Private School Fees

mwalsh23

Hello, my son is in his final year at school (Upper Sixth) just before he hopefully attends university in September.  Now that schools have closed down, are we still liable to pay for the Summer Term fee (after Easter holidays) if they aren't attending?  We have scrimped and saved to send him there so to be able to get a credit for the last term would be very helpful.

silvercar

I suspect your contract with the school required you to pay fees. Will the teachers be offering online lessons?

mwalsh23

Thanks for responding.  Yes they are offering online lessons next week but who knows what's going to happen after the Easter break.  My annoyance is that there are so many businesses out there giving money back for closures or non services but a private school can still have the gall to want to be paid the full amount, which is thousands.  Their facility is closed, no lunches, no maintenance, etc yet we still have to pay the full amount.  Something is not right here and has to be done.  Even a gesture of goodwill in these trying times would, I'm sure, be appreciated and met with positivity from others.

Flugelhorn

tricky with private schools - the last term in the sixth form is always a problem as TBH they are hardly there for any of it yet parents pay the full fees.  Schools will still have huge costs ongoing even is the students aren't paying fees - some may struggle to continue unless they have good emergency funds 

onwards&upwards

I believe the teachers in most private schools are still being expected to come in every day and teach the full curriculum online. 

ComicGeek

Slightly difficult given it's the last term - I'm happy to pay for my son's schooling as I want it to survive beyond this year, but if it was his final term I would be more reluctant. Our school will be deducting costs for food, but have on line teaching and resources already set up for next week and beyond.

jaybeetoo

I’m in the same position as the OP.  Last day of school for my son was yesterday.  As A-level exams have been cancelled I am not expecting my son to receive any teaching next term.

The school will still need maintenance, staff will still need to be paid next term.

I’d be happy to accept a reduction in the fees for next term (50%?).

mwalsh23

Yes I'd probably be happy to accept a 50% reduction too.  Wonder if there is anyone we can gain advice from  or if there is a clause in the terms and conditions that a lawyer can find a loophole.  Just a though.

don9999

I was about to ask the same question!

It has to apply to every parent whose child is in second year of A levels!

As we all know, A levels have now been cancelled.  Hence these children (including my son) have no exams to prepare for, no assessments to complete, and indeed no need to continue his studies in his three A levels at all.  He IS studying, but in preparation for his University course, in a different subject, and I can assist him with that.

I don't think the school teachers WILL be providing any tuition for these students in the third term.  In what?  What for?
Indeed it has already stopped for the remainder of this second term.  It is effectively like my son has already left the school!

I can understand having to pay for other years, where teachers WILL be providing alternative teaching solutions - online etc, with homework being given, submitted and marked etc.  Whilst this would still also apply to first-level A level students, it does NOT apply to second-year A level students.

I hear people mention that work in the third term would have been minimal.  I don't fully agree with that.  There MAY have been  less 'formal' teaching, but there would still have been a LOT of revision, practice exams, tutorials, support etc.  None of this will now happen.

In my case, I pay a term at a time, so have not yet paid for the Summer term.  But I HAVE been sent the invoice.  I also know that the invoices all state for any cancellation a full term's notice must be given.  I totally understand and appreciate that condition in normal circumstances.  They can't have the odd student dropping out at the last minute.  But this is a very unusual situation - the WHOLE upper sixth form is dropping out!

Feels very unfair that we have to pay a substantial amount of money but receive absolutely NOTHING in return!

Undervalued

don9999 said:

I was about to ask the same question!

It has to apply to every parent whose child is in second year of A levels!

As we all know, A levels have now been cancelled.  Hence these children (including my son) have no exams to prepare for, no assessments to complete, and indeed no need to continue his studies in his three A levels at all.  He IS studying, but in preparation for his University course, in a different subject, and I can assist him with that.

I don't think the school teachers WILL be providing any tuition for these students in the third term.  In what?  What for?
Indeed it has already stopped for the remainder of this second term.  It is effectively like my son has already left the school!

I can understand having to pay for other years, where teachers WILL be providing alternative teaching solutions - online etc, with homework being given, submitted and marked etc.  Whilst this would still also apply to first-level A level students, it does NOT apply to second-year A level students.

I hear people mention that work in the third term would have been minimal.  I don't fully agree with that.  There MAY have been  less 'formal' teaching, but there would still have been a LOT of revision, practice exams, tutorials, support etc.  None of this will now happen.

In my case, I pay a term at a time, so have not yet paid for the Summer term.  But I HAVE been sent the invoice.  I also know that the invoices all state for any cancellation a full term's notice must be given.  I totally understand and appreciate that condition in normal circumstances.  They can't have the odd student dropping out at the last minute.  But this is a very unusual situation - the WHOLE upper sixth form is dropping out!

Feels very unfair that we have to pay a substantial amount of money but receive absolutely NOTHING in return!

Indeed.

Although, thinking back to my final A level term at school many years ago, very little teaching was done in that term and much of it was spent at home doing private study. However the full fees were charged. So I think it can be argued either way.

don9999

Understood, and am sure it depends on the student.  Some may prefer to study alone using their notes, and some would need additional support.  In BOTH cases, the teachers would be there to answer queries, provide past papers (and mark them if required), give advice etc...

But now, with A levels terminated, NONE of this is applicable.

Is an unusual scenario.....