No bursary.Really sad

[ariane5]

Applied for ind school for dd1 mainly because it was a v small site and therefore ideal because dd has health issues.
Went to open days etc and really fell in love with the school and could see dd being v happy there.

We needed a 100 percenr bursary and today received an offer letter but no bursary.
It said dd1 is on the bursary waiting list but they would still need the deposit.

What if despite being on bursary list one doesn't become available? Then the deposit will be lost as well (that's if we can even find the deposit)

Now I feel awful for getting dd1s hopes up.It would have been perfect she is very clever but her health probs hold her back, in a small school she would not have been so tired /unwell as much.

Would there be much movement on bursary list or not?

If there is movement bursaries, it will happen quickly as places need to be accepted or rejected typically within a couple of weeks.

You need to ring the bursar to ask whether they expect movement, and if it is likely to release enough money to allow DD to take up a place (if they have make several smaller %age grants, then even if some are taken up it may not be enough to make an offer to you - and do yo know what level of awards they could afford this year?).

Also, ask the bursar to arrange for an extension to your accept/refuse deadline until the bursary acceptance/refusals are in: it should only be a coupe, of weeks and there is usually some flexibility in the system.

Good luck

I have just come out of this position (sadly in a negative way) and it is really stressful. I wish you all the luck.

I already spoke to the school I said would it be possible to know where on the list dd is as if she's very far down I will know there's no much possibility of her getting a bursary but they couldn't tell me anything they said by end of week they will know more as deadline is 6 march.

I just don't want to drag it out for dd if there's no hope. I have told her how well she did to pass the exams and be offered a place and that it is a shame we cannot afford it but we will sort something out.

In reality I know she will not cope at either of the state schools we put down (2 nearest to us) and will either end up part time school and home tutoring or completely home tutoring depending on health.

I know it was a long shot anyway I shouldn't have got my hopes up.

There are charities which help with fees if there's a specific need.

may be able to point you in the right direction I really do hope this helps.

What are your DD's health issues that mean she won't be able to attend a non fee paying school?

I'm sure that if she has specific needs they can be brought to the attention of the school and special provision could be aranged for her taking into account her condition/needs.

Have you looked into this or do you have your heart set on this particular school to the exclusion of all others?

I think that there are often loads of people on bursary waiting lists and it may be unrealistic for you to pin all your hopes on this school in the hope that your name will come to the top of the waiting list when you could be exploring other alternative options that might work just as well for your DD.

You could always start her off at another school and move her across if your name comes to the top of the list.

Another thing, if you need 100% assistance with the fees, always be aware of the other "hidden" costs of having a child at private school; uniform, kits, meals, extra cirricular activities, music lessons, trips etc, not to mention the sundry costs associated with keeping up with the (usually very well off) Jones" who invariably attend fee paying schools, no matter how comparibly modest the fees may be!

Thganks will have a look, I tried before to find something like that to help fund her but couldn't find anything.

Circumstances are v difficult and she has a lot of problems coupled with our finances (awful) I did think we would get something

She has Ehlers danlos syndrome, suffers pain, reduced mobility, severe fatigue and dislocations. PoTS causes dizziness and fainting and pectus excavatum causes her reduced lung cap and has made her grow crooked and neck shoulder on one side v v bad .

The ind school was next to primary currently at (ds there and all dcs have same and additional probs as genetic) not only was it v small so not much walking round (she was v ill on tour day of one of other bigger schools) it was near ds school in case he was ill too (I don't drive).

Very complicated situation it would have made things much more bearable but ob not to be.

You mustn't give up yet I know it's hard but until you get that call or letter, there is still a chance.

Perriwinkle you are right I didhave my heart set on that school. It would have enabled her to be less tired etc as not as much walking round little things like that but in the other schools it'll be harder things like how busy schools are at a larger school she might get caught in a crowd and she dislocates so easily and she will get exhausted all lesson changes and carrying ev thing.

I'm rambling I'm sorry

Sorry to hear about your DD's problems OP and the situation you're in

I would definitely second trying to go down the charity route. There is somewhere in the region of 160,000 charities on the register and spending some time doing some research on the register, which can be viewed on the Charity Commission's website (www.charitycommisison.gov.uk), and the internet generally might just pay dividend.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

ariane does your DD have a statement? If so you can specify an independent school on the statement and unless the LA can state that another school can better meet her needs, I believe that the LA may fund it.

More info here

I think I knew that at the ind school she would be able to generally do more as the way it is there (smaller site less changes for lessons etc) would mean that she would be doing less but still with all the other pupils if that makes sense.

To cope at a larger school she will have to have more exceptions made like changing early for lessons to avoid falls/nudges and dislocations.shorter days because walking round a large site will make her ill.She will be so different to the other pupils and she hates being unwell and being different

She does not have a statement as the primary she was at was ok for her (small site on one level) and academically she is doing exceptionally well (g+t and she did pass the ind school exams with no tutoring so I am immensely proud of her).

Have you been in to talk to the Head of the nearest state school to see what they can do? You might be surprised at the accommodation that can be made for her.

I applied for nearest 2 state high schools but will not know which she has a place at till next week. I think to be honest given her problems she will need significant support and I am sure they will do what they can to help.

I just had my heart set on a school where she would have coped better and not felt as 'different' she would have needed a lot less support there it is so tiny but the other schools are HUGE I don't know I will have to just do my best to get her help she needs I think she will maybe be part time though if they allow that

I would be talking to the Heads already if I were you. The longer they have to think about a plan for her the better.

Have you thought about applying to a different school? The thing is, with 100% bursaries then it's probably more competative to get one because the school will have fewer available than if they were offering 50% bursaries.

I suppose I should do really. I will collect up all her medical letters, physio reports etc and make appts to go through it all with them.

I shouldn't have got my hopes up.A 100 percent bursary was a long shot. So fed up

Are you sure the private school will be able to meet her needs without the resources a statement can bring?

The closing date for bursary applications was last nov and tbh although dd could have done exams for lots of local ind schools the same problem would have applied in that the others were also too big/too far to travel to. Just the one was perfect for her so only applied for one.

I would be pushing for a statement- lots of things won't happen without one.

I do not even know much about statements I assumed they were if a child had problems with the work because they were unwell eg dyslexic-was I wrong.

We have been coping with dd issues by getting her into school when ok and she's doing brilliantly academically but on bad days she just doesn't attend and consequently has bad attendence (76 percent) ds1 the same situation (78 p cent) I'd be interested to know more as dd2 due to start primary next year has same issues as dd1 and is also diabetic but I was worrying how she will cope as needs huge amounts of help.

Even if one gets turned down it is at all likely you'd get offered the 100% you need? tbh I think you may have been kidding yourselves and agree with others a statement may at least enable you to choose a school and have support and facilities in place to meet her physical limitations (like timetabling so she doesn't have to move around the school or up/down stairs as much)

I can't see it being likely that anyone would turn down a bursary? Surely they are like gold dust!

So am I right in thinking a statement is possible just for physical issues? Dd1 has not got any other problems at all she just needs a lot of supervision as does tend to get dizzy/faint a lot and she gets exhausted. She can't do pe as dislocates joints so easily and stairs are a big issue.

Without a statement would they change things like timetable to avoid too much up+down stairs etc. Would she be allowed a slightly shorter school day? (Difficulty waking due to night time pain and physio every morn) so later start/early finish?