Appealing bursary decision - worth a go?

[PonderLonelyAsACloud]

I will start by saying that we haven't been notified of the outcome of our bursary application but will likely hear in the next couple of weeks. I am nervous that we may not be offered enough of a discount to make it manageable to send DC to the school (secondary, currently at state primary, starting Y7 in Sept).

We have tried to manage DC's expectations throughout the admissions process. They sat the entrance assessment today and I think they would absolutely thrive at this school. If they don't get offered a place or we're not offered enough of a bursary, there's a decent state school that we would be happy with. But the private school is really incredible and I'd so love the opportunity for DC.

So, in the event that DC is offered a place but the bursary offer (if any) isn't enough to make it affordable, I'm keen to hear whether there's any experience or examples of people appealing and being offered a greater discount.

Just to add, I am well aware that VAT will make bursary pots even more stretched and that offers will have been carefully calculated, and competition will likely be very high, so we are assuming that this isn't going to work out for us, but really just trying to think through scenarios and hearing others' experience would be really helpful. Thank you

I can't imagine getting my DC's hopes up regarding going to a private school when you already know that without a significant bursary (which on paper you already know is unlikely) he won't be able to attend.

My dbro has just taken his 2 kids out of a school whose fees have hiked up beyond what they're prepared to pay - for him it's about value rather than cost altogether (and that was with a decent reduction too).

Do definitely ask, OP. As others have said, it’s not so much appealing as opening up a frank and honest dialogue with the school.

DS2 has been in his current school since Y5 and has had two scholarships since Y7. For sixth form we approached the school and asked if they’d be in a position to increase the percentage value of his scholarships, due to the added VAT costs coming in. They agreed, thank goodness - but if we hadn’t asked then we wouldn’t have got it.

I will say though that they know my son well and they know that he excels at a particular hobby which he represents the school in and hopes will be his career. You may find that your choice of school has to prioritise those students they know already, who are further up the school, either for scholarship or bursary, especially now that the VAT has caused a considerable fee increase for everyone.

I am conscious that I’m talking about a scholarship whereas you are referring to a bursary, but in terms of the process of having an open and honest dialogue with the school to ask what more they can offer, I see little difference. Good luck.

That doesn’t sound right. They were able to overpay on their mortgage and top up their pension pot, and then they were offered a 75% bursary for good measure? If this is true, it was a misuse of bursary funds.

Can I ask please what you earn and what value of assets you have?
Now that boarding fees are £55k we cannot afford this. Our prep school headmaster said our kids could get into any school they liked (they are academic and sporty) but the thing is we cannot afford the fees and are in a remote location so day school does not work for us.
I have been self employed for 15 years so have savings to fund my pension (not in a pension wrapper) and we are mortgage free. A friend of mine told me the value of your home is discounted.
I am currently out of work.
Can anyone throw so figures at the range of assets and earnings to qualify for a bursary please?

They aren't going to award a bursery if you are sitting on £200k of equity in your house.

Burseries are for people who have low income AND low assets.

We were offered a bursary that was unaffordable to us and explained to the school that we were sorry but we still couldn't meet the fees.

They told us to come back and talk to the bursar again. Subsequently the bursary was increased for us.

HOWEVER - this was 8 yrs ago so well before VAT increase and also not in the region of 75%. I don't know many school that offer bursaries at that level these days. My experience is that much above 50% is extremely unusual even if your income is very low and child highly gifted. This is south west based - London might be different

@JobMatch3000 we have a house worth around £500k and mortgage of £190k left, we are not being expected to remortgage to qualify for a bursary.

I get what you’re saying and why, but I went to a private school,Cambridge, have three degrees and chose to work in the NHS as a psychologist so not high enough pay at all to afford private school (we can because of my husband) so I don’t think everyone goes for highly paid professions just because they go to private schools and/or are bright?

Of course they don’t all choose well paid careers - that wasn’t my point, in fact the opposite. My point was that some parents (like you) with a great education, Oxbridge degree etc were in a position to go into a well paid career but chose something less well paid instead. And one of the consequences of that decision, which surely people must realise when they choose their career, is that they may not be able to afford luxuries in future like private school.

Personally, I would rather limited bursary funds are directed to families who never had the option of earning enough to pay fees, rather than those who had the option and turned it down because they preferred a less lucrative career.

However, it’s a bit irrelevant, that’s not how bursaries work, they don’t look at “what you might have earned”.

I get you, but it’s sad to think that if you decide to do a career that gives back to the public but doesn’t pay well, you shouldn’t be considered for a bursary because you went to an independent school and are bright, as you should have chosen a more lucrative career!

Yes … and if there were unlimited bursary places and funds I would agree … but since they are (very) limited I would rather the leg up went to the family who’s never had the chance, iyswim.

Anyway as I say that’s not how it works anyway so all a bit academic !

Agree

I disagree. It's a business decision and there's no harm in negotiating- if they want your child enough,then there will be a conversation about how this can happen (up to a point).

