Parental Contribution

Area for current parents, past parents and future parents of Blues or Old Blues.

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J.R.
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by J.R. »

I'd rather NOT make any comment myself !!
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
ailurophile
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by ailurophile »

YadaYada wrote:

I like the way the school asks us for a terms notice or pay a terms fees in lieu when even after the end of term we don't know whether we can afford the fees.
There's got to be a better way of doing it.
Hasn't there just?!!

Dr Mummy opened this thread on 25 May, after she first received notice of her unexpectedly high assessed fees - perhaps she should be grateful that she had adequate time to reconsider her options. For any parent still waiting for confirmation of what they will have to pay next year, there is precious little time left to contact other schools and make alternative arrangements if the worst happens, and you need to withdraw your child from CH. I trust that anyone unfortunate enough to be placed in this position will tell CH exactly where to get off if asked to pay a term's fees in lieu of notice!!
ReallyMissingHer
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by ReallyMissingHer »

erm didn't someone try that and got threatened with court and the whole works????????????????

It is very clear in the "contract" that any fraud of lack of notice etc will mean that they will pursue you for the money!

Hence having to get it all counter signed by a solicitor - or so I thought.
YadaYada
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by YadaYada »

I wonder what happened with the person who was threatened with court. Couldn't afford to fight them I expect.

Obviously no-one wants to be in the situation where they have to withdraw their child for financial reasons. I agree with having to give notice. I still haven't had my assessment of fees for next year and whilst expecting an increase, I am not expecting them to be beyond what I can pay.

Unfortunately, if other people's experiences are anything to go by, what I think I can pay and what the Foundation thinks I can pay may be at odds. Should the Foundation also not have to give more notice of an increase?

God forbid that any of us are in a position - at any time in our child's education - to have to withdraw them but if we are, we are not being given any time to organise anything else. Independent schools are now all finished for the year and state schools are not far behind.
ailurophile
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by ailurophile »

ReallyMissingHer wrote:

erm didn't someone try that and got threatened with court and the whole works????????????????

It is very clear in the "contract" that any fraud of lack of notice etc will mean that they will pursue you for the money!

Hence having to get it all counter signed by a solicitor - or so I thought.
I'll have to hunt out my contract and take a closer look, but surely there should be two sides to any such agreement. If CH are unable to give parents adequate notice of any sudden and disproportionate increase in the means-tested contribution, and where such an increase places a family in a position where they simply cannot afford to keep their child at the school, it would seem unreasonable for them to demand a term's notice of withdrawal. Parents are being placed in an impossible situation, and I genuinely doubt whether the school's position on this would stand up to cross-examination in Court should anyone be brave enough to challenge them.

Out of interest, does anyone know of any cases which have actually gone this far?
Dr Mummy
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by Dr Mummy »

Just a quick update for all you good folk on here. DD got a place from the waiting list at our first choice state school this week which she is over joyed about and is some compensation for the disappointment of CH. So all's well that ends well! I too, however, was thinking that at least we have had time to pursue alternatives - I feel truly sorry for those still waiting to hear. With regards to the terms fees in lieu of notice, this appears to be flexible!
YadaYada
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by YadaYada »

That is good news. I am very pleased your daughter is happy. Good luck to you all :)
pinkhebe
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by pinkhebe »

What lovely news. I take it state school admissions stay open throughout the summer holidays ....
KenHo
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by KenHo »

Just a quick note on the idea of the school taking someone to court.

Firstly, they have an obligation to make a fair contract and there are all kinds of defences that could be used if they have done something quite as stupid as they appear to have done here. They really won't get away with quoting one price and then setting a much higher one and then insisting you are obliged to pay it.

What will happen in such circumstances is that they will have to take someone to the county court. But not, of course, in Horsham where the school is, but rather where the parent is. If the parent turns up and states that the contract was unfair because of of an excessive rise (or some other defence) then they may very well win. But here is the great bit! The school has to send some to wherever the case is, or has to pay for a local advocate to turn up, hoping they have been fully and properly instructed. If nobody turns up then the school will lose by default. If they do turn up, and it costs them a great deal of money to do so, then they can't claim this back.
pinkhebe
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by pinkhebe »

I have just rung the ever helpful Ms Young, who was most suprised I hadn't received my letter as it was sent on June 1st! Still she told me verbally how much it would be (similar to the estimate, considering we've earnt slightly more this year) so that's good, and I can start planning now :D
YadaYada
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by YadaYada »

I have rung too and appears there was a glitch in the system which meant my letter hadn't gone out. Anyway, good news - seems to have been only a modest increase. Wish I'd rung weeks ago as been worrying for no reason.

Recommend anyone still waiting to ring Mrs Young. :)
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by ailurophile »

Pinkhebe and YadaYada

What a relief for you both after all these weeks of worry, now you can relax and enjoy the summer (and Pinkhebe can get some sleep!). I do hope that Mrs Young will be able to identify any other families affected by the 'glitch in the system' - there may be more parents waiting anxiously for their letters who don't enjoy the advantage of having discovered this Forum!!
Ineedacoffee
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by Ineedacoffee »

X to all.
wurzel
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by wurzel »

We also got confirmation of our sons Maths scholarship place at Wells Cathedral School whose head is Mrs Caincross ex CH staff from just after the merger. After a lot tooing and froing it is now within our means (just). But compared to the problems people here have had with the foundation it has been a lot easier. Final bit of negotiation last friday had the registrar saying he could see a further small reduction in fees would mean far more to us in terms of quality of life for the rest of family than the loss to the school of said amount so he would go back to bursary comittee but couldn't see any issue - however as he was going on holidays it might take 2 weeks for a definitive reply but it should be an ok - we then had the decision ratified and confirmed in writing before the end of that day (seems to be last thing he did before going away as after 5pm). Now we can start planning.
ailurophile
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Re: Parental Contribution

Post by ailurophile »

We also got confirmation of our sons Maths scholarship place at Wells Cathedral School whose head is Mrs Caincross ex CH staff from just after the merger. After a lot tooing and froing it is now within our means (just). But compared to the problems people here have had with the foundation it has been a lot easier. Final bit of negotiation last friday had the registrar saying he could see a further small reduction in fees would mean far more to us in terms of quality of life for the rest of family than the loss to the school of said amount so he would go back to bursary comittee but couldn't see any issue - however as he was going on holidays it might take 2 weeks for a definitive reply but it should be an ok - we then had the decision ratified and confirmed in writing before the end of that day (seems to be last thing he did before going away as after 5pm). Now we can start planning.
Well done and good luck to your son Wurzel.

Your experience with Wells Cathedral School sounds extremely positive. You have been very lucky to have the opportunity to 'negotiate', and with a registrar who is sensitive and sympathetic to your individual family circumstances; this is definitely not an approach which you would be likely to meet if you needed to address similar issues at CH.
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