WWYD - taking 25% tax free lump sum earlier than originally planned to pay school fees...

Marcon

DRS1 said:

Before this get whisked away to another board I should mention that some schools have scholarships or bursaries which can help with the fees.

These have always been highly competitive, and are much reduced since the advent of VAT on school fees, thereby further limiting parental choice for the less affluent...

Marcon

tanoshii said:

DRS1 said:

Marcon said:

DRS1 said:

Marcon said:

DRS1 said:

You couldn't find a cheaper/closer school?

Why are you buying property 3?

Is the school a boarding school?  I am sure some people could tell by the level of the fees if they are boarders or day pupils.

If they are day pupils and you need to be closer to them why not rent somewhere if it is only for 2 or 3 years?

They are clearly day pupils - otherwise travel distance wouldn't be an issue: 'buying property 3 near our kids' school (too far to commute from property 1)'.

The fees quoted are going to be a 'top up' to other available parental funds - they wouldn't cover 3 children at private schools.

I am (fortunately) unfamiliar with the cost of private schools these days but what is the additional cost of making the children boarders instead of day pupils?  If they boarded then commuting would only come into it about 6 times a year (Oh and maybe half term so 12 times).  No need for property 3 at all then.

After all if the OP wants them to have the full public school experience they really are not going to get it just being day pupils

Very few of the UK's public schools are full boarding, some offer some sort of boarding, others none at all - eg St Paul's and Merchant Taylors' are both public schools which don't offer boarding - but there's no evidence that's what OP wants. They just seem keen to avoid the state system!

But as with all these 'what would you do...' posts, most of the important personal information is (happily) missing. 'Why would you enrol 3 children at a day school which isn't within commuting distance?' would be top of my list. Doubtless the family had their reasons, but they seem to have ended up in a right pickle as a result.

Yes my school was a day pupils only school - then again it was also in London and only 40 minutes away on the bus so my parents did not need to move.  There is of course absolutely nothing wrong with the OP wanting the best possible education for their children and hopefully when they read this thread they will see people are trying to suggest ways they might achieve that without going overboard financially.

A 40 mins commute each way is indeed very feasible. Thanks for your post - ultimately it is about wanting the best education and experience for our children. I appreciate we are very lucky to have choices. 
This thread has made me realise that I should maybe just try to find a permanent job with a more secure income source. At least there will be more employment options for me near property 3.  

I fear some of the choices you think you have are an illusion; you can't afford them, or almost certainly can't take the risk of 'affording' them.

Two off the wall thoughts, just in case either helps. See https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education-and-careers/2025/05/29/daughter-online-learning/ (I haven't posted it to start a debate; purely for info).

Alternatively, if you could obtain a well paid job, would weekly boarding be feasible? That would significantly increase your availability for work from Monday morning to Friday (mid)afternoon, ensure your children weren't subjected to excessive travelling time (ditto their parents) and give you a much wider choice of school. You might be horrified by the idea of boarding, but if you do the sums, taking into account your time acting as chauffeur and the costs of doing so, and the amount of time you'd be free to doing something which would add to the family coffers, it might be worth mulling over.

tanoshii

BrilliantButScary said:

Is there not another comprehensive, less than 90 minutes away, that is not in special measures, that your children could attend?

Will it just be you and the children, at the new house
during term time, with your husband remaining at the family home? 

Who will be running/working in the family business, while the children attend private school?

Have you asked the children what they want to do? Are they aware of the consequences of choices that are being made?

You do seem to be property rich and cash poor, with complications attached to downsizing and releasing equity.

Thanks for your reply.

Not really a very good comprehensive, no - we would have to sell our primary residence and move into catchment of any new school which is not practical now.

I would drive the children to school Monday morning, and my husband and dog would join us Monday evening or Tuesday evening and stay until Friday morning. We have an office in property 2 at home. I would drive the children back Friday evening. Hence why I thought Airbnb over weekends and school holidays might work. We both WFH, quite part-time, certainly not full-time, so we both have flexibility (me more so) to find other employment.

My husband feels more confident about our plan than me. We are bringing in 10k a month atm on our current contract, so can save, but that can change quickly either way. In the past, we've earned anywhere from 5k-22k per month. 

The children are keen to move and have done taster days at the school - they are both very academic and are not challenged at all at their current school. In fact, I think they are mildly bullied for being "clever" kids. The new school is academically selective and they had to sit numerous exam papers etc. which didn't phase them at all. We would not qualify for bursaries (as a poster suggested) and the school does not offer scholarships with fee remissions.

They both love co-curricular activities/sports which the new school offers in abundance, so online learning (which another poster suggested) probably wouldn't suit them. In any case, we wouldn't be keen, and definitely not boarding (as a poster suggested). We are a close knit family and I would miss them far too much! The kids are looking forward to being able to walk to school, taking part in evening sporting clubs and having more social opportunities.

Anyway, thanks for your post, and indeed to everyone else who has offered advice. I do really appreciate it. After much deliberation, we are going to take the plunge. We realise we will be property rich and cash poor, but our flexible offset interest only mortgage provides a buffer, so we've decided to take the risk. 

I'll report back in the future - hopefully after selling property 1!  Thanks again all...Sorry it ended up being off topic.

Ibrahim5

It's strange how there is a brilliant state sixth form surrounded by rubbish schools. Sounds very weird.

Cobbler_tone

Ibrahim5 said:

It's strange how there is a brilliant state sixth form surrounded by rubbish schools. Sounds very weird.

TBF in my experience it is normally the other way around as all the ‘trouble’ ends up as sixth formers with attitude to match. Our local has metal detectors on the gate to confiscate the weapons.
They must suddenly become angels! Unless it is filled with pupils from the private schools. 
Most of my daughters cohort went to other sixth forms or college.