Private vs state school admissions

[Pipandmum]

I’ve posted about this before but can’t find my original thread! Basically we will be applying to some private sixth forms and one state. The state is our preference. The privates’ acceptance deadline is three months before the state’s school informs you if you have a place. If I accept a place at private and pay the half term’s fee deposit but then subsequently we get a state place do I just lose my deposit (even though we will know months before start of term and they’d have a waiting list)? I’m assuming the answer is yes but £3k+ seems a lot to write off.

I think you'll need to look at their T&Cs individually. I suspect you will lose your deposit regardless, but you may be liable for more if you don't give enough notice.
Often you need to give a full term's notice (so for not starting in September this needs to be before start of summer term, or even before the end of the Spring term).
Ultimately the private may well not want to be someone's 'fall-back' option, so you pay for using them that way.

The problem with 6th form is you won't know for certain you have a place anywhere until GCSE results are out, so potentially won't turn down a place until 2-3 weeks before term starts.

Generally, if you don't meet the entrance requirements for a private 6th form, they will refund your deposit, but otherwise you will need to pay it.

Isn’t that what a deposit is?

How popular are the private sixth forms? In some places you could just ring up with your GCSE results and just pay the deposit then - but I realise some more prestigious places won't be like this.

You need to check that you would not also be liable for a term's fees in lieu of notice.