Private school bursary - how it’s decided?

[dragondrive]

We’ve received an offer from a private school with a 25% bursary. I’m really grateful that my son passed the exam and was offered a place, and I do appreciate the bursary.

That said, given our financial situation and what I disclosed, I was honestly expecting a bit more, as 25% still isn’t affordable for us. I thought bursaries were means-tested, so I’m feeling a bit confused about how this figure was worked out.

Has anyone been in a similar position? Is there usually any room to ask for a review or an increase? A friend mentioned that other schools sometimes offer much higher support in similar circumstances.

I’m also wondering whether bursary levels are based purely on finances, or if a child’s academic performance or competition plays a part as well.

@Treesinsummer not everyone but most ! It’s a business they need to except full fee paying children to the private schools to pay the outgoings , I am not talking about the likes of the top public schools . I am talking about the hundreds of private schools that need to keep afloat .

@Tobstar106 you are so funny. I don’t know any child who cares what their school is spending on bursaries - apart from yours it seems hence my comment he must have skin in the game. And yes children on bursaries have talent but to equate that with everyone else must be mediocre means you don’t put your child in that category. Again. Your child is on a bursary which is fine but don’t therefore pretend you don’t have an angle.

My entire comment was about not finding joy in having people who are on bursaries wittering on about not getting enough. I could afford my kids and yours but I have no interest in spending money on other parents children.

Every school will have its own rules. Why do you expect more? Where do you think the money comes from? Why should our fees sub others?

I do not have a clue what you are talking about ! I really do not . You are clearly having problems . Like I said it’s up to the school you are attending what they do with their money it’s not your money anymore you are buying a service , your fees are decided before you start the school ! You sign a contract agree to the fees your child is then educated . It is not your business what the school does with the fees they are paid for a service they are providing . For all you know they could be giving half the fees you pay to children in need . You are not paying for other people’s children’s Fees you are paying for your own fees which you agreed to!
you know it’s a business and they can use their money on what they want .

@Tobstar106 i think you are getting rather emotional

@Treesinsummer what do you mean my child cares about other. Childrens bursaries. I have never heard a woman discuss school fees as you do ! Ask for a bursery they should help you if you have 3 children at the same school they couldn’t want to lose that income

@MakeMineStrong i am not sure why this lady expected more bursary , whoever gave the 25 % obviously felt they only needed that amount that’s why they offered only that amount ! Or it’s a polite way of saying that’s what your child is worth instead of saying sorry they are not good enough for anymore !

@Treesinsummer this is not my problem it’s yours . I couldn’t care less if you are paying for other children’s education ! More fool you!
I could tell you how to get out of the situation you are in but I’m sure you wouldn’t want to put in the time and effort , like I said the top wealthy schools do not use school fees to give other children bursaries . They have incredibley wealthy donors that donate entire years worth of fees for children to attend these high flying schools . You know they get 100% bursaries not 25% off !

I initially thought that, as the system is means-tested, I might receive a bit more support, as my financial situation is quite tight and it will be challenging to manage. However, I do understand your point—it does seem, in many cases, like a “take it or leave it” situation.

That said, I have to admit I found your view of the bursary system and bursary students quite strong, and it raised some concerns for me. It made me wonder whether this perspective is common among full-fee-paying families—whether there is a perception that bursary students are somehow “less than,” or that they are being supported by others in a way that creates a divide. If so, that does suggest there may be a stigma attached, which is quite worrying.

From my experience so far, this school does not come across that way at all. While it may not be considered top-tier, it is still a strong academic school with a good ranking nationally. I also took the time to read their financial reports, and they appear to place real emphasis on community engagement and charitable support. When I visited, both the staff and students felt warm, inclusive, and welcoming—I didn’t sense any of that division. Of course, I may still be learning, as I’m relatively new to the UK and not yet fully familiar with independent school culture.

Ultimately, I simply want my child to attend a good school and to feel happy and supported. I also appreciate that systems like bursaries exist to help families like ours, who have aspirations but limited financial means. That’s why your comments made me pause, as I wouldn’t want my child to feel judged or out of place.

It also made me curious—if this perspective is widely held, do families ever raise concerns with the school about the bursary system itself? Or is it generally accepted as part of the school’s values and structure?

I’m genuinely interested in understanding this better.

I very much doubt the kids would make your child feel any less included. What you might be picking up on is that fees are a big stretch for a lot of families so some parents are less enthusiastic about their full fees subsidising those on a “free ride” as they might see it. Most parents are more than happy though and will be welcoming of the bursary kids. It’s just a tough economic climate which maybe makes some feel less charitable.

I’m not sure how other students/parents would know who the bursary kid are. Is this somehow obvious? My DC doesn’t know they are a bursary kid; no one knows except me, DH & the school.

I understand it is meant to be confidential, and I will of course respect that. However, I am concerned that, in practice, it may still become noticeable—for example, if my child is unable to attend more expensive trips or has to rely more on second-hand uniforms.

