New to indie schooling - advice required

[proudswan]

Just a quick question, is it usual for schools to credit check once a year? One of the schools that have sent a prospectus say that parents need to provide a credit check to the bursar every year.

odd thing to do.. actually running a credit check is recorded and if there are too many credit checks in a period of time it can cause problems in getting credit....

That was my concern!

[Loopyloulou]

I wouldn't want to send my children to a school that runs routine credit checks. It speaks volumes of the school's values and ethos, and therefore the approach it must take to teaching children about important values such as trust, honour and integrity.

[T.i.p.s.y]

A good credit check does not mean you can afford fees and a bad one doesn't mean you can't afford fees. It also doesn't give an income figure. I do find the concept very, very worrying!

[hermanmunster]

A good credit check does not mean you can afford fees and a bad one doesn't mean you can't afford fees. It also doesn't give an income figure. I do find the concept very, very worrying!

... quite .. very strange.. funnily enough those with iffy credit scores are often the ones with no credit cards / loans / job etc etc simply because they don't hit the financial radar..

so if you have a vast empire of land and a gallery full of paintings and boxes of jewellry and you just sell the odd acre to pay the fees, you may struggle with that school!

[proudswan]

A good credit check does not mean you can afford fees and a bad one doesn't mean you can't afford fees. It also doesn't give an income figure. I do find the concept very, very worrying!

... quite .. very strange.. funnily enough those with iffy credit scores are often the ones with no - / loans / job etc etc simply because they don't hit the financial radar..

so if you have a vast empire of land and a gallery full of paintings and boxes of jewellry and you just sell the odd acre to pay the fees, you may struggle with that school!

Exactly what I was thinking. I have no credit cards or loans of any description so I would imagine I don't have much of a credit sore as I simply never apply for credit. If I can't afford it, I don't have it. Hm, I think the school in question may be dropped off the list!

[hermanmunster]

quite - would you want to be there with all the parents who pass muster!!!

[newgirl]

Just wondered if you'd considered Eastbury Farm in Northwood as a stage option? I have friends with children there and they love it and I thought South Oxhey children sometimes got in???

Don't forget you can always stay on waiting lists of the good state primaries and move across (to save your pennies for secondary) if a place comes up in future years. I'm pretty sure you could put your child on lists far afield too, so that if they can't fill a late place with someone local you'll go to the top of the list.

[proudswan]

Just wondered if you'd considered Eastbury Farm in Northwood as a stage option? I have friends with children there and they love it and I thought South Oxhey children sometimes got in???

Don't forget you can always stay on waiting lists of the good state primaries and move across (to save your pennies for secondary) if a place comes up in future years. I'm pretty sure you could put your child on lists far afield too, so that if they can't fill a late place with someone local you'll go to the top of the list.

I hadn't thought about Eastbury Farm, so I will have a look at that, thank you. Not sure if we would have much chance though as we are on the other side of South Oxhey (Watford side). We are planning to look at and apply for state schools but want to have another option. However we are quite keen to start DD off in a private nursery as options are limited locally.