Private school bursaries and charitable status

ManicMum

Hello

not sure if this is correct place to post.

We recently applied for a bursary for our eldest to go to a private school. We were very pleased she was awarded one but it was only 25% of the fees which was ridiculous. They had all income details which with our calculations, would have meant we needed 75% bursary minimum.

Now being a cynic, I know private schools get special tax breaks if they offer bursaries. Do these actually have to be taken up though or can they say 'well, we offered a bursary but they didn't want it'?

After I turned down the bursary with our reasons, I heard nothing more. Hmmm.!!!

thanks

Plans_all_plans

I think it depends in part on how the child did in the exam. If your child got 100% in everything, then they will be more likely to offer a higher percentage bursary amount in my experience.

The fact that you needed 75% bursary to be able to send your child to the school is unfortunately not their concern - they can only award so much to people.

With regard to the school's charitable status, I'm not sure whether bursary places actually have to be taken up, but I'd assume so, as a common sense approach to it would dictate that to be the way. Going by my own experience of attending a private school: in my year of 60 girls, there were approx 10 of us who were awarded some form of assistance, of varying degrees (scholarship, bursary, assisted place - showing my age!)

Mojisola

ManicMum wrote: »

After I turned down the bursary with our reasons, I heard nothing more. Hmmm.!!!

Why would you expect to? You're not going to have anything to do with the school. Why would they keep contacting you?

londonsurrey

I have a friend who is dirt poor, whose child has won a scholarship to a really nice private school. A bursary was offered, but these institutions are really not set up to give away money, and my friend can't afford it. They're still negotiating. Every thing was investigated, all their worldly goods looked at. Her wine collection was valued at a princely £5.45. Lol.

I suppose that this is how the school has kept going for a few hundred years - they really don't give it away. Even when they do award the money, there is a constant pressure to repay it, even if it means waiting for the child to eventually "make it" in life.

Kimberley82

They have to be taken up.

But look at it from the schools point of view, they have a certain amount they can afford to use on bursaries. They will give out the most to the children they feel will enhance the school the most.

clearingout

Paying 25% may help 4 children attend the school who couldn't have done otherwise, whilst offering 100% will mean only one child attends. Which is better for their public profile?!

daska

I can't find it now but I remember looking at scholarships/bursaries for DS1 and one school put it very straight with words to the effect of - if the family isn't willing to make substantial sacrifices to gain the benefit of the education that is being subsidised then they don't value it enough. They want the family to score 10/10 for effort because that is likely to be reflected in the pupil's achievements.

pinkclouds

ManicMum wrote: »

We recently applied for a bursary for our eldest to go to a private school. We were very pleased she was awarded one but it was only 25% of the fees which was ridiculous. They had all income details which with our calculations, would have meant we needed 75% bursary minimum.

I would guess that you have some savings that the school expected you to use up before increasing the level of your bursary. On means-tested applications, I believe it is normal to ask if there is any reason why known assets cannot be used to pay school fees. And a quarter discount is still quite good - I've known some people to be offered a lot less. Although, I suppose policy probably varies a lot from school to school.

faithcecilia

I was very lucky in that the school I got a scholarship to wanted the best pupils, based on both exams and a very long day of interviews. It was only after the place was offered that money was discussed and thankfully I got a full scholarship including uniform, meals, trips etc - all my parents had to pay for was the bus. In their case, and this was 20yrs ago now, they had a combined income of £8k pa and the fees were around £3.5k pa.

emsywoo123

Am I being thick here? Because surely if all you had to do was prove you couldn't afford the fees, then expect a min 75% bursary, surely thousands of people would apply every term? *shruggy*

pinkclouds

emsywoo123 wrote: »

Am I being thick here? Because surely if all you had to do was prove you couldn't afford the fees, then expect a min 75% bursary, surely thousands of people would apply every term? *shruggy*

Thousands of people could apply, if they wanted to, but the school could and would refuse them all - based on their own criteria such as "we don't think you fit our ethos". This isn't like applying to a free state school where, provided there are places, you'll definitely get in. Even if you have the means to pay the full fees, a fee-paying school can still turn you down.