Fees paying alone but married.

[Mumloveswine]

My Daughter is year 8, it is a long bus ride to her grammar school so I am looking at options to move her.
The local comprehensive school is full.

My husband isn’t her dad, and doesn’t believe in private schools, so I would pay her fees on my own wage. I could have just about afforded it before the VAT increase but not now.

I read somewhere a while ago that this has happened before and the biological parent’s income is only taken into account, so I could apply for a bursary. Even though our household income is high, it is only my income that would being used.

Her biological dad would contribute £200 a month, as he is on a low wage.

Does anyone have any information about this or heard something similar?
I don’t want to seem like a fool if I rang the private school.

If we had a grammar school place, I know what I’d pick…

Step parents are MOST DEFINITELY expected to pay for the child if they go to university - doesn't matter if the bio parents are both penniless, if the stepchild lives with them their income is taken into account when assessing for student loans.

I think op is on a wind-up anyway, with 2 DC at different schools, contemplating a £19k per year school because one DD doesn't fancy a 40 minute bus ride, and expecting other folk to sub her fees because neither bio parent can afford it (but her husband can, but he's against private education). There's too much to unpick when it all boils down to mardy teenager wants an easier life.

Over 20 000 already and predicted to reach between 60 + 90 000

Ok I’m going to leave this chat here now, due to responses irrelevant to the initial question. My kids are not at University stage yet.

Thank you to everyone for all the information and advice on private school fees, and helping me see things clearer!
Even if it seems silly to some, that’s what these forums are for, to talk things through.