Eton school etc

[jinkster]

I've never understood how higher ranking military officers send there children to Eton school and the likes. The high ranking military officers salaries are high but not high compared to school fees at Eton. Anyone know how this happens?

[randlemarcus]

Pick one or more from the below list:

1. Some fees partially funded because they are in the Armed Forces
2. Children from that family go to Eton, so they have from age 21 to save
3. Family money
4. Scholarships

[snowy]

jinkster said:

I've never understood how higher ranking military officers send there children to Eton school and the likes. The high ranking military officers salaries are high but not high compared to school fees at Eton. Anyone know how this happens?

The military will pay (don't know what percentage) towards the cost of education for officers & squaddies kids, this is so the children can have a stable education rather than being moved every couple of years, I think the percentage payment is very high……..

[Simpo Two]

I imagine that would apply to any boarding school, not just Eton. It started with the Raj.

[Sid's Dad]

Old money. Salary is what you pay the cleaner with. The house, the furniture and the school fees are paid for out of 'family money'.

[Gareth79]

A former colleague went to Eton, his father wasn't high-ranking but he had a military scholarship - not sure if that was funded by the school, or the army, or both.

[MrJuice]

Army pays 90% or thereabouts

[Taita]

It is called Continued Education Allowance.

Designed to keep the kids in one place, whilst the soldier / officer and their partner move around.

It is quite good tbh.

[brickwall]

Eton College

And yes, it's army money.

[ChasW]

Part of the package for officers. I went to school with a number of kids from services families. Some serving in NI during the 70s.

[Fishtigua]

My old school had quite a few Mil/Dip kids. Often, for short holidays, they came to stay with other schoolmates as the parents couldn't afford to fly them to wherever they were stationed.

A good education, but a bit of a crappy family life. What would you choose for your kids?

[ChasW]

Fishtigua said:

My old school had quite a few Mil/Dip kids. Often, for short holidays, they came to stay with other schoolmates as the parents couldn't afford to fly them to wherever they were stationed.

A good education, but a bit of a crappy family life. What would you choose for your kids?

We weren't mil or dip but I used to go to relatives for Easter largely for that reason. Then the alternative of 3 weeks in Pakistan wasn't that much fun when the weather started heating up and my pals were staying in England. Payback time came at Uni when my old man was still entitled to the education deal, same company but new location, and I used to go to Bangkok and Pattaya for 3 weeks at Xmas/Easter.

[Mr Trophy]

MrJuice said:

Army pays 90% or thereabouts

Yup, it's about that.

"Back in the day"... If you worked aboard (didn't need to be to high) company would pay for your children's school fees.

Not sure if it's still in force for today.

[theboss]

Worst "I'm thinking of going private" post ever I know, but I looked over the fees for a local independent school recently and noticed there were concessionary terms offered for children of military staff. The precise details weren't stated - it was more of a 'contact us to discuss' notice.

[Pickled]

ChasW said:

Part of the package for officers. I went to school with a number of kids from services families. Some serving in NI during the 70s.

Not just officers, my old man was a Sgt and got the allowance.

Not that I went to Eton

[Revisitph]

Many public schools are flexible on fees with many forms of assistance in keeping with their charitable status (a status which the Left wants to abolish for political reasons). Some will give 100% relief for certain pupils. There are often sibling discounts and many at the secondary school (or "College" as it is properly known!) our children attended had bursaries to help parents who didn't have the means to pay full fees. Some had Military assistance. Many held scholarships. There were scholarships for sport, music, artistic and academic ability. One of ours had an academic scholarship awarded on the results of their entrance exam performance and the other two were given them for exceptional GCSE results. The schools genuinely want to recruit and retain pupils who are going to do well and they also want to fulfil their charitable aims - both because that's their purpose and because they need to justify themselves to the Charity Commission. Where we live there are several good public schools and a couple of very good comprehensives; they all want to get hold of high-performing children (& motivated parents) although some are seduced by the chance of a new Science block or theatre from wealthy international parents.

If you're thinking of educating your children in the independent sector then enquire as to what help is available. You may be surprised.

ETA it's the same at some of the best universities. Some college friends of my eldest are actually in surplus - bursaries for those whose parents don't earn much, sometimes bursaries for particular types of student and also academic scholarships worth many thousands of pounds. One friend, who got an exceptionally high 1st has been offered full fee remission and a living allowance to encourage them to stay for their higher degree. Despite all the crap in both left & right wing press about how elitist Oxford & Cambridge are, they are making massive efforts to recruit the best, regardless of circumstances or background and will try to help high potential students to attend - they can't yet provide the sort of support that Harvard or Yale can afford but, with the help of grateful former students, are getting there:

http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/news_stories/2012/110712...

Edited by Revisitph on Thursday 24th April 08:36

Edited by Revisitph on Thursday 24th April 18:52

[Ginge R]

Chapter and Verse.

https://www.gov.uk/childrens-education-advisory-se...

There is also a scheme to help the dependent children of servicemen and women killed in action since 1990.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/scholarship-sch...