Parental Contribution

[wurzel]

Strange you should mention that. I had a conversation with some of the powers that be at a meeting and they just could not see that.

I had a member of staff whose children were at an expensive prep school (non boarding) and the level of feedback and hand holding they expected was unbelievable and well outside what I believe CH provides (weekly reports by each form teacher emailed to parents and a 1/4 termly meeting) plus when the son cut his leg badly on a bolt sticking out of a concrete fence post whilst larking around they were all for sueing the school as "for the amount of money we pay, we expect them to ensure that things like that can't happen".

I tried to explain that I thought a lot of current CH parents were of the opinion that CH was so unique that you didn't complain about anything unless really serious but the new bunch of full fee payers might expect a different level of "customer service" but was told that I was wrong

[YadaYada]

I think both Dinahcat and Wurzel are spot on with this. I work in a state school and parents expectations can be very high, even without additional payment.

As a parent I have felt grateful to CH for the place and so would tend not to complain. But some of the things that go on there do make me wince a little as we would never get away with some things where I work.

[Dr Mummy]

I am unsure whether to be pleased ot not that my starting this thread has prompted so much discussion and debate! As I have said previously, I do not want to appear bitter and detract from those who have had positive experiences but....I do think it important that future potential parents have an awareness of these issues. Having spent 16 months with CH occupying a huge amount of mine and my children's head space only to discover that my parental contribution was so much higher than the original estimate and RR is still something I am struggling to come to terms with. To have gone through all that mental adjustment, had the support of a Governor's presentation and to have spent so long budgeting for the next 7 years only for my dd to be going to the local state school is utterly infuriating, and the guilt I feel over 'letting down' my daughter is enormous. I still cannot believe I turned down a full scholarship elsewhere. The lack of transparency and the process whereby one even attends the new pupuils day and buys the house shirts etc before being given the bill is still giving me sleepless nights! Sorry - needed to get that off my chest again! Really hope the others waiting for their fees here are having a happier time

[lonelymom]

Have all the other current and future parents on the forum got their assessment through now? I still haven't had mine. I'm just wondering whether it may have got lost somewhere in the postal system, and whether I should chase it up?

[ailurophile]

Wurzel wrote:

Strange you should mention that. I had a conversation with some of the powers that be at a meeting and they just could not see that.
...
I tried to explain that I thought a lot of current CH parents were of the opinion that CH was so unique that you didn't complain about anything unless really serious but the new bunch of full fee payers might expect a different level of "customer service" but was told that I was wrong

It must be marvellous for the powers that be, to have such confidence in their own opinions. I wonder what might happen if a few fee-paying parents did have the temerity to demand better 'customer service', or even (perish the thought!) make any complaint? Presumably the PTB would just ignore them, or tell them that they're wrong. Still, good to know it's not going to happen, so no worries there then!

[cupcakemom]

I've not got my letter yet ... it's turning out to be worse than waiting for the exam results! Poor postman - I think he thought that my stalking days ended mid-February ... but no!

[YadaYada]

Haven't got mine either.
Can't remember when it came last year.
Just want to know now.

[pinkhebe]

and neither have I. We will find a way to pay the fees (unless they're a stupid amount, 10k for example).

(but I hope my younger son forgives me for the poorer education he'll have to have )

[ailurophile]

I am unsure whether to be pleased ot not that my starting this thread has prompted so much discussion and debate! As I have said previously, I do not want to appear bitter and detract from those who have had positive experiences but....I do think it important that future potential parents have an awareness of these issues. Having spent 16 months with CH occupying a huge amount of mine and my children's head space only to discover that my parental contribution was so much higher than the original estimate and RR is still something I am struggling to come to terms with. To have gone through all that mental adjustment, had the support of a Governor's presentation and to have spent so long budgeting for the next 7 years only for my dd to be going to the local state school is utterly infuriating, and the guilt I feel over 'letting down' my daughter is enormous. I still cannot believe I turned down a full scholarship elsewhere. The lack of transparency and the process whereby one even attends the new pupuils day and buys the house shirts etc before being given the bill is still giving me sleepless nights! Sorry - needed to get that off my chest again! Really hope the others waiting for their fees here are having a happier time

Dr Mummy, no matter what our own individual experiences of the CH application process, I'm sure everyone on this Forum will feel sympathy for your distress and frustration.

I really worry that yours is not an isolated case. I am personally acquainted with a family who suffered in the same way when they had to turn down a place for their child in 2009, and they are still resentful of the way in which they were treated. Surely it must be in the interests of the school as well as those of potential applicants to evaluate the experiences of these families, try to identify what went wrong in the process, and make changes where necessary. Any commercial operation which simply carried on making the same mistakes year after year would soon go out of business. As things stand, quite apart from the terrible distress caused to families and the consequent bad publicity which must result, time, effort and money is being wasted by the school, the Foundation, and in Dr Mummy's case even by a presenting Governor, all to select a child who at the eleventh hour cannot take up their place. This is unforgivable, and is surely avoidable.

[lonelymom]

Got my assessment this morning, all I can say is

[pinkhebe]

Got my assessment this morning, all I can say is

A lot different from last year? Oh ****

[lonelymom]

Maybe not a lot for some people, but it represents a 16% rise, which is a lot for me. Everything else has gone up too, my house insurance, car insurance, petrol, electric, food, Council Tax etc. I've already got one kidney, half a liver, an eyeball and some hair up for sale, I'm just wondering if I can rent out my womb....

[ailurophile]

Sorry to hear your bad news Lonelymom. I suppose it's too much to hope that your income had gone up in the last year too? If not, then a 16% rise in the assessed contribution is a real concern. Did you get any explanation of the figures?

We're still waiting for our letter, and getting very anxious.

[lonelymom]

No, hadn't gone up really, definitely not by 16%! No explanation, just the calculation thing. I guess the problem is that at the same time as my electric and insurance etc are going up, and food costs, so are CH's.

[pinkhebe]

The trouble is Womb Rental would probably count towards your income ...

Otherwise we'd all be doing it