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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

not impressed with private school!

26 replies

soaccidentprone · 07/03/2013 12:11

ds2, after looking around, decided that he would like to go to the private school which is near us.

he passed the entrance exam, but wasn't fortunate to get a scholarship. we have, however applied for a bursary, which meant supplying pay slips, evidence of loans, mortgage docs, savings accounts and home insurance docs.

the closing date for accepting the place is tomorrow. we have not heard back from the school yet re the bursary. I rang them on Monday and was told the head had been really busy and hadn't had time to look at the applications yetConfused but not to worry about the closing date. I asked if we were likely to hear this week? the answer was noSad

he has been offered a place at his 3rd choice state school, which he is happy with.

I'm now wondering if this is indicative of the school, or whether it's just one of those things?

I suffer from chronic anxiety and would just like to know. ds2 comes home every day and asks if we have heard yet.

I personally think this is crap, and that if you ask for info to be supplied by a certain date so that it can be assessed, you should plan your time so that parents aren't left waiting. it has been 5 weeks now since the closing date for accepting bursary applications.

anyway, rant overGrin

OP posts:
Decisiontimesoon · 07/03/2013 13:02

Sounds like they are not very interested in those who want to apply for a bursary. Making you feel like a second class citizen - not a good start. I think your instinct is right - go with the state school who will welcome you.

vertex · 07/03/2013 13:18

Tell the school you are going to go to the State School and if that does not get an immediate response then follow your instinct

hardboiled · 07/03/2013 14:05

Could it be that, although you were offered a place, you were put in a waiting list (albeit "internal") for the bursary and they are waiting for rejection letters to arrive to reallocate the money?

lisad123everybodydancenow · 07/03/2013 14:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Labro · 07/03/2013 14:50

It very much depends on the size of the school and the number of bursary applications they are likely to be dealing with. If this is a senior school, even though the closing date for bursary applications was 5 weeks ago, they would have to wait until after March 1st when they will start getting letters rejecting offers. Sometimes the school also has to have govenors meetings etc before the bursaries are confirmed (all depends on their published criteria). You are able to accept the state place with prejudicing the bursary application so if that helps your anxiety do this and then reject the state school place at a later date should the bursary come through.

Labro · 07/03/2013 14:55

sorry without

Mutteroo · 07/03/2013 15:13

We had to wait till mid March because that's when the governors had their bursary approval meeting. Has the school put it in writing that you don't need to worry about the acceptance date? If not, I'd suggest you go that route. If you have other concerns then best to address them.

In the end DS gained a bursary & all was good.

eatyourveg · 07/03/2013 16:48

at our school, the bursary application doesn't go before the governors until you have accepted the place

we couldn't have sent ds1 without the bursary so had asked the bursar if he was likely to get something the answer was that he probably would but he couldn't say how much until it had gone to the governors.

If you don't have to pay a non refundable acceptance fee, just accept the place, accept the state school place and then once you get a final decision about the bursary, withdraw your place from the school you aren't going to go to

Original poster
soaccidentprone · 07/03/2013 17:03

there is an acceptance fee of £150.

the school said not to worry about the closing date, which is OK, however we would just like to know so that we can make plans etc is school uniforms etc

and depending on how much fee reduction is offered - we need time to work out if we can afford it.

I just find the process frustrating Sad

OP posts:
lisad123everybodydancenow · 07/03/2013 17:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

purpleroses · 07/03/2013 21:30

They won't be able to know how much bursary they have to offer until all the other parents give them their financial circumstances. Then, if it's not enough to go around they'll prioritise the kids they want most and will wait for them to accept or reject the place before they can then offer it to those lower down. Would guess they're either delayed because some parents haven't given them their details yet, or your DS is not their top choice of bursary applicant and they're offering others first. Doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with the school.

Frustrating for your DS, but don't buy uniform yet anyway - he'll probably grow by September!

Original poster
soaccidentprone · 08/03/2013 15:47

we've had the letter today - 67% bursary. no idea whether this is good or not?

OP posts:
Gunznroses · 08/03/2013 15:50

Well can you find the remaining 33% ?

crazycarol · 08/03/2013 21:13

We had to apply for the bursary at the same time as applying for a place, then when we got the offer of a place, we also got a letter at the same time advising us what the bursary was. We were then able to accept or decline the offer knowing exactly what fees we were liable for.

67% bursary seems quite good. It does vary considerably from school to school though. We got 50% for the first year (which was more than we hoped for) but it has gone down as my income has gone up. At dds school they claim that their bursaries range from 10% to 100% (income of £55K and £15K respectively) and that 10% of school population are in receipt of bursaries. In my opinion they are quite well funded in this respect and do lots of fundraisers etc.

KateShrub · 08/03/2013 23:37

A 67% bursary is very generous. But obviously even 33% may be too much for you to find.

annh · 08/03/2013 23:47

Yes, that amount does seem very generous but really the level is irrelevant. What matters is whether you can pay the remaining fees, plus uniform and anything else like trips, lunches, extra curricular activities. Can you do that?

lisad123everybodydancenow · 09/03/2013 19:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
soaccidentprone · 12/03/2013 21:17

well there's no way we could afford that kind of money unless we sold the car which we are still paying for.

fortunately oil have said they can pay a sizeable chunk which now makes the whole thing more doable.

the only thing now is ds2 (after getting through the entrance exam) can't decide whether he wants to go there anymore or whether he would rather go to the state school (he has been allocated his 3rd choice) as they don't have school uniform, whereas the private school even states what colour socks you can wearGrin

I thought it would be a given that ds2 would want to go private, but I suppose it is as big decision to make, especially as none of his friends would be at the same school as him. but we still have a few days before we have to let them know.

OP posts:
Original poster
soaccidentprone · 12/03/2013 21:17

oil = pil

OP posts:
BadgerB · 13/03/2013 06:47

While your DS should have some input into which school he wants it probably isn't a good idea to leave the decision solely to him. He may be being over influenced by his 'mates'. This happened with my DBro and he has always regretted turning down the Grammar for the Sec Mod. Our parents had no idea about education.

purpleroses · 13/03/2013 08:21

I wouldn't rule out the option of accepting the private school place, but staying on the list for your state school of choice - if you were to be offered a place nearer the time and accept it, you'd lose your deposit for the private school , but still save a lot of money overall.

LIZS · 13/03/2013 08:24

You 'd also be liable for a term's worth of fees in lieu of notice if you cancelled after Easter - check the terms and conditions as even if offered a bursary place the forfeit might be full fees.

GreatUncleEddie · 13/03/2013 17:30

If he isn't fully committed to the independent I wouldn't bother. The expectations will be very very high if it is anything like ours.

LittleFrieda · 18/03/2013 08:48

Why don't you accept the place conditional upon receiving the necessary bursary.

LittleFrieda · 18/03/2013 08:51

And accept the state school place too. Then reject one as soon as you have the full facts. I would also make the point o the bursar ofth independent that you would expect the school to waive the acceptance fee in the event they are unable to offer the bursary.