Welcome to our feature on:
How much do Independent schools cost and
Choosing the Best School for Your Child
Most applications to private schools require parents to write about their children in a parent’s statement or by filling out a questionnaire. The purpose of the parent’s letter is to add dimension to the candidate’s statement and help the admissions committee better understand the applicant from the parent’s perspective.
So, exactly how do you go about deciding if your current school is meeting your child’s needs? And if it’s not, how do you go about choosing the right alternative high school option for your child? Check out these tips.
Does Your Child’s School Meet His or Her Needs?
When you evaluate your current school, and when you look at potential alternative high school options, be sure to not just think about this current year, but also consider the years ahead.
- If your child is struggling now, can the school provide the necessary support to augment mainstream classes?
- Is the school challenging your child enough? Are there advanced classes offered?
- Does the school offer the academic and extracurricular programs that your child wants?
It’s important to make sure that the school your child attends is the best fit for the long haul. Your child will grow and develop in that school, and you want to be aware of how the school will change over time. Does the school change from a caring, nurturing lower school to a demanding, competitive middle and upper school? Gauge the temperature of all the divisions before selecting a school.
Does Your Child Fit in at His or Her Current School?
Switching schools can be a big choice, but if your child doesn’t fit in, he won’t be successful.
- Does your child enjoy going to school?
- Does your child have an active, healthy, and engaged social life?
- Is your child involved in multiple sports and activities?
The same questions should be asked if you’re looking at potential new schools. While you may be tempted to gain admission to the most competitive school possible, be sure that your child is a good fit for the school and that it won’t be too demanding—or too easy—down the road. Don’t try to shoehorn your child into a school that doesn’t nurture her interests and talents just to say he’s enrolled at a name-brand institution. It’s also important to make sure that the classes meet your child’s needs.
Getting into top schools
Independent schools are by far one of the finest institutions offering education without the interference of any kind of external body and institution. Applying to such a school if someone is moving from state edition school can be tough but not impossible. Such schools are equipped with some of the finest educational programs specifically designed for new and foreign students to get acquainted with the teaching style. Many independent schools have their criteria for taking in new students. They set up high standards in terms of academics so that no lacking students get to be part of their prestigious educational body.
The admission criteria consist of an exam that needs to be passed. Furthermore, there is an interview that is conducted for new students and the parents are interviewed as well. There is a financial clause also as a lot of independent schools ask for a massive amount of admission fees beforehand and that does not include the tuition fees. The examination is a common entrance test that has to be taken by all students seeking admission. If a student scores very well in this examination, then there is a good amount of chance that they might get a scholarship. Thus, get the benefit of studying without having to spend a hefty penny. Preparation for passing the exams is a real struggle. The child needs to be laser-focused and their attention during the exam needs to be on point. In the exam, questions will be based on the core subjects including English, mathematics, etc.
Only the top-scoring students will be considered for scholarship programs, which are most of the time quite rare. Furthermore, there is musical scholarship accepted in most independent schools as well. If a student has a substantial amount of artistic talent, then a music scholarship might just cover his/her academic fees. There are different strategies out there with the help of which the student can crack the exams.
Firstly, performing vivid research on the exam and the kind of questions that might be asked is very important. Secondly, appointing a good tutor who can teach the required skills is important if the parents do not have good beforehand knowledge about the examination. Thirdly, an exam strategy needs to be built, where the student will take on mock exams that will prepare them for the actual one when it happens. This will also allow the student to have a good amount of confidence in themselves. All of this will be fruitful if done correctly.
Moving into a primary private school from a state-based school can be quite exciting and frightening at the same time. The student should remember at all times that they are being selected based on their merit and always be confident enough to express their talents whenever they get a chance. There are no such dos and don’ts that a student should abide by. Rather, they should try to live their academic life to the fullest and explore new areas to find new interests.
How much do Independent Schools Cost?
Everybody talks about how good independent schools are but nobody discussed the fact that they can be quite expensive. Independent schools have never been cost-effective but when it comes to the education of a child, parents are willing to spend a lot so that they get top-of-the-class education. One should be aware of the fact that a school charges for childcare, uniform, technological fees, etc, and many such factors which are considered as hidden costs.
With the new curriculum of revealing all the overheads to a parent while getting their child admitted, all of these small costs have come into the light and everybody knows about them nowadays. If we talk about an approximate figure, then the cost can go up to 1519 GBP. The cost might rise or even fall with the change of the academic year. The cost includes 220 GBP as childcare, 70 GBP as uniform cost, 85 GBP as tech cost, 106 GBP as after-school clubs. There are many other costs such as commuting, school social events, etc. All parents are not able to bear the fees, which in turn leads the children to wear replacement trousers throughout the year. The education cost might vary from place to place.
For example, in East Anglia, the total cost of primary schools is around 15,312 GBP and in central London, it is around 21,298 GBP. This is primarily because London is a far more developed place. A lot of experts are of an opinion that 2021 might just be the most expensive academic year for a child. The reason being, the pandemic has led to a lot of losses for the schools and in order to make that up, the schools might just increase the tuition fees. Furthermore, for children between the age of 8 and 11, they might end up paying the most as that is considered as the development age and during that time, the schools will come up with different programs. One can take the assistance of a fees calculator for a primary school that is available online quite easily.
Modern schools, heavily invest in infrastructure as well, such as modern classes, well-equipped cafeterias, and food stations. They also look for the best teachers in the country to provide the school a premium level grade. All of this finally ends up as an overhead for the school which will have to be charged from the parents who are admitting their children. Furthermore, these days, a school invests heavily in PR campaigns and advertising its brand.
Nowadays, a school or an education institution works like a company and less like a body providing knowledge. The school uniforms are quite expensive as well since they are made from the finest long-lasting materials so that they can last longer. No matter, which school a child is getting admitted to, it is of the education quality that the school is providing will matter in the end.
Independent schools cost
