Are we alone?

[icomefromalanddownunder]

you may well be charged a term's fees for withdrawing your daughter without giving the required notice, plus you'll have the expense of a new school uniform & peripherals. Would it be possible to keep her at CH for one more term, so that at least you can give notice?

Yes you are absolutely right, I have just been told we will be liable for a term's fees in lieu of notice, this is despite the fact that had it not been for a large fee increase (for which we had less than one month notice before the start of term) she would not be leaving. Thanks to all the very supportive and helpful messages, it is much appreciated

Hi Jaspersmum

I'm very sorry to hear that you have been forced into this situation, but if you do withdraw your daughter I would recommend doing everything you can to avoid paying the late withdrawal fine. Hopefully a well worded letter explaining your regret, the reasons for the withdrawal, etc would be sufficient for the school to waive the fine. If not, letters to appropriate papers ...... whatever you think will work.

I realise that it is much easier for me to come up with indignation and strategies because I am not intimately involved, and am reacting, as we Hertford girls tend to, to what I perceive to be grossly unfair treatment, but please stay positive, and don't let them bully or intimidate you (any more than they may have already done).

I, and I'm sure many others, are thinking of you and deeply regretting the state of affairs.

With love

Caroline
Hertford 65-70

[Fjgrogan]

When you originally wrote and asked for clarification of the increased fee, did you say anything like 'If this figure is correct then I shall have to withdraw my child from CH'? If so, this could be taken as giving notice. Caroline is right - do not let them bully you.

[jaspersmum]

When you originally wrote and asked for clarification of the increased fee, did you say anything like 'If this figure is correct then I shall have to withdraw my child from CH'? If so, this could be taken as giving notice.

on a very positive note, I had some good news today and all is not lost.

[ailurophile]

Jaspersmum wrote

Yes I did say she would have to leave when the fees letter arrived at beginning of July, so the period of notice would have started in July and we are therefore liable for fees until end of next term. I was told that the foundation will pursue the full amount in court with the rather ominous statement "we always win".
However on a very positive note, I had some good news today and all is not lost.

Quite frankly, this beggars belief! Jaspersmum has not had the benefit of a term's notice for the increase in fees, nor the courtesy of any reasonable response to her request for an explanation of how this unexpectedly high figure has been arrived at. She has been placed with very little notice in a position where she can see no option but to withdraw her child from a school which has clearly failed to meet its own side of the implicit contract; in the workplace, this would be equivalent to constructive dismissal. This whole appalling and unforgivable situation seems entirely one-sided, and I suspect that any attempt by the Foundation to pursue this unhappy family through the courts for a term's fees in lieu of notice would only serve to show CH in a very unfavourable light. I find it very hard to believe that they 'always win' in circumstances such as these, and unpleasant threats do little to help the situation. This is meant to be a charitable foundation, not an extortion racket!!

I agree with anniexf; maybe it's time for parents to get together and seek legal advice. We need to take a stand against increasingly unfair treatment.

I am delighted to hear that there has been some positive development for you, Jaspersmum; I'm thinking of you!

[anniexf]

"jaspersmum"
I was told that the foundation will pursue the full amount in court with the rather ominous statement "we always win".

This is a most unpleasant development - more like what you'd imagine from thuggish loan-sharks, not from supposedly civilised people. I really think it's time for the other side of CH to be exposed to the light of investigative journalism. It may be a cut-throat business, running a boarding school, but this behaviour borders on harassment. I agree with Caroline -a few emails from (rightly) aggrieved parents to selected media outlets seem called for. After all, as I read things (correct me if I've got the wrong end of the stick), CH are attempting to recover underpayments of past fees, CAUSED BY THEIR OWN MISTAKES, by imposing what amount to severe financial penalties on parents. To add insult to injury, CH have adopted a "Tough - pay up or get out" attitude which is quite contrary to the publicised ethos.

It really looks as if CH expect parents to live at or below state benefits level for the entire period of their children's education there. Can this be true, and if so, is it realistic?
On a lighter note - gosh, I haven't been so angry for ages - I'm glad to know that there's a bit of hope for jaspersmum; I'm keeping everything crossed for you, for ailurophile, actionman and all the other parents treated so disgracefully. Hertford OGs for justice!

[Jo]

I was pretty outraged a few months ago by stories of unexplained increases, but it just seems to get worse. I am seriously considering stopping my monthly contribution in protest. I did try to raise it with the CHA, on the basis that if generations of OBs threatened to withdraw support (financial and other) the school might listen, but have heard nothing back. If I write as an individual, I'm sure I will just get a load of trite clichés about economic necessity, which won't really address the issue that it's the how rather than the what that's the problem.

Anyone got any ideas how we OBs might influence the situation?

[stpandp]

I was pretty outraged a few months ago by stories of unexplained increases, but it just seems to get worse. I am seriously considering stopping my monthly contribution in protest. I did try to raise it with the CHA, on the basis that if generations of OBs threatened to withdraw support (financial and other) the school might listen, but have heard nothing back. If I write as an individual, I'm sure I will just get a load of trite clichés about economic necessity, which won't really address the issue that it's the how rather than the what that's the problem.

Anyone got any ideas how we OBs might influence the situation?

