School fees: Can I get a refund?

ahacking

First post here, so not sure if this is the best place to post, but hoping someone can help ...

My son has been at the same private school for the last few years and has just finished his GCSEs. Even though I have paid a term's fees in full (including extras such as one-to-one tuition, transport and others) he is now at home with several weeks of term left to go.

The school say I cannot get a refund, even though they are running no classes or other activities for his class from now until the end of term.

It seems to me that if they are offering no service I should be able to get some money back, and I can't help but think that this must be typical of most fee-paying schools.

Does anyone have experience of claiming a refund in such circumstances? It represents a substantial chunk of money and I'd rather not just let it go!

Many thanks in advance for any thoughts.

nikki1520

I would think they have met their obligations under the contract - to provide education to GCSE level, and as he's finished his exams, their part has been met, as they are not a childcare facility.

However, you might have a point when it comes to the activities and tuition - are these charged on a weekly basis?

ahacking

Good point re contract to educate to GCSE level - thanks for that!

Although I'm not sure that's the way I view the contract (I see it as a service the school provides over a set period of time, but will see what I can find in writing from them).

Fees are payable termly in advance. The term dates are published and I'm just thinking that if I pay for a term's-worth of education then I should get it.

Additional costs for 1-to-1 sessions and transport (we pay for a minibus to take him from the train station to the school) are also on a per-term basis.

meer53

They might find your son something to do for the rest of term if you do request a refund ! How would your son react to that ?

bris

You have paid for the term, the term is what it is, if it means free time then so be it. You can't seriously expect a refund.

immoral_angeluk

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whitewing

Your son's teachers are presumably still at school and working (although not with your son). All this is adding to their experience of teaching thus increasing their pupil's chances of getting good GCSE results. Your son will have benefitted from other parents paying to cover this time in previous years.

Alternatively, you may find it has been factored into the school fees anyway so everyone pays slightly lower each term but all pay for the time after GCSE exams have finished.

Regardless, I think the school would be able to justify the fee somehow. you may possibly be able to force them to back down over a legal technicality but I don't personally see that it would be a victory.

mynameistallulah

I imagine a large chunk of the last payment went on exam fees ...

pearl123

bris wrote: »

You have paid for the term, the term is what it is, if it means free time then so be it. You can't seriously expect a refund.

I complete aggree with bris. The fact that they are doing no further activites should make no differance to your fees.
Now if there had been problems with the standard of teaching then maybe you could challenge what you are paying, otherwise I don't think you can expect a refund at all.

thegirlintheattic

Are you serious?

No refund - you must have realised that most children in this country leave school after their exams even though there are a few weeks left of the official term.

Most private schools I know finish early in July anyway.

daisiegg

This is crazy. As others have said, the teachers are still there working even though they are not teaching your son. However, a lot of the teaching he has had over the years will be better from the teachers having this slight bit of extra time at the end of term when year 11 go in order to write new schemes of learning, prepare resources, review the previous year, etc. Plus, as others have also said, a lot of this term's fee will have gone on exam entry fees.

Surely you realised this would be the case when you chose to sent your son to private school? You could have sent him to a state school and avoided this problem...