Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Can anyone enlighten me as to exactly what the £50 registration fee for applying for a place at CH includes? £50 seems a bit excessive unless it includes the residentials etc

From comments made elsewhere on this forum, it seems to be a way of proving one's good faith ie that you really are prepared to bankrupt yourself in the cause of getting your child into CH. Those who are truly 'in need' probably don't have £50 to spare! Fings ain't wot they used to be, Vonny!

Well said, Frances !!!

Outrageous!
Is this the norm for schools to do this these days? Are there really that many people who apply with no intention of going through the whole process? And what if you are turned down at the first hurdle? I'd want a refund

It is the norm and schools would say that it is to find out who is a serious applicant. I have to say that CH is a lot less than most - we had to pay a registration fee of £80 per child when they went to a nursery dept in a private school.....13 years ago!

CH incurs costs as of the moment that you/your child indicate an interest in applying to the school. In the early 1990's my employer carried out an exercise to calculate the actual cost of preparing and posting a simple one-page letter. We didn't believe the answer and checked it; the admin manager was correct at eighteen pounds! That did not allow for the time taken in researching the subject matter.

The £40 per annum that it cost for a barely adequate waste papêr bin to sit beside my desk did not include its original cost, emptying and disposing of the rubbish, maintenance, amortisation etc. etc. and it didn't pay to be heated, lighted, get a pension, health insurance, insurance in case someone tripped over it ........

Office expenses are high and Blair etc. did / are doing everything possible to drive up costs. £50 probably does not cover immediate costs of application and reading the completed form.

I am sure it was pro rata when we registered last year. And it seemed reasonable compared to other schools who asked for £80 to £100 registration fees!

Does everyone now enter CH through this route? I find it difficult to see the really poor and destitute finding the money. I do fully understand the costs described above but, but, but .... I'm with Vonny and Frances on this it all seems so wrong.

I'd never have got to CH if there had been a fee to pay to sit the entrance tests. It was hard enough for my parents to find the money for our fares to Great Tower Street!
Present-day CH has a serious financial problem as we know, but I'm wondering if, when they know the parents' financial status, they might refund at least part of the registration fee? I'm not sure when parents have to submit a rough income figure, but I was under the impression that it's quite early on in the proceedings. I do agree though that CH is in danger of excluding the very children its remit was intended to cover.

anniexf wrote:I do agree though that CH is in danger of excluding the very children its remit was intended to cover.

Exactly.
Whilst I appreciate that admin costs must be significant, surely this should be something that is budgeted as part of the yearly process. Obviously if you manage to gain a place at CH at the end of it all then £50 is almost insignificant. But if you fall at the very first hurdle that's a lot of money to pay to be told you haven't got a place.
Do you have to pay for the residentials as well does anyone know?

I m pretty sure we paid a small amount for the residential. But again, it was based upon income, pro rata and to us this seemed such a fair way of doing it. Sounds like this is not being done anymore? Sorry I can't give exact details, all seems a bit of a blur now!

Re: Registration fee
by MW224 » Wed Dec 21, 2011 10:09 pm

I am sure it was pro rata when we registered last year. And it seemed reasonable compared to other schools who asked for £80 to £100 registration fees!

As many families nowadays appear to 'shop around' and apply to several schools (indeed, I believe CH encourage prospective applicants not to put all their eggs in one basket), this sounds like a potentially very costly undertaking.