@dragondrive nobody but the headmaster and bursar should know you have a bursary . This is the first time I have ever heard that the parents are paying the fees for a bursary student . Like I said I am not sure what goes on in private schools that are not top tier , it is a different type of clientele, they actually donate above and beyond the school fees to help a child and family less fortunate. I am not sure how old your child is but I wouldn’t put her in that situation tbh try to get her in a top tier school Where you are a lot more appreciated !

@dragondrive trios I understand but don’t worry about second hand the most affluent are fighting over the gym socks at the second hand sale !

Agree, there is no shade for buying second hand uniform! In some of the more elite schools the older the uniform the longer the connections to the school so weirdly a status symbol 😂

What @Tobstar106 said! DCs school is massive (for a private school) and has a whole mix of families. I know from speaking to the bursar that only 25 or so students are offered bursaries each year and of the hundreds of kids there I don’t know how anyone would be able to tell. Everyone wears second hand uniform because the school encourage us to be more eco friendly & numbers on the expensive school trips are limited so sometimes even the wealthiest kids don’t get places. I think you’re over thinking this.

Agree that v few staff know who are on bursaries. It absolutely s the case that all students are treated equally.

This concern about being the ‘poor one’ - or looked down on - you have to get beyond this - your child will be there because they passed the exam. Kids like other kids who are fun and find their tribes within sport or nerdy activities or the arts or whatever - there’s room and friendships for all. If you make money and the kind of house you live in a big thing for your kid, it will become an issue in their mind. But if you don’t, it won’t. Feelings of self worth and the importance (or lack of importance) come from parental attitudes. So if you have a chip on shoulder about being ‘poorer’ it’s more likely to be an issue for your child. Work hard at not voicing your concerns to your DC.

And re parental attitudes about bursaries - this poster who is annoyed about others getting bursaries - it’s an extreme view, expressed on an anonymous forum and not one you’re likely to encounter like this in real life. I mean….how rude and lacking in any emotional intelligence would it be!

Kids with scholarships and bursaries bring huge amounts to independent schools. They are often the more able and boost sports teams, music, the arts, exam results and uni places - all important selling points to schools and those that attract the full payers. Remember current parents are usually not funding bursaries. The money might come from alumni donations, philanthropists, investments, overseas schools in the group and other revenue streams. The pattern of school funding is complex and it isn’t the case that the poster above fees are determined by your bursary.

I’d remind the anti-bursary poster that much bursary funding has been used in recent times to support existing families too. VAT and other things like job loss or personal family crisis can affect anyone and most schools will want to support families who are mid way through their school. No doubt, that poster would like to see such support available to themselves if needed…or the kids’ friends families.

In the end, without bursaries and scholarships, more schools wouldn’t exist and actually couldn’t survive financially! You’d be surprised what proportions get some kind of support - and without it numbers often wouldn’t be viable in terms of school pupil numbers in school. Bursars look at the bigger picture of overall fee income and it’s better to have some bursary students paying some fees than for them not to be there at all. The marginal cost of an extra student to the school is probably lower than you think.

There might be the odd person who can’t see the bigger picture of society, nuances benefits to all in the school from bursaries and scholarships, who thinks only full fee payers should be allowed - who hasn’t thought through the implications of that for the school and actually their own child. Fortunately most parents know it’s more complex than that. Of course no parents like seeing their fees rise substantially - but they know when they do that bursary funding is one small part of it and part of an overall financial picture. Fees in recent years have risen substantially due to VAT, capital expenditure projects by schools, sometimes increasing pension costs, fuel bills, etc etc. Most parents can see the bigger picture.

If your bursary makes it affordable for your family - after you’ve made significant sacrifices - and you have to be prepared to make those because full fee payers often make substantial sacrifices and bursaries are not there to allow the recipients to continue lifestyles non-bursary holders can’t afford, and you think the sacrifices are worth it…go for it, if you’ve calculated the additional costs too and it’s viable for all of your family.

If the sacrifices needed either make it impossible or are just too much for your family to bear (consider impact of fees in other kids etc) then you might have to accept it’s out of reach….as it is to most.
Personally, I’d only really stretch myself for a pretty big name school that genuinely had a lot to offer and not for a school that offered marginal gains, but everyone chooses for themselves.

I see you’re still upset in the comments which is sad to read. Whilst I understand your emotions attached to this, it still has no bearing on the original question. It just shows that there’s a stigma attached to the system due to some parents.

We & more specifically you, are not paying for those on a bursary, unless you donate. You are paying to privately educate your children. How the business decides to allocate their outgoings is entirely up to them! Even if they didn’t allocate towards the bursary pot, your fees would NOT change!

