Parents want the best for their children in all aspects of life, and education is definitely no exception. In fact getting the right education for one’s child is probably the most important decision parents have to make. Unfortunately like most things in life, the best quality comes at a cost, and this is also the case when it comes to choosing schools.
Private schools are those which are run by independent bodies and not the local government. In order to offer schooling to children, fees are charged for tuition and in return the private schools offer better facilities, smaller class sizes and stronger pupil support.
Most private schools charge 5 figure sums per child per academic year, and so they are inaccessible to all but the wealthiest of society. However there are ways in which parents can gain admission for their child at a fraction of the cost.
Scholarships
Many independent schools offer scholarships to children who can enrich the intellectual, athletic or social quality of their pupils. If your son or daughter is exceptionally gifted in a certain field then they could gain entry to a top private school without charge. Schools are ultra-competitive and constantly pit themselves against one another to be the top performers in all areas. Pupils who have the pinnacle of talent in certain areas are a great asset for these schools, meaning schools will do anything they can to get hold of these students.
Therefore if your child is gifted in football/sport, science, literature or debating they could gain entry completely free of charge via a school scholarship.
Means-Tested Bursaries
Independent schools are usually run by a charitable trust, or occasionally a private for-profit company. If the school is run by a trust there are usually means-tested bursaries available to children who could do well at the school, but don’t have the necessary finances to attend.
Each school is different so you have to enquire with each one to see what (if any) bursaries they offer. Or alternatively you can check a free service which compares schools such as the Educators’ schools guide. Typically a school will offer anywhere between 25-75% of the fees paid via a financial assistance scheme.
Caveats
There are some things to remember when gaining entry to a privately funded school via an assistance programme. Although the fees are covered (or partially covered) there are still other expenses you have to cover yourself. These include textbooks, uniform, music tuition and extracurricular activities. So make sure you enquire as to what these additional costs may be and plan for these expenses as well.