Being forced to pay private school fees

trollopscarletwoman

There is no compulsion to go to mainstream school, whether state or independent, and never has been.

If your son that is being bullied wishes to go to another school which happens to be state run;and is accepted, then no British court can stop that.

Home schooling is also a possibility. You do not have to be a qualified teacher to provide an 'education'. Neither do you have to follow national curriculum.

duchy

DKLS wrote: »

My first thought is you need a better solicitor,

Can you turn the business around? If not or not quickly there needs to be some tough conversations around that you simply cannot afford to maintain their current lifestyle.

As the fees are subject to a court order it'd be a conversation with a court not the other parent though.

I'm wondering why school fees needed to be the subject of a court order-Were you resistant to paying even before your business stopped doing so well?

How do you think your children would feel about changing schools ? You've made no mention of if they want to move or not. Plenty of parents feel having started private education that they have an obligation to continue even if financial situations change and it will be a struggle. Perhaps your wife feels that way ?

duchy

trollopscarletwoman wrote: »

There is no compulsion to go to mainstream school, whether state or independent, and never has been.

If your son that is being bullied wishes to go to another school which happens to be state run;and is accepted, then no British court can stop that.

Home schooling is also a possibility. You do not have to be a qualified teacher to provide an 'education'. Neither do you have to follow national curriculum.

The decision is surely that of the parent with care not the child ? A court can take the wishes of the child into consideration but can still say no if they deem it not to be in the best interests of the child to do so (assuming the parents don't agree -although I suppose a child *could* bring the case with support of another adult)