Figure 1.--Private school fees can be very expensive. There are considerable differences from school to school. Day school fees can be considerably less from those at boarding schools.
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Figure 1.--Private school fees can be very expensive. There are considerable differences from school to school. Day school fees can be considerably less from those at boarding schools. |
Many prep and other independent schools were adversely affected during the 1980s by the termination of the Direct Grant Grammar School and the abolition of assisted places. [PB> impact?] Most of the old Grammar Schools which turned independent have been successful financially. Independent education does not come cheaply. The small classes and individual attention offered the children means that the operating costsat prep schools are higher than at state schools. This is not a question of luxry facilities. It is simple matamatics. The largest single operating cost at any school is staff salaries. Low staff ratios providing for individual attention is the principal reason that most parents have chosen independent education. It is also the main reason that prep schools and other independent schools are costly. With average staff ratios of about 10 to 1, that means in effect that the fees of 10 children are required to pay for one staff salary as well as the proportional share of all other school costs.
Many prep and other independent schools were adversely affected during the 1980s by the termination of the Direct Grant Grammar School and the abolition of assisted places. [PB> impact?] Most of the old Grammar Schools which turned independent have been successful financially.
Independent education does not come cheaply. The small classes and individual attention offered the children means that the operating costsat prep schools are higher than at state schools. This is not a question of luxry facilities. It is simple matamatics. The largest single operating cost at any school is staff salaries. Low staff ratios providing for individual attention is the principal reason that most parents have chosen independent education. It is also the main reason that prep schools and other independent schools are costly. With average staff ratios of about 10 to 1, that means in effect that the fees of 10 children are required to pay for one staff salary as well as the proportional share of all other school costs.
There are considerable variations, however, from school to school. Day schools, which generally have larger classes, are much more affordable to middle-class parents having to make considerable financial sacrifices. The London pre-preparatory school which Prince William attends charges about $4,000 a term. Most pre-prep schools charge somewhat lower fees. Prep schools probably average about $6,000 per year plus uniforms and any special tuition (instruments, dance, riding, etc.) that they may require. Day boys may pay while boarding considerably increases costs to
When estimating the cost of enrolling children in private schools, parents have to consider a range of extras. These can significantly increase the overall cost.
Preparatory schools during the 1980s charged a wide range of fees. Those fees increased sharply during the decade, primarily begause of the high inflation rates, especially prevalent during the early part of the decade. On average basic fees at boarding schools probably averaged about £700 (690) per term or £2,100 per year. Day school fees averaged from about £400-500 (134,240 (late70s)-400/160, 265 (late70s) -490), depending on the age of the child. Additional fees are required for optional activities such as riding and learning musical instruments and insurance schemes. Uniforms and sports gear also entail substantial expenditures. [Patrick: Do you have any idea about fees or know what it costs the Council per pupil in state schools? Or British per capita income.] Some schools offer small reductions if more than one child is enrolled.
While these fees are not terribly greater than the cost of educating children in state schools, they are clearly beyond the ability of most parents afford in a country where per capita income runs about a year. Even comfortably off middle class parents will have to make considerable financial sacrifices. School fees can total about $100,000 per child from pre-preparatory through Public School. Fortunately for British parents, university fees are much lOwer than in the United States where many parents face expenditures of $50,000 or more for a 4-year university program. Some parents have decided not to send their children on tQ Public School because of the cost, but they have decoded to make the financial sacrifices so that at least their children will have a good grounding in basic academic skills before entering the state system. . ~
For financial reasons, however’, a considerable number of the graduates of the prep schools do not go on to the Public Schools. (Patrick: Can we quantify this?.)
Many schools make special provision for the children of the staff so they can attend. Many of the masters would be unable to afford school fees on their own. Some schools offer burseries, in many instances for children of the clergy.
Most schools offer special insurance schemes. The most common is to ensure that the child school fee’s will be covered in case the parent or guardian die while the child is still in school. Another scheme covers school fees in case the child has to be withdrawn due to illness.
