independent schools

[bangingmyheadoffabrickwall]

When do you start the process of applying for a scholarship and/or bursary at independent schools for Y7/senior school entry?

It's a very long way off for my DS but I want to plan ahead, especially if I feel he made need a tutor or extra support in order to pass the entrance exams. I live in a rural county and the secondary schools nearby do not have a lot to offer IMO and two do not even offer sixth form. I know a lot can change in the coming years but I have always had a preference for independent education for my children.

Are scholarships usually 100% of the fees and exactly how much am 'I' expected to contribute for a bursary?

micro you're missing the point.if a family on eg 20k get a full bursary, they live on 20k. If a family on 50/60/80 k are expected to contribute towards school fees so the result is 20k to live on, then both are in the same financial position. Rather than the latter group being squeezed.

TheRealAdaLoveLace yes, it is about my DS but DD would (intentions!) be attending too hence the £36k price ticket for private education.

I have looked at the local secondaries and at the moment, they don't impress me and worry about the lack of opportunities for my children. Obviously a LOT can change in the coming years and TBH I hope they do. One school has come out more favourable and some children in my village do attend the school despite not being in the catchment area.

I hope the full scholarship isn't the stuff of fairytales.

Everyone has given some useful insight etc, etc into this and I very much appreciate everyone's contributions. The independent schools of choice do not detail anything about their scholarships or bursaries except to get in touch with the school whereas one school that is highly regarded, DID detail what percentage of bursaries and what for, on their website.

I am rural so I am limited in secondary school choices and independent schools.

Moving is NOT an option. Really is very not an option as we have a relative living with us with medical needs as well as work commitments.

You are still mixing up your terminology.

Scholarships are awarded for academic, sporting, artistic or all round excellence. They are highly competitive. The award itself is the prize. Any fee reduction is likely to be small - and if awarded to a family that can afford full fees they may be encouraged to renounce any financial benefit.

Bursaries are dependent on the income, assets and outgoings of the parent(s). They are awarded to children who the school very much want to attend but for whom the fees would make it impossible. They can be for more than 100%, in order to cover uniform, transport, trips etc where necessary.

You need to undertake the requisite research and also make realistic alternative plans. Nothing said on this thread will influence the decisions of individual schools.

lurked that's a fair point

but what I was trying to say - not very well! - is that a family who had, say 10-15 years ago, an income equivalent to, say, 100k today, would have easily been able to afford school fees as the fees themselves and property costs were so much less. I doubt that the bursary thresholds have risen to take into account the astronomical increase in school fees over the years.

St Albans raised fees by 9% this year. So 38K in the first year could become 41.5k in year 2 etc.

Rule of thumb for the last few years has been to allow 5% pa for school fees inflation. It's been consistently higher than other indices for some time.

micro I see what you mean about the difference from years ago, but I still believe that if someone with an income that provides a high standard of living compared to the majority wants private education, that standard of living should be vastly decreased to provide it, rather than bursary funds propping up that lifestyle.

My Dd's small scholarship is topped up to 100% with a bursary. I'm a single parent with no other income but my salary, no assets, and I rent. And before I even took dd to open day, I was quite prepared for the fact that accepting a bursary would mean any future income increases would not improve our quality of life until dd leaves school. A sacrifice that was worth it to us, and I believe is entirely fair. I therefore do not understand why people who could pay if it was their priority feel squeezed/ hard done to by the bursary system.

I think the likelihood of private education is very small.

A small reduction in fees for a scholarship would still make in unaffordable as well as a small bursary. I honestly thought some private schools gave 100%, or even 50%, scholarships/bursaries. I do know that fee reduction is available for scholarships, I have seen it with my own eyes on some private schools' websites. I don't believe that I have mixed up my terminology. I have well aware of the differences but I am well aware that both can give a reduction in fees but for different matters.

I am looking at other options such as praying that secondary schools in my area improve DRASTICALLY and robbing a bank or two...

I have found one school in a nearby city that does offer up to 50% bursaries.

Bit far, but on looking again at options, it may be a possibility for Y10 or Y12 much further down the line, which would be more likely.

I'm going to leave it at that now. Thanks everyone (and for the private messages of some - most helpful). I think I have the info I need to pursue this further. It probably hasn't been the best information that I wanted, but hey-ho, that's life. Got to get on with what life deals us I suppose.

I had no idea bursarys were given for such high incomes. Id thought at 30k+ we were the bracket of too much for a bursary but not able to afford it!

op lots of schools will do 100% bursaries, but they are means tested.

Here's an example of a (generous) school and its bursary thresholds

www.whitgift.co.ukdocs/1194-WhitgiftFoundation.pdf

(full fees for 16/17 are £18,618)

I just looked at my local independent schools and one makes it clear bursaries are available but never the full amount and the other says some bursaries are available. I suspect as they were not big name (read rich) schools they cant afford to subsidise in the same way.

Another - wow that is generous. We could afford that!!

I honestly thought some private schools gave 100%, or even 50%, scholarships/bursaries.

Yes, they do. Of course. Just over 70 boys at the most famous public school in the country pay no fees at all, for instance. There are prep schools that can and do offer a combination of 50% scholarship and 50% bursary. I've heard of GDST schools going out of their way to enable clever children to attend. There are countless other examples. It is an extremely well established gateway to accessing independent education.

I hope anyone reading this thread and asking the same questions would take from it that enormous amounts of financial help can be made available where there is a serendipitous meeting between child and school - but also that no one can expect such help as a right.

Mon1ingOn I think it's unlikely you would be considered too rich for help with the fees at schools that charge more than your stated income.

Yes, the very big name schools can afford to be exceptionally generous. Oddly enough a high proportion of MN-ers don't seem keen on what they offer ...

We don't live near any, and the huge gap in my daughters life and the average life of a normal pupil at the very very expensive schools would make it an unfair situation to put her in.

There's independent schools near me with a good reputation but unlikely to have the finance.

St Pauls Boys School is aiming to operate on a 'needs blind' basis. In other words anyone can sit the entrance exam, and bursaries are available on a sliding scale according to parental income.

"enormous amounts of financial help can be made available where there is a serendipitous meeting between child and school - but also that no one can expect such help as a right."

This is very tru, including the last bit.

The wrong message to take away would be 'if our income is XX we'll get a bursary'. That is not the case - if it existed, it should be called 'needs blind' admission and no school in the country offers it (though some are working extreme,y hard to provide it).

The bursaries have to be paid for, and the funds which underpin their provision are finite, and with interest rates low have not been providing a terribly good return.

So every school is likely to have more bursary candidates than available funds to pay for those bursaries. Not all will get them - they might be offered less than they hoped, or no bursary at all, even if they are offered a place.

Sorry bangingmyhead just saw your question.

She was in the netball team at her state primary which got through the area tournament to win the regional competition. She also won medals at the Area Athletics competition for sprinting whilst in Y6 and she was (and still is) a member of a girls football team (which is external to school).

Should add that the scholarship was not means tested - we could have afforded 100% fees if she hadn't got the scholarship

hmc's post above illustrates exactly why forward thinking schools are leaning towards directing the bulk of their fee assistance money into means tested bursaries - as a way of actually widening access to the education they offer.