School Fees
When you opt for private education, you make a huge financial commitment. Average termly fees at day schools in 2012 are more than £4200, although the pupil's age makes a difference, as prep school fees are generally cheaper than those for senior schools.
For children attending boarding schools, the fees are significantly higher; boarding fees include all meals and laundry and will vary according to whether the student is a full-time, flexi-, or weekly boarder.
Fees are payable in full before the start of each term, although extras will be billed to parents at the end of each term.
Your child's future will be built on the foundation stone of his education. Independent school pupils achieve excellent exam grades in tough subjects and go on to dominate admissions to top universities. Whilst only around 7% of children in the UK attend private school, no less than 47% of Oxford undergraduates come from schools in the independent sector. In the workplace, statistics show that graduates' lifetime earnings far outstrip those of non-graduates.
The good news is that many schools offer scholarships and bursaries which can go a long way towards coping with the expense of private education. Information should be obtained from the finance office of the individual school as each will have its own policies and criteria for handling requests. In addition, there are official bodies and charitable trusts which award grants in certain circumstances.
There are many services on the internet that offer School Fee Payment/Planning Advice. There are some reputable companies that are very good indeed, others unfortunately offer services that can quite simply be obtained from your own financial adviser. Many see private school parents as a good target for financial services. Some have even gone so far as to make themselves look like education advisers, but are really only out to sell you standard financial packages and waste your time.