My DC were offered a 70% bursary and I very cheekily asked if there were any wiggle room on this. I was a single parent on a relatively low income and it was always an outside possibility it would be doable.

They said no but I accepted the places - as it turned out we did flexible boarding and the costs meant that for the four years of prep they were there, that covered all my "childcare costs" each week whilst I worked full time. It worked out to be cheaper each month than having a childminder and I felt extremely fortunate.

I think it's unlikely they'll increase an offer but there is no harm in asking. In our case I think the particular year group had just lost a few kids and they were happy to have the bums on seats.

Its not futile. Speak to the school. No one can anwser this - at the end of the day it is how attractive your dd is to the school. Generally they need to be in the top cohort of applicants and meet the financial criteria. Nothing to lose is asking.

Yeas ago my DD was offered a 50 percent bursary. It was tight but I accepted it. My DD was also offered 50 percent off all school trips including to Spain for 4 weeks over summer break. DH worked overtime and I did tutoring a couple of evenings a week to make it work.

This sounds how bursaries should work. They enable a child to go, but expect the award to still make things tight and further work/sacrifices to be needed.

After all, lots of full fee payers take on some extra hours or re-mortgage etc, and bursaries aren’t intended to allow those with nice lifestyles to cover the fees and maintain their lifestyle.

Some people applying for a bursary have no savings and no house and already work many hours and need 100% and cannot make any further sacrifices. Many others do have a house with some equity and often a decent lifestyle. Lots who look into bursaries, hope there might be funds for people like them who could afford some fees but not all and hope a bursary might bridge the gap and also allow them to continue their comfortable lifestyle. When asked to consider if they can release equity from their house or take on extra hours at work, lots of people lose interest. But these are reasonable expectations of bursary holder families. As most of the forms say, holding a bursary is not compatible with second home ownership, frequent expensive holidays, regular new cars and expensive home improvements. It doesn’t mean a family can never have a holiday or drive a car, but they are expected to stretch themselves to pay their chunk of the fees……..as many other fee paying families do.

Well, first hurdle cleared - DC has been offered a place! Very proud!

We need to wait till next week to see if there's any bursary offered. Thanks to all for your insights and perspectives so far.

Such a range of experiences and situations - no way of knowing which way this next step's likely to go of course.

To respond to a couple of PPs: DH and I both work full time, no option for paid overtime in our jobs, try to earn extra where we can eg. Vinted and dog walking but it's not regular / reliable / substantial. We have spent barely anything on holidays in 10 years, have one car (necessary for DH commute) which is a total banger and worth about £1k at the most. We don't have substantial equity in our home, and have a couple of hundred pounds in savings (I'm not exaggerating). There are various reasons, on top of our modestly-paying careers, that we have minimal assets, including broader family health circumstances, which I won't go into. We listed a number of ways we would plan to make sacrifices on the bursary application form. There may be other families who have applied, been offered a place, and need bursary assistance even more than us. If we're offered a bursary at all, and the amount offered isn't enough to make it manageable under our circumstances, DC will not be able to take up the place. We have prepared them for that possibility. It's not about maintaining a certain lifestyle and expecting others to pick up the bill - there's very little headroom or safety net in our finances. If the school are able and want to help at the level we'd need, that would be so wonderful.

Thanks for sharing your situation- really interesting. Our house is worth a fair bit less and the amount left on our mortgage is a fair bit more. Wonder if we'll be asked about re-mortgaging by the bursar.

Congratulations to your DC for getting the place. Hope the bursary news next week is positive.
My friend is a single parent- low earner but owns small home with decent equity. They have had one DC on a 90% bursary at a prep school for 4 years and then 95% bursary at a senior school for 3 years. Other DC also on 95% bursary at senior school for entire 7 years- also very hefty uniform shop credit every year which helps them enormously. So there are generous offers out there- these kids are bright but nothing particularly special extra curricular wise.

Glad your child has been offered a place! I considered applying for my extremely bright DD to get a scholarship for the independent school near us many years ago (she's 24 and a teacher now so this was a long time ago). I decided not to because I didn't want her to be the one whose parents turned up to school in an old banger, or be the one who could not afford the overseas trips, or be embarrassed to invite friends round to our extremely modest house in a not great area.

It was the right decision for my child. I hope things work out how you hope! Let us know if it works out for you.

I think you sound like you’ll get a bursary offer.
i hope it’s enough for you to take the place. Fingers crossed. And absolutely tell them if it’s not enough and ask if there is any flexibility.

Will be fab if it works out for you. I’m surprised the bursary offer didn’t come with offer of the place. The 2 usually go together. Hope you don’t have to wait long. Keep it all v low key with DC until you know. It’s hard for them if they then can’t go. But you weren’t wrong to try, whatever anyone suggests. All you can do is try….and you have. Otherwise you’d wonder ‘what if…’.

@WombatChocolate Thank you for your lovely message!

Thank you - I'll report back! We live within walking distance of the school so at least most will know nothing of our old banger of a car. Missing the trips etc is a definite downside.

Thank you