Withdrawal from Private school

[Lsgandhi]

Looking for sone advice for notice period for withdrawal from an Independent School.
DC was due to start at prestigious private school in South London , eleven plus entry .
We received a late offer in Summer from first choice state and decided to go with it especially as the Independent school could’nt confirm ( understandably) what the situation would be from 2025.
We gave our notice in early July and they have contacted to say they will not be able to fill the space and have asked for a Term’s fees in lieu bearing in mind we already paid deposit. The most they have offered is to pay it over 12 months .
Any advice ? I have started paying back the fees in instalments while I look at options if any.
Thanks

What did your contract say about giving notice?

1 term's notice is standard t&cs.

Suggest you consider the 1 term fees a small price to pay for having kept your options open and just pay it far cheaper than 5 or 7 years.

I'd say it all depends on the contract you signed. Seems surprising they can't fill the space

1 term’s notice is standard, and unlikely to be able to get out of it. Sorry.

Agree with the reply above, we can't really comment without reading the contract.

I presume you had to either provide them with more notice or, they had to fill the place in order to release you from the contract (without a fee).

It’s standard for a terms notice to be required once you have accepted a place. My own DC’s school has a cooling off period (two weeks from acceptance of place) but once that has expired, a full term’s notice is required. So you would have to give notice at the beginning of the summer term (i.e. some time in April) to not be obliged to pay the autumn term’s fees. Unlikely that there is much you can do now.

I can't see why you should expect to get out of it. Think of it balanced against what you are saving by utilising the state place and it is a bargain!

It's standard, and they will enforce it, because if it gets out that they didn't, other parents will expect the same.

It's absolutely standard and you need to pay.

Yes, annoying right now, but think how much you are saving in the longer term. As you would presumably have been able to pay the fees termly had there been no state school place, then I'm assuming that short-term affordability isn't an issue. So possibly better to just pay than drag it out for 12 months.

Thanks . The contract mentions losing the deposit and a term’s fee if you accept the place and subsequently decline .
It is an oversubscribed school and it is likely they wuld have found someone.
Any ways, we are paying back but just asking others for any suggestions as the fee is six grand minus 2 grand deposit . The school has a fixed dining charge and has added that too to the invoice though DC did not start there .

Seems a standard thing for them to do. Unfortunately for you though.

I think you have to pay the terms notice but would be querying the dining charge and any other add ons e. g insurance .
Have they confirmed that they didn’t fill the place since term started or even after a couple of weeks of term?

Just spoke to admissions . They have accepted someone from waiting list. Have been advised to write to the head but keep paying in the mean while .
thanks everybody

That’s great news @Lsgandhi

Can you call their bluff and say your child will therefore be attending for that first term? If they’ve already sold the place to someone else they’re not going to want him turning up on day one as well.

I kind of agree with this and I’m generally in the “fight the bastards” camp

You applied knowing the levies were coming and all other things equal your child would be attending / you would incur that cost.
you also can’t really claim hardship if you could afford / were prepared to fund 5-7 years fees before the vat levy … if you can do that you can afford a term

i know it sucks but think of the fees as a hedge/insurance… if you hadn’t got the state place you’d have wanted it vs the best other state alternative

Thanks. I would but it’s the child’s future. As others have suggested don’t want to get blacklisted though personally think it is unlikely .
I will post once I have heard back from the Head .
Thanks
Everybody

Could I add a correction. We applied before the
current government was elected .
I think saying that people in Private schools don’t endure hardships us not universally true.
We were in a Prep for 6 years and the smaller class sizes benefitted us and was god send for us at that point . But it was hard work nevertheless

I don't think it should be on top of deposit, our deposit is equivalent to one term so if no notice is given they keep deposit.

Sounds like u jumped in without reading t&c’s then got a free offer so took that, it’s normally at least a term u would need to pay.

You normally have to give one full term's notice, in writing. Check the Ts and Cs, but if you only told them in July then you can expect to pay the first term's fees.

they have contacted to say they will not be able to fill the space and have asked for a Term’s fees in lieu

Do you pay this regardless of whether they fill the space or not?

Our deposit was two grand . If one leaves one forfeits the deposit plus a terms fee though they have deducted one grand from the Term’s fee.

Didn’t jump in without reading . More like pleasantly surprised to get the state place .
I have had a child in Independent school for 6 years. I understand a Term’s notice. Just seemed a bit harsh when we have already forfeited the deposit and they have filled the space and actually didn’t attend the school. As stated, I am already paying the fee and these are just opinions .
thanks

Of course . We informed them the earliest we could .
thanks