Independent education?

toontron

GlasweJen wrote: »

We are going on a 25% increase between now and child starting, 35% between now and child finishing high school based on the prices published for the coming year.

The school currently provides books included in the fees and some other small "costs" which don't usually come as standard with private education such as the cost of the Saturday bus to the rugby/hockey matches, cost of swimming lessons and a few smaller things again - we have assumed that none of this will be included. Even budgeting for a "big" school trip every 2 years from primary 5 (which is what OH had), the cost of a full new uniform every year (soo won't happen unless necessary), and adding the cost of after school activities it is affordable on OHs salary and he could still afford the mortgage and a frugal day to day lifestyle. As I have no intention of quitting work we should get through this fairly comfortably.

My one worry would be if one of us lost our job, I wouldn't transfer from private to public but we could have a savings account for this eventuality to cover a years fees just in case.

You will usually find that if you find yourself suddenly redundant, you can approach the Bursar, and they can arrange a bursary in order to keep your child at the school, our school doesn't offer it, but its quite near the top of the Times best uk school list, but many schools do, its always worth checking when you are looking at specific schools:)

meer53

This baby will be yours, i think it's nice that your in laws are willing to help pay school fees. BUT, the choice should be yours and your husbands, it sounds to me as though your OH's parents are wanting to be far too involved. It rings huge alarm bells for me i'm afraid.

Getting pregnant, carrying a baby (hopefully, in your case) delivering the baby, getting through those first few months and years are very stressful. Especially considering what you have already been through. It's far too early to be thinking about which school you should choose. If this is already an issue for your OH to be and his parents, for me, i'd be a little bit concerned.

Yes it's good to plan, but unless you have a crystal ball, i'd concentrate on getting the baby first.

toontron

My DS started in Year 1 and is now in Year 8, I have worked out the difference between the two figures to be 89%!!!!

GlasweJen

poet123 wrote: »

Forgive me for raising this subject, but you say you have no intention of quitting work but is your health now such that you will have no further issues?

The graft has settled at last, I'm quite used to the chair now (still wish I could walk again but I know now that it's never going to happen) and my consultant thinks we are out of the woods in terms of the transplant. There are other issues which have cropped up but illness has never stopped me before and I don't see why it should. I personally think it would be a waste of a good organ and someone else's legacy for me to not be as productive as I possibly can be.

Troontron - we have the costs from nursery to S6 and the cost does increase sharply from P5 onward, we have assumed total cost of education = current cost of nursery to S6 + 25% increase on early years + 35% increase on later years + 10% just in case fund.

I'm glad to hear that some schools offer temporary bursaries, I know the school currently has a fund for applicants from deprived areas and a uniform fund as well so it might have something like this - hopefully I won't need it though.

quinechinoise

toontron wrote: »

You will usually find that if you find yourself suddenly redundant, you can approach the Bursar, and they can arrange a bursary in order to keep your child at the school, our school doesn't offer it, but its quite near the top of the Times best uk school list, but many schools do, its always worth checking when you are looking at specific schools:)

This is not necessarily the case. However, there will probably be a hardship fund and you might be able to claim on school fees insurance (if you had any). The school would certainly help on a temporary basis but that help might simply be to get you to a smooth exit point, rather than to stay at the school indefinitely. Schools do care about kids but they still have to balance the books.

However, having a year's worth of fees in a savings account is a more than adequate "personal insurance" and, in reality, if things go pear-shaped, you only need to give 1 term's notice rather than a whole year.