeky to expect to have the safety net of a guaranteed place, but be happy to pull out if you get a better offer. What about all those who missed out on the place your DC got? When you accept the place, you accept the Ts and Cs - very to want to keep your cake and eat it, and then whine about it.

Those timings are not coincidental! As above -the school might not fill the place. Unfortunately you'll have to either make your mind up or pay the fees. Unless you could find someone friendly at the council to give you the nod a couple of days early?

All private schools do this. And with good reason. So that parents like you who have very little intention of sending their DC to the school are held to paying something.

Otherwise the school have taken on staff. Catered for facilities, class rooms, furniture, extra teaching assistants that they won't need because parents were just using them as a place holder.

You're being very unfair tbh. Another child could miss out on that private school place because you're holding it despite the fact your mind seems to be set on a state school.

I think most terms and conditions refer to the term of fees as something like 'covering part of the losses incurred by the school'
If they have hired an extra teacher, because an extra class would have been required,not keep numbers per class at an acceptable level, then the cost to the school is far more than £3000. Schools have to make their decisions about staffing etc many months in advance, so they do need some certainty about numbers.

In some areas, people taking private school places as a back-up in case they don't get their preferred state school is a big problem and very many people do it and pull out at the last minute.....these tend to be areas where consequently deposits are high, there might be further acceptance fees and very early cut off dates,to avoid paying a terms worth of fees. These costs will deter people or make them think twice. Even then, people will do it, seeing the cost of a terms worth of fees for peace of mind, as worth it.
The thing to remember, is that the cost to the school may well be far in excess of that cost to you as a parent. Filling a place late on may be impossible and that place may then remain empty for years or never fill.

So, I do think it is reasonable of schools. However, if you want to ask if you can have an extension, you can. Just don't be surprised if they laugh at your brass-neck and say 'no'.