advice please - declining a private school place

[emilyr0se]

Advice please

In your experience, are the private schools really strict about paying the penalty of a term's worth of fees if you give them less than one terms notice of withdrawing? We're inexperienced reception parents and it didn't click that a term in advance of September was this week!

[sleepadistantmemory]

It depends on the school, but I'm pretty sure if it's a school policy they will adhere to it in afraid. Did you pay a deposit? We paid a hefty deposit which would be non refundable if we withdrew place. I guess they guard themselves against parents who might accept a place and then withdraw eg in favour of a state school place. Reading your email though, you still have a term to go so surely you'll be just in time to withdraw wont you?

[Mellors]

I definitely forfeited my deposit when I declined a private school place in favour of state. I remember running round on the day it was announced to get my letter in to avoid paying the term's fees penalty!

[snowboarder]

You will certainly lose your deposit - but you might be lucky they might not be back at school for the summer term yet?

[emilyr0se]

Hi all thanks for the replies. Yes I will lose the deposit, which I can live with. What I'm really alarmed about is having to pay a term's fees because term started this Monday just gone, and the rules seem to say "notice before term starts". Oh dear.

[James Barber]

I believe private schools return to start their new term next week. So call them today and you may be fine. Good luck.

[slh2009]

We have got until 30 April to advise St Dunstans...best to check with the school, we got a letter

[etta166]

In your place I wouldn't pay the tem's fees... It would be PR suicide for the school to pursue the "debt", so I can't see them doing it even if you were meant to decline the place last week instead of this week. Making you commit before the state school places are announced is a calculated move to keep th deposits of those hedging their bets, anyway.

[Sol]

Most private schools start this Monday; be there early to hand your letter declining the place; you may be lucky