Accepting a place at an independent school as insurance in the state school lottery - anyone done it

[chuck]

Just going through the process of applying for my child to go to primary school and after hearing all the horror stories was wondering if anyone had also applied to independent schools (i.e alleyns, JAPs etc) as a fall back for when you dont get offered anything you would contemplate accepting. My problem is that as I understand it, if your gifted offspring passes the admissions tests, they are offered a place in Feb (well before you hear from state schools)and you have to accept with a deposit which can vary but seems to be just under ?1k and is then taken off first terms fees. However you then have to give a terms notice if you are not going to take up the place. This means that you need to let the school know before the summer term starts (20 april) but you dont find out until 10 May re state school places. If you dont give a terms notice you are liable to pay a terms fee (around ?3k).

So what i am trying to find out is has anyone done this in the last couple of years? And if you decide to go with state school place, are you really liable to pay the full terms fee?

I hope this makes sense...

[vinceayre]

Yes you are!

It also begs the question that if you can afford private why would you send your child state?

Vince

[sillywoman]

Gosh, aren't those private schools canny?

[Mellors]

Yes, exactly that. What a swizz!

I have my boys name down as a back up, but couldn't afford to send him and his younger sister privately forever (or even for very long).

Its an insurance policy to put him in privately for the first year or so until (hopefully) his name comes up on nearest the state school list (Heber) and we can transfer him out.

[chuck]

Exactly Mellors. Our plan is the same really. Cant really afford to but if needs must.

Mellors - have you already put his name down and if you have and the state school you want comes up, how will you feel about having paid the first term's fees? Or do you have a plan or know of a loophole to get around this?

[Mellors]

I have already put his name down.

I think if I get in Heber, even if I have to pay the first term's fees my general view will be "Thank Christ that's thirty grand a year saved on the little oiks education".

Or something like that.

[ClareC]

Just because you can afford private doesn't mean it would be your preference.......

[Mellors]

In this area it would be mine, just need to win the lottery/bump off some unknown rich relatives/rob a bank.....

[Eliza.D]

I would just like to say that I pity any parent in this current situation having read previous threads. I had a pretty smooth infant/primary transition but I had the Secondary School dilema this time last year but every thing worked out ok.

Private schools are in their own crisis with the economic climate as it is.

It's a horrible situation all round.

My only advice would be do what feels right for you and rest assured that where ever your child attends the teachers and staff have the children's best interest at heart.

[Coach Beth]

And don't forget to look around and consider other schools in the area other than Heber/Goodrich etc. Several parents who on the forum who didn't get into Heber/Goodrich/St. John's and who didn't even consider the alternatives ie. Goose Green and Bessemer Grange have been pleasantly surprised when they actually went and looked around the schools and are now sending their kids to these schools (which they got into on waiting lists).

[Ondine]

Mine are older now but I went with the lottery you describe and ultimately opted for private rather than Goose Green, rightly or wrongly. Then moved back to state (Lyndhurst) at 7 and all has gone swimmingly since. My older one just did secondary transfer and had a choice about state or private and she decided, having spent time in both, that she wants to be the kind of person who goes to state school.

[ClareC]

This is all new to me... I am a few years away from needing to worry, but exactly how do you work out what is / isnt a good school? I know Ofsted isnt a good indicator. From reading this Goodrich and Heber seem popular, on what basis?

Also, are there any decent secondaries in the area (state)?

[Mellors]

1. Ofsted is one indicator, together with all the other statistical data avialable online. I admit my opinion has been formed by word of mouth/vising the schools/seeing the kids there when out and about. I'm not sure what else you can do apart from this.

Don't know about secondaries - there's the Harris Girls and new boys, but I've never heard anything good about them. Charter/Kingsdale?

[vinceayre]

Ondine

What kind of person goes to a state school or more interestingly, what kind of person goes private?

Vince

[sillywoman]

ClareC Wrote:

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> Also, are there any decent secondaries in the area

> (state)?

Both The Charter, and Kingsdale have very good reputations and are oversubscribed due to their popularity. 2 of mine are at the former and both are doing well socially and academically. We're very happy with it.

[Ondine]

vinceayre Wrote:

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> Ondine

>

> What kind of person goes to a state school or more

> interestingly, what kind of person goes private?

>

>

> Vince

Ah you'd have to look at the world from the perspective of an 11 yr old!

[Sqiggles]

Friends of mine did it, and ended up having to pay the full term's fees, despite a fight. The school (fairly in my view) said that, by the time they had withdrawn their child (and a number of other children had also been withdrawn) it was too late for them to fill the places, probabaly for the whole academic year. If you could prove that they did fill the place, however, and so the school had not really suffered any loss, then I would probabaly have a go at fighting it.

Or, as Mellors says, you take the view that one team's fees is less than 7 years worth!

[emc]

Hi

I'm thinking the same - i.e. if my daughter doesn't get into a school that I'm happy with to try and pay for private until a state school place comes up. Any recommendations for East D area for primary? Did someone say Rosemead was good?

[mrs.lotte]

How can you know that you are not happy with a school that your child hasn't actually been to? We have taken the opposite view; try the state school and if that doesn't work think about transferring to private. Have a look at mumsnet if you have a spare hour or two - a real debate rages on this point. Many people think that once you start private it's a big wrench to transfer to state rather than vice versa.

However when my son was allocated a primary school near new cross (we live near Goose Green) we went to the private schools; lots and lots of parents did the same. I wished I had got the insurance policy earlier; it was no fun for him having 3 assessments in one week or for us to have to assess the various schools with little time to research. In the end we were allocated our local school; Goose Green and we went for it. So far he is really happy there and we are very impressed with the standards of teaching and discipline and the rest of his classmates seem delightful.

To answer your question; yes you are liable for a term's fees according to the terms and conditionsof all the schools I saw

Good luck, do whatever you think is right for you but best to get on with it; suspect that they will be having assessments soonish!