School fee disputes can prove to be costly - Lucia Clark
The dilemma
Private school day fees in Scotland range from around £9,000 to £30,000 pa. According to a 2020 survey only around four per cent of Scottish children are in private education – but that rises to about 25 per cent within Edinburgh. The dilemma for families reconsidering this choice is likely to be exacerbated in the forthcoming academic year by various factors: the uncertain economic recovery from the pandemic; the likely end to the temporary freeze on school fee increases from last year; and also pending changes to private school charitable relief status (announced by the Scottish Government in December 2019, but postponed due to Covid-19).
The law
For all disputes between parents about care arrangements for their children, including which school a child should attend, the basic principles are enshrined in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. This sets out three founding principles: that the welfare of the child shall be the paramount consideration; that the Court shall not make any order unless that would be better for the child than making no order at all; and that the Court shall have regard to the child’s views, taking into account the child’s age and maturity.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad