Private school fees notice q

[ROZ12]

Hi all

My dd is a borderline student and not sure if she will make the grades for year 12 at her current school , I’m just worried as we haven’t given our notice yet, I may get charged for a terms fees ? Say if she doesn’t make the grades and we decide to leave will I get charged as we didn’t give notice ?? How are we supposed to predict ?
Thanks

If they won’t take her back because she didn’t make the grade then they can’t expect you to pay , if you pull her out then you have to pay .

Thank you, I wish I gave notice now as she is pretty sure she didn’t make the grade.

If she doesn't make their published entry criteria for the sixth form and therefore cannot remain at the school, you will not be required to pay.

You only have to give notice if you are taking her out.
If they let her go because she hasn't reached the expected level, you don't have to give notice/ which means you have nothing to pay except any arrears in fees if you pay like this.

If she doesn’t get the grades then they’re not letting her remain at the school, not you removing her so you won’t have to oay

This can be more of a problem if she makes the overall points tariff but she doesn't make the required grade for one of the A levels she wants to do. It is then rather a grey area because she has a place but will be told to choose a different subject which she may not want to do and would prefer to pursue her original choices elsewhere. If possible parents should always give provisional notice.

Thank you all, I’m hoping I won’t have to pay if she doesn’t make the grades, my dd will not choose alternative subjects as she has a provisional offer from a state school with lower grade offers for her A levels choices.

I wish I gave provisional notice but I really didn’t think I needed to. I have just emailed the school fees office and they case back with this is a school matter!!

Assuming this is a decent sized senior school, they are extremely unlikely to want you to pay if they are encouraging your daughter to go elsewhere......in those cases, schools are keen to keep things under the radar and not high profile and want families to just slip away - being told to leave never gives good publicity.

However, I wonder if you are actually hoping she will go to the state school now you have the place. If she does achieve the minimum grades, then really you must expect to pay as per the terms and conditions. If the vast majority if the kids in her school achieve the entry requirement and she has been doing okay, the fact she feels she underperformed isn't necessarily an accurate reflection of her performance - lots of bright students think they have done poorly but do really well.

Regarding a situation where a student meets the minimum 6th Form requirements but not those for particular A Levels they would like to study - well usually these days, the 2 are specified together as the entry requirements, to avoid this confusion. In a decent sized schools with large sixth form and probably a few extras joining, if a student has done generally well and met the entrance requirement, but hasn't made the grade on a couple of the subjects they'd like to do for A Level, I wouldn't be surprised if the school let you slip away without fees. They will gauge how likely you are to shift to different subjects, but if they are academic really won't want you doing subjects that you are unlikely to do well at - so for example, doing A Level maths from a B at GCSE. It is likely to be the smaller schools which are more hard up who insisit on the fees being paid if a general entry requirement is met but not that for specific subjects......but then schools which are hard up are probably a bit more flexible about entry requirements anyway.

In all honesty, are you now actually hoping she will go to the state school and that's why you're wishing you'd given notice?

And yes, anyone who visits and holds an offer from another place, however unlikely they are to take it up, should always give provisional notice for the end of 5th Form. Some would recommend that every family do this, because you just never know what the outcome might be. Sometimes students do far far better and find in late August that a higher performing school will offer a place at that late point, and if provisional notice has been given it is possible to take it up. Giving notice just gives more flexibility....which most won't actually take up because most will choose to stay where they are, but knowing that flexibility exists is very reassuring for many families and indeed the children themselves as it can remove some of the awful pressure children can feel.

I know my dd , she says she hasn’t made the grade for maths to stay st her school to do biology a level and yes I do want her to do the subjects she wants at the state.

I’m a single parent not much money I am
Unable to pay a terms fees I have two trusts helping me , unlikely they will help me pay a terms fees.

Well, if you are planning for her to go the the State option, you'll have to hope she doesn't get the requirement for her fee paying school, as if she does, you will owe the fees as per the terms and conditions. And no a charity won't want to spend its money on a term of fees where no education is received.

You might find that if the school knows she has been funded by a charity, they waive the notice period, especially if she hasn't done so well.

Worth bearing in mind that often the course requirements are there for a good reasons - for example a maths requirement for A Level science - evidence suggests A level science outcomes with low starting GCSE in maths are pretty poor - just worth bearing in mind.

Anyway, on one level, until the results comes out, you won't know how she's done or what the next steps are. Perhaps things will be better than expected and she will stay where she is. If you want clarity about the fees, get in touch with the Head or Bursar and ask about these scenarios;

• DD fails to meet school entry requirement to 6th form

-DD fails to meet requirement for courses she would like to study

Make clear at start that you are worried about her having to leave and you being charged a term if fees and that you receive help (state %) from charity (name them).

Also be clear in your own mind if she will stay if she DOES meet the entry requirements or if you are planning to move her anyway.

Thank you yes she will stay if she meets the requirements.

I already emailed the fees department they said to consult the school!