Problem with Small Private School

[fluffy71]

My 14yr old is at a small non selective independent school that has experience in dealing with dyslexic students like him.

Last year (yr9) he was moved down (along with 3 others) to a newly formed bottom Maths set because the teacher felt he (and presumably the other 3) couldn’t keep up. He has got on quite well in this small group.

Due to his dyslexia he has regular weekly intervention sessions for English with the school’s Senco lead. At the start of Year 10 I spoke to her about these sessions during his GCSE’s years. She then asked if I wanted my son to have any intervention sessions in Maths. I said no as I didn’t think he needed it as he was in this small set.

So fast forward to this month. I get the invoice for the Spring Term, I’ve been billed for £440 for 4:1 Maths Group. I query this with the bursar. I hear nothing for a couple of days until my son brings home a letter. They state that the trial of a “small set intervention” to be very successful but as this class “sits in addition to” our existing maths groups and as such costs will apply”. They then apologised for the “lateness of the information being shared!”

Im pretty annoyed to be honest. At no point were we told that this timetabled maths lesson was a small intervention group and wasn’t included in the fees. I feel that they are trying to get extra money off the upper years, balance the books if you like as they know you’re less likely to take them out at this stage in their education. They want to know if we are happy for him to remain in this set or to move to the other (presumably harder set).

I feel a bit manipulated. We also got an email from the Deputy today saying my son has been play fighting in the changing rooms and though he’s well behaved in class if it happens again they will call us in for a meeting! Then he comes home with this letter!

The teacher in his set said before Christmas that if he works really hard he should be able to get a grade 4 in Maths! So if I allow him to be moved out of this set and then he fails his maths, they can turn round and say “ well we did offer you this group and you took him out if it”.

OH thinks we should take him out of this group, and tell them that we’ll only pay for this last terms maths lessons if it’s spread over the remaining terms that he’s there. I honestly feel like taking him out full stop if I can find a school that offers the same exam boards. My son isn’t overly happy there and often complains that it’s too small.

I just feel I’ve lost faith in the schools ability to be honest.

Any advice appreciated!

So is the small group instead of the core maths lessons?

That’s pretty outrageous that they made the decision to create a new set for him and want to charge you retrospectively. This isn’t extra lessons - teaching him maths is the bare minimum they are supposed to do for the fees you pay!

I would raise a complaint.

It’s maths, not Ancient Greek! I can’t see how a school can retrospectively bill you for delivering core curriculum- if it was one to one tutoring maybe, but not a set of four students.

Well as far as I’m aware they are core maths lessons, they take place as part of the timetable, and are studying for GCSE maths.

Apart from the money, I'm not certain how happy I would be to have dishonest people in charge of my child's education.

So it isn't above and beyond then. Presumably if there was a larger group of children all working at this level they wouldn't be billing parents for it. I would not be impressed with this at all.

No that's not on.

If they are extra small group lessons which means that your son is having the core lesson PLUS these sessions; then maybe yes. With discussion and permission before you commit to paying (which clearly hasn't happened).

But if these lessons replace his core group lessons and they are his only maths teaching then absolutely no.

I would go back and say under no circumstances will you be paying for him to be taught maths as you are paying the school anyway and expect a core subject to be part of the fees.

Then let them explain themselves. But if it were me I'd point blank refuse.

I wouldn’t pay. They should’ve got your permission beforehand and these are his only maths lessons not additional ‘intervention’ ones which you’d be expected to pay for if you have consent in advance. I would consider moving schools too if it’s not going to be detrimental to your son’s exam courses.

Agree with others, seems an unreasonable charge especially as not flagged already. I don't see how they can justify it (disclaimer: no personal experience of private schools).

I wouldn;t move him tho OP - realistically you are vanishingly unlikely to find a state school offering the same subjects and the same boards (private schools often offer iGCSE) and a move to start afresh halfway through year 10 is not a good idea. Or did you mean a move to another private school? even that would be challenging, especially as he is already not finding it easy. Smooth his path as far as you can and maybe move for post-16.

This sounds ridiculous.

I went to a small private school.

At A level there were four of us in chemistry and I was the only one in further maths- at no point was there any suggestion of our parents being charged extra- especially not retrospectively!

I wouldn't pay. It's ridiculous. Any extra charges because of intervention needs to be discussed and approved by the parents before. And this doesn't even seem like an intervention, they are just delivering maths lessons for which you are already paying.
I would write them a mail stating you will not pay because it wasn't discussed with you earlier. And for future, they can take him out of the group. They still need to provide him Maths lessons and meet him at his level.
So ridiculous really. I won't trust the school at all moving forward.

Is the intervention group being taught by Teaching Assistants who are hourly paid? Maybe it's that?

Definitely do not pay! They’ve got their stats to consider too, so it’s in their own interest to get him to a 4 level. I had some extra one to one for my daughter in year 6 and was all paid for but I had to put in writing prior to the sessions starting that I was happy to pay, and they wrote the total it would be per term in advance. This is cheeky!

Is there another school that your son is able to go to? And has space? No point burning your bridges if this is the only school available.

You could pay for a tutor outside school and put him in the main class set 3 to keep up?

Bit naughty how the school invoiced first without agreeing first.

If they have had to pay for an additional tutor / maths teacher
for your boy (plus other 3) in an independent they will just put the price back onto you…. But seems a bit steep (x 4 boys) as you could hire a 1 on 1 maths tutor £55 per hour.

£40 per hour - in an independent school - for a small class - personally I’d pay for the hassle of finding a tutor and keep up the small group so your son can get more attention. Depends on your cash situation though….

Very odd.
My DC s school wouldn’t charge for this and I’m surprised you haven’t had to agree formally to it either.
Sounds like there are financial troubles- can you check the schools Accounts somewhere?

They should have told you in advance. This is nasty, manipulative, borderline fraudulent behaviour.

Is there a Board of management or some other regulator you could chat with? Make it clear you’re not going to roll over and present your tummy.

Speak to the other three parents - don't let them divide you on this.

They should not have put him in this paid for additional class, without getting agreement from you in advance.

The school should also not exclude your son from regular classes without discussion. Core maths and English should be a priority and if his teacher believes he is capable of achieving a 4, then the standard provision within the timetable, should be able to deliver this.

Has additional staff member been brought in to cover this class? If not, they have not incurred additional costs to deliver this class. Assuming this was 12 weeks for 4 students, does the total cost of £1,760 for the term seem to be a reasonable cost for this? How much is the weekly intervention for English with the SENCO lead cost you? Should the SENCO costs be built into the annual fees or is it reasonable that you would pay on top for this?

Yes to those suggesting they are extra maths lessons they aren’t. They are timetabled core lessons and we’ve said we’re not paying