From a business perspective, Independent schools see the bursary scheme as a benefit. They can guarantee getting top students, who will have to work hard regardless due to funding and will bring top results. It doesn’t imply that fee paying children are “mediocre” but they can ‘fall behind” if they choose to (obviously, there’s still a standard to maintain). It also helps with a charity status/image and has many other benefits. Most profitable business give towards charities, this has been a long standing community focus in our society. @Tobstar106 is correct.

Again, rethink about what you’re saying and how you project you emotions onto others. You sound as if you’re one step away from randomly asking parents on bursaries to give you “your” money back! Which is just absurd!

How the business decides to allocate their outgoings is entirely up to them! Even if they didn’t allocate towards the bursary pot, your fees would NOT change!

Exactly this. The school might choose to donate to eg a local care home or a maths for underprivileged children scheme instead.

@555Stars good grief I am not upset and I didn’t even reply to the last comments by @Tobstar106, who it was if you look back actually said the kids who’s parents paid full fees were mediocre and that was only down to the bursary kids these schools achieved what they did.

Clearly if you have to provide bursaries which schools do under charitable regulations they will use to their advantage but let’s see where the trend goes on as the govt strips away that charitable status etc.

@555Stars thank you for simplifying this issue .
you have absolutely 100% given the correct knowledge, although I tried to it didn’t look like I was getting through !
thank you

@Treesinsummer i am just trying to educate you in understanding , you do not pay for peoples bursaries 2.the children who receive these high end bursaries are worth the school investing in them! You should not have a care in world what your school does with the fees you are paying as long as your children are getting a very good education.

@WombatChocolate

v few staff know who are on bursaries.

That's almost true in DC's school. It's one of the "big names" which provides bursaries to about 10% of students out of donations and commercial income (mostly franchise fees from overseas schools). They do ask bursary recipients whether they would be willing to address potential donors at parents' evenings and describe the experience at the school and the impact of the opportunities the bursary made possible. It's literally just the one named publicly each year and there's no stigma attached to it. It seems that they have no shortage of volunteers for this role.

re parental attitudes about bursaries - this poster who is annoyed about others getting bursaries - it’s an extreme view, expressed on an anonymous forum and not one you’re likely to encounter like this in real life. I mean….how rude and lacking in any emotional intelligence would it be!

It's not that uncommon a view. Most won't say this in as many words if they know that they're speaking with a bursary recipient but, after a few drinks at parents get togethers, I've heard plenty of grumbling and frustration that donations and, especially, the commercial revenues aren't being used to subsidize all pupils (in the form of a lower headline tuition rate) even if a school claims that the tuition fee is no more than the actual cost of educating a pupil.

job loss or personal family crisis can affect anyone and most schools will want to support families who are mid way through their school. No doubt, that poster would like to see such support available to themselves if needed…or the kids’ friends families.

Many parents take the attitude that families who might need this support should take insurance against the possibilities. At DC's school, this is available from a third party on an opt-out basis.

Bursars look at the bigger picture of overall fee income and it’s better to have some bursary students paying some fees than for them not to be there at all.

At some of the most prominent schools in London, the vast majority of bursary funding goes to children receiving 100%+ bursaries. At DC's school, about 7% of students are on full bursaries. 90% of students are paying full tuition. Apparently, only about 3% of students come from families with incomes in the range which qualify for partial bursaries.

The marginal cost of an extra student to the school is probably lower than you think.

Which is one of the reasons schools offer such large discounts to their staff. That and the fact that the compensation is tax free.

Most parents can see the bigger picture.

The parents whose children are still at a private school have made their peace with the school's bursary policy. I disagree that implies most agree with your bigger picture. I don't believe that most would concede that what bursary students might bring to a school is worth it (even when they're not the ones paying!). I believe that most are simply willing to pay even if they regard it as adding nothing as long as their children get to attend, similar to the way they are willing to pay VAT, and none of the parents I know think that the VAT they're paying is adding anything to their children's education.

@user149799568 exactly. I have made peace that I am paying the fees I am paying. However, not taking joy that money paid to the school is as you point out it going to lower the headline fees for the rest of us is not an extreme view. @555Stars @Tobstar106 would not take joy if they arranged to go on holiday and were told that Expedia could reduce the cost by thousands but won’t to pay for someone else to go away. They just wouldn’t. And if the school finds they are short for bursaries they clearly won’t shut them down they would find the money elsewhere as a fix.

I will give you this point tho @WombatChocolate. I don’t give much of a shit about what you classify as the bigger picture. My job is to give my children the opportunities I can and considering with VAT and the baiting language being used by
@555Stars @Tobstar106 ie: Emotional, mediocre, sad when I have said nothing of the sort just shows that actually the view of myself and those in my position that we don’t have much truck for it is perfectly reasonable. And it will be very interesting to see how the higher rates of fees and anger from those who perceive those who don’t just feel like being rinsed does impact people’s willingness to put their hands in their pockets for bursaries

I know some that pay a tiny amount but they are extremely clever others who aren’t as bright but passed the entrance exam and like yours only got offered 25%. You can ask the school.