Paying school fees upfront

[Middlesexmum]

We are about to enter the independent sector in September. I have heard someone talk about at a particular school (think it was Habs girls), if you are prepared to pay for 5 years' fees in advance, you will get a huge discount.

Does anyone know if this is true and would it apply to other schools? What would happen if your child left the school during that time?

[hermanmunster]

bit of discussion here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... mp#p286515" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

many schools do it - can be run by external companies and hence transferred if the child goes to a different school. However the discounts are not generally huge -used to be better when interest rates were higher.

[PB Mum]

Well worth reading the thread HM is referring to: I think schools are more veering towards the payment upfront being a discount against future fees...ie. you will still have to pay fee increases as they are applied. The discounts are not that large at present, due to low interest rates. A school will provide a quotation on request, with associated small print, so well worth asking, and studying carefully. If you move within the independent sector, they will probably move the funds on: possibly not with a state sector move, unless it is the indie school asking you to move (which may be unlikely, if that means they lose the funds: cf. front-page article in Telegraph this morning!).

[Kesteven]

We pay a year at a time upfront and the school gives parents like us a discount of around 5% on the termly or 12-monthly rates.

[christinakonig]

Now a days many schools telling like that only .But I don't think so they will discount that much.