Moving private to state

[Exexexcel]

Been wondering if our current school is the right fit for our child and we are also struggling with the fees. Went to look round a couple of local state schools and one in particular we really liked. They are full and we are on the wait list there and elsewhere. If the wait list doesn't move though I guess we are stuck where we are right? Anyone else been in this position? Thoughts?

Well you would now have to pay the fees for this term and then give notice to leave at the end of term. Independent schools require 1 terms notice. If you don’t give notice now, you will be paying for the spring term. Therefore you need to speak to the schools and see how quickly you are likely to get in. If you get a place in January you will have to pay the independent school for that term. So you will end up paying for something you won’t be using. Is there no school you like with an immediate space? You still have the notice problem though.

Have you considered applying for a bursary this term, as well as putting in your written notice stating financial circumstances as your reason? That way if a place comes up at your chosen state school then it will be simpler to leave your current place.

The school won’t give a bursary to someone who is giving notice to leave!!! That would be a waste of their money. You could try asking for a bursary but you normally wouldn’t say you were leaving at the same time. You cannot give notice, realistically, until you have a state school place. Often bursaries are fully allocated via a competitive mechanism (the most deserving that meet the criteria) and many schools have very small hardship funds. I don’t think a bursary or hardship fund is a long term solution. You could try talking to the school and see if they will allow you to pay for just the time DC is educated at the school, not the notice period when DC isn’t there because the state school place has come up. Being honest with the school is probably the best way forward.

If you can't afford private then you can't afford it ... Surely you need to give a term's notice now (hopefully in time to count for autumn term ie leave at Christmas) and hope that a place comes up at one of your preferred state schools? If it doesn't, your LEA will still have to offer you a state place; it might just not be at a school you prefer.

Thanks for the thoughts. I'm very much aware of the notice issue! Is that right, that the LEA would have to find us a place if we've given notice?

Yes, the LA does have to offer you a place, as it would to anyone else needing a place outside the usual admissions round. However, depending on where you are in the country, only a minority of schools may have empty places in outstanding / good , high-performing schools. If you are offered a place from the waiting list of the school you want, I would be inclined to take it straight away and just pay the outstanding fees to the independent school. If the state school place was left empty, someone else may need a place in the interim and snap it up while your child remained at the independent school, this could mean the only places free when you need one may be in an inadequate or an RI school, or a good school with below average attainment.

Thanks. I think you're right with that approach. I guess the more we get in to the school year the more disruptive it will be but I think we just have to see what comes and view the fees as almost an exit cost...