Please help to decide Private schools

[guest202]

Our two sons are currently at Dulwich Prep London. They are still year 1-2. The fees are going up again on top of VAT. We have enough savings for 3 years, but not sure what’s going to happen next. We don’t have passive income, salaries are not enough to pay for schools so we are using savings. We also want a better house that doesn’t need renovation and ideally a new house not Victorian. Dulwich doesn’t have these houses.

I was thinking to apply for 7+ and see where we get space and move to that area, but the school has to be on the same level or higher than the current one. Also, hesitating whether to move them to state as this financial burden doesn’t let me sleep at night.

is there an area where we could move for newish houses with a top private school and excellent state as a plan B?

really, just wanted to hear other people’s views.

That makes it difficult if you don’t like your house. Why is that? Is there something you can change? No house is perfect (unless you can afford anything you want!). Most houses will have something. We love our house, BUT it would be even better if the children’s rooms were bigger and had room for proper built in closets. But we make do with what we have and make the kitchen/living room area really nice so everyone hangs out there mostly. And the the children don’t really notice the small rooms anyway (it’s only me who is used to having big rooms - where I grew up the houses had so much more space!)

It’s old and cold. Even when the heating is on it doesn’t work as it should, feels like just wasting money and heating the outside. The kitchen needs replacement. There is only one bathroom which drives me mad. It’s on a very busy road which makes it very noisy even with the very expensive windows that we have installed. It just feels like constant money pit and despite of what you do there is always something else. And mortgage payments are very significant, which I wouldn’t mind if I was happy with this house.

Clearly you have two bright boys given they are at Dulwich Prep. There are some modern houses in and around Dulwich but, as you will know, they come at a price. Have you applied for a state school place, for example to Dulwich Hamlet junior school, as it has always been super popular. Alternatively, you could move to somewhere such as Bickley - 18 minutes by train from West Dulwich - where there are modern houses and Bickley Park Prep ( lower fees than Dulwich) with a view to St Olaves grammar, Dulwich or Sevenoaks for secondary. Dulwich has a great reputation, but if you are worrying about schools fees already, look at senior fees, then add in foreign trips etc. You need to be proactive.

I send my younger one to the Dulwich Hamlet Junior school and my older one to a private school in secondary. I can't say that my younger one is missing out on anything much. They share grounds and facilities for some sports with the private schools around , thediscipline is great and has an extremely supportive parent community. If you could move into catchment and put your name on the waitlist I am sure a place will open soon.

I think you need to think long and hard about if you can really afford private school for two children for 7 years of secondary education. You would be looking at around £60,000, that is almost half a million pounds for two children.

Perhaps looking to move to an area with really good state secondary schools would be the best option. No private school education is worth you not being able to sleep at night and constantly worrying about money. It's obvious you want to do the best for your children but there really are some good state schools out there and you can't spend the next 10 years stressing and sacrificing in all other areas of your family life.

With my DC, I've done state all the way through, and just done extra curriculars and tutors. They are doing well, and happy in their school. Private school isn't worth getting yourself in a financial mess for.

@NoushieMin
60,000 + 60,000 is 120,000
half a million is 500,000. as one million is 1,000,000.

60k x 7 is 420, so close to half a mil, I think @NoushieMin maths is fine. You're not getting a child through private secondary for 60k sadly!

This

It seems madness to me that you've already put so much money into private (for years when a bit of alphablocks probably provides as many benefits) while stressing about stamp duty payments.

I would prioritise driving lessons and a financial advisor.

I agree with this.

I meant 60,00 per year for x 2 children (30k each) x 7 years, which with inflation will likely be in the ball park of half a million.