Bursary Question

[Warks mum]

Does anyone have experience of having a bursary changed during an independent school "career"?

If for example, you have been awarded a means-tested bursary and your income increases does the bursary immediately drop by an equal amount?

[KES Parent]

Does anyone have experience of having a bursary changed during an independent school "career"?

If for example, you have been awarded a means-tested bursary and your income increases does the bursary immediately drop by an equal amount?

I don't have personal experience but I know people at KES who have bursaries. One of them kept her work hours to just a few a week while her son was at the school so as not to jeopardise his assisted place - that was before they extended the upper salary limit last year. I do know you have to submit details of your income each year in June, and what you have to pay the following year depends on what you put on the form. This is the downside of a bursary, I guess, as opposed to a non-means tested academic scholarship, that if you suddenly get a much better job or are able to work more hours you will just get less of a subsidy. It would only take effect from the following school year, though, not immediately as you submit details of the previous year's income.

[Drastic Dad]

I asked this question before committing myself and the the head himself told me, "not unless you win the lottery tomorrow." I don't think it would change without a drastic increase in earnings.

[Ed's mum]

That last reply is interesting. We are absolutely TERRIFIED that we will find ourselves in the situation that our salaries increase an amount, not necessarily a lot, and then cancel the bursary. It feels difficult to broach the subject without sounding like we are fishing to find out how to keep the salaries (artificially) low.

[KES Parent]

That last reply is interesting. We are absolutely TERRIFIED that we will find ourselves in the situation that our salaries increase an amount, not necessarily a lot, and then cancel the bursary. It feels difficult to broach the subject without sounding like we are fishing to find out how to keep the salaries (artificially) low.

Yes, we would probably have qualified for a bursary initially based on income (although not necessarily on DS's ability, which is another matter! ), but being aware of dilemma facing friend referred to above who didn't dare to work full-time we decided not to even apply for one. Having said that we could never have afforded a school like Rugby without a bursary - luckily KES is (relatively) much more affordable!