There is an inspection coming up (?ISI?). It might be worth writing to the inspectors expressing concern, or at least writing to the Counting House/Clerk/Chair of Governors=Treasurer saying that you plan to write to the inspectors!

[Great Plum]

The world of the fees was, as a pupil, always thankfully kept well away from me... we didn't know what other pupils parents' paid or didn't pay (apart from some whose parents turned up in the posh cars and went on expensive holidays... they tended not to pay anything thanks to some clever tax dodge!)

I am disgusted by the school treating parents and pupils in this way.. this happened to a girl who I knew last year who had to withdraw at short notice due to unexplained fee increases...

Is there not a 'hardship fund' that parents can apply to?

[dinahcat]

There is indeed an inspection coming up and I believe that both ISI aand Ofsted will be there. I am only guessing but Oftsed will likely inspect the manageme nt of the school and the teaching and learning. ISI will most likely inspect the facilities . The blind spot here is that the school and the Foundation are not connected -if you can understand this. The school has no jurisdiction over its financial affairs -how the fees are determined and so on. The Head has no say in this at all as it was explained to my children by Mr Vessey. It is the Foundation which decides on these matters. The Counting House does the sums based on direction from The Foundation but I suppose because their office is in the school grounds,it does appear to parents that the school , in the shape of the finance office,has some influence over them . I don't think it does. I imagine they find it very distressing dealing with parents concerns and complaints but are powereless to do anything about them .
I wonder if the either of the inspection teams will be inspecting the Foundation. If they are then it would be worth writing to them if you have a complaint. If not, then there would be no point.
The tone of the letter which says they always win when parents challenge their fees is not acceptable. I can only imagine it is designed to put pressure on parents who simply do not pay and there are a surprising number by all accounts. It is probably a generic letter but each case should be investigated separately.
I have found the finance office and Mr Franklin very kind and and helpful when I have had to ask for help but it is quite clear that neither of them are responsible for how the fees are calculated.
The main issue seems to be one of parents not being sure how the fees are calculated . Parents would undoubtedly benefit from a more detailed explanation and I don't really see why this should be a problem. The finance office told me the other day that the Foundation has decided that the fees need to be nearer £25,000 in the immediate future which does mean that everyones fees will go up.You have to budget for increases each year and if you start off at your limit you will quickly come unstuck if your income doesn't go up at the same rate.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

I was told that the foundation will pursue the full amount in court with the rather ominous statement "we always win".
However on a very positive note, I had some good news today and all is not lost.

Aaarrggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh

I am going to have to work very hard to let this go. How puerile are they?

I am tempted to write a letter asking how many parents they have prosecuted.

How dare they? How f&%$ing DARE THEY?????????????????????????????????????

[anniexf]

This week I've had to pay a NHS charge of £45.60 for a "course of treatment" comprising 10 minutes with the dentist (checkup), 10 minutes with the hygienist, and a tiny filling. How on earth do fee-paying parents of children at CH manage to cope when they (the parents) need dental or optical treatment? In fact how do they manage to provide the money for all the extras, like £25 for school subs., & £20 a term pocket money - let alone Christmas & birthday presents, money for home leave travel etc.? What about the sibling(s) at home, who have to be provided for as well? It must be a desperate situation for many parents. Is there any sort of Fund that can help?

[ReallyMissingHer]

I think the only parents who can afford to send their children to CH are the ones who have a low mortgage - one that is less than 20% of their gross income. We now have a 32 year mortgage on our (very modest & overcrowded) home to get the monthly payments down to about 15%, I'm very fortunate that my husband is so young!

I worked out for myself what I expected the fees to be based on the calculation information and the contributions that were last published and the bill come out at the amount I was expecting.

It is a nightmare though and I can see my daughter not being able to stay to do A levels for purely financial reasons.

[YadaYada]

I've said before how worrying this is to us new parents with children starting in September....my mortgage is 25% and I have a pension scheme (dont think I can opt out as it is done through work). My fees came out £2500 MORE than the first assessment 2 years ago so I'm already at my limit I think....wont really know until he starts. I must admit I'm not sure how to buy presents and pay for his hair cut and heaven forbid I should need a new prescription for my glasses. I live 3 hours drive away as well so petrol is going to be a big expense. I've also said before that I do feel as if I was miseld a bit by the school. I was never made aware that my son getting into CH would mean 7 years (if he's very, very lucky by the sound of others' stories) of severe financial hardship.
It would seem that if the situation continues then the whole mix of students at CH will change so that it will be much like any other independent school.

[lonelymom]

I must admit I'm not sure how to buy presents and pay for his hair cut and heaven forbid I should need a new prescription for my glasses.

Oh yes, haircuts, I was thinking the same thing earlier actually, haircuts are one of the things you sort of forget about when you try to budget, along with having the luxury of being able to afford to be ill, because HOW MUCH is a prescription these days - per item! And it's not like you can go to the doctor and say you feel ill, then tell him you can't afford to go and get the medicine he says you need!

[lonelymom]

Can I just say that it has become obvious to me that the answer to the title 'Are we alone?' is 'no, we're not'. I know I'm taking the title out of context from the original poster's message, but I have realised that there are some very special OBs who are happy to give us current parents help, advice and support. It is truely amazing to part of such a special group of people - thank you!