Bursary places - extra costs

[Hera]

Compulsory in that if she hadn't had them studying would have been extremely difficult.

I have had to buy textbooks for some subjects for GCSE at a state school and I am pretty sure both my kids state schools require students to buy all A-Level text books. It is not against the law to ask students to do this; the only requirement is that if parents' can't pay they should receive help and kids should not be disadvantaged. Like Sla212 said it isn't compulsory but without the text books it would be hard. I also paid a lot for a compulsory Geography week in year 10, plus contributions to various other things.

I think going back to the OP's question there will be additional costs at state schools as well private

[MCLC]

I'd check the small print. Quite often the bursary will cover text books and provide a discount on travel expenses, etc.

Do you know where I would find that? There wasn't a huge amount of information sent with the offer letter about what was/wasn't included.

[Sla212]

I'd check the small print. Quite often the bursary will cover text books and provide a discount on travel expenses, etc.

Do you know where I would find that? There wasn't a huge amount of information sent with the offer letter about what was/wasn't included.

I'd just email Admissions or the person who specifically deals with bursaries, they're usually very helpful.

Often the Admissions section on the school website states if fees cover textbooks....I suspect they will.

[MCLC]

I'd check the small print. Quite often the bursary will cover text books and provide a discount on travel expenses, etc.

Do you know where I would find that? There wasn't a huge amount of information sent with the offer letter about what was/wasn't included.

I'd just email Admissions or the person who specifically deals with bursaries, they're usually very helpful.

Often the Admissions section on the school website states if fees cover textbooks....I suspect they will.

Thank you very much!

[PettswoodFiona]

Extra costs we encountered at an Independent were usually rather minor: tickets for school productions being £10 rather than £2, slightly extra more for school uniform, a fair bit more for sports kit as the variety of sports meant more specialist kit and most of ithe sports kit didn’t make it to the second-hand shop due to wear and tear, but the main uniform did. Special visits were added termly to the bill e.g, a specialist would come in and talk about rocks and hey presto £12 was added to the bill but at most other schools I know these sort of activities were included. So as others have said it really depends on what each school does.

The biggest cost however was the long summer holidays and the extended Christmas break etc. Even if they don’t need childcare as they are older the cost of meeting up with friends, doing some activities so they are not alone all day can quickly add up. DD still has friends at the Indie now in the senior school and they meet up we take them to museums and do home cooked food which the parents seem to appreciate but it could potentially be isolating if the parents were not so understanding that we didn’t have £200 to take a clutch of girls go karting followed by pizza Express as that is what it does cost (£25 for each go to do the Karting and then a meal after).

[Choco]

I think that when they are in the lower years, social life does still often involve a parent and this makes it easier for parents to manage costs. So whilst one parents might take a clutch of children on an expensive day out in the hols, others might just have people over for the day, with pizza and a few DVDs, or someone might take that clutch of children swimming. I really think the kids and their parents are glad to be invited to stuff and aren't sniffy about the cost of the entertainment provided. Perhaps people on lower incomes feel more sensitive about this than they need to, because I really don't think there is judgement.

Perhaps it's a bit harder when they are older and organising their own social stuff more. So if they go into town and then decide on the spur of the moment to go for a meal, it can be a bit difficult if you haven't got the money - although that can happen to anyone, in terms of just not having the money with them....but not so great to get the phone call asking if they can join in and pay back later. Anyway, all solveable probably just with communication in advance, and also you'd be surprised that not everyone who has loads of cash is actually happy for their kids to be splashing it anyway and sometimes it's those with the most who actually keep their kids on the tightest reins for spending.

People I've known who have found issues about money and wealth, have been those who have felt insecure in the first place. They often aren't those with least money, but have a strong sense of having less than many and it matters a lot to them. This is often parents who feel like this and transfer the attitude to their kids. Often those with less have more self confidence and don't place so much value in monetary stuff anyway, so are less affected by some people having more - I see people who are simply matter of fact about the fact they have less than some and don't engage in some of the activities others have - it's seen in a matter of fact way and not as something to feel ashamed of, or to try to aspire to. It's a healthy attitude.

That said, if it's not going to be possible to give a child £5 for a trip to a cafe or for the charity event happening at school, there may well be some sense of being a bit excluded.

Regarding school costs, most seem to provide the text books and any revision books in exam years will be optional. As others have said, second hand uniform sales are not only great, but usually hugely popular with parents who seem to get a kick out of a bargain and many would view thenideanif buying a whole new uniform with horror. Many schools include essential curriculum trips in the fees, but there are others that whilst not essential curriculum trips, are pretty much so and you pay - but usually not loads. We have had activities day trips to places like Harry Potter which are in the region of £50 or perhaps Chessington theme park being the same - not so cheap. The bigger residential trips are optional and loads don't go on them or perhaps go on one or two during their whole career. Some do go on loads, but they are the minority in my experience.

Any school should be able to provide you with lots of detail about this stuff. They will regularly get asked it by not only bursary parents but others who are keen to have a full sense of the costs before committing. Every school is a bit difference, so you do need to ask.

[Amber]

A few years ago I met someone who was a teacher at a prestigious fee paying school. He would have been entitled to a free place for his children apparently, but chose not to take it as he said 'we don't have a helipad on our housing estate'. He was concerned that his children would always feel like the poor relations at a school where parents had two or three homes, staff etc. Btw he also wasn't a qualified teacher but was teaching to A level.

At our state school we have had to pay for the very few text books needed at GCSE and beyond.

[MCLC]

Extra costs we encountered at an Independent were usually rather minor: tickets for school productions being £10 rather than £2, slightly extra more for school uniform, a fair bit more for sports kit as the variety of sports meant more specialist kit and most of ithe sports kit didn’t make it to the second-hand shop due to wear and tear, but the main uniform did. Special visits were added termly to the bill e.g, a specialist would come in and talk about rocks and hey presto £12 was added to the bill but at most other schools I know these sort of activities were included. So as others have said it really depends on what each school does.

The biggest cost however was the long summer holidays and the extended Christmas break etc. Even if they don’t need childcare as they are older the cost of meeting up with friends, doing some activities so they are not alone all day can quickly add up. DD still has friends at the Indie now in the senior school and they meet up we take them to museums and do home cooked food which the parents seem to appreciate but it could potentially be isolating if the parents were not so understanding that we didn’t have £200 to take a clutch of girls go karting followed by pizza Express as that is what it does cost (£25 for each go to do the Karting and then a meal after).

Yes this is exactly my worry re the long holidays!