i've won £80 on the lotto tonight so i have the money for her tracksuit. i'm sooo happy 

Thank you Pengy  she's done all the hard work not me, exam results due soon 

When she gets to college Aimee, get her to enquire about financial help..... they have stopped the EMA in it's old format but they replaced it with something else (something cheaper of course). Each college should have funds that they have control over, so they can make sure it goes to the worthy cases only. Make sure she applies! I have no idea at the moment how much is available etc, but anything is better than nothing.  

Stopping EMA is an outrage.   Aimee, we needed every penny of her EMA..   and contrary to what people say about students using it to buy alcohol etc it was spent on just basics...   and we still had to find other money (lots of other money) to top it up.

Yes, if fortunate enough to find one, they can get part time jobs to help out..   but there are only so many hours in the day..  my daughter looked downright ill on the run up to exams (this was before she got Glandular Fever & was downright ill)..   and was burning the midnight oil studying.. there would have been no time for her to work as well.

Thank god there's something! 

Aimee  it's really good to hear that because I remember you desparing when she kept losing or breaking her 'phone. It's great to see that she's taking responsibility for herself and understands that if she wants something she has to pay for it.

I'm trying to get help with money for a bus pass, i sent all my info off 3 weeks ago but haven't heard anything back yet

They certainly aren't Aimee...and woo hoo for the win

My parents are thinking of cashing in a policy they took out for her when she was first born too help me out  it's not due till she's 18

it's a wonder the neighbours didn't come and check on me i was whooping that loud  it's took alot of stress off my shoulders 

Aw bless them for taking that out!   TBH you might need them to cash it in Aimee..    I don't know whether it was because my daughter was at a private school (the scholarship paid for her school & boarding fees), but the costs & the bills just didn't stop.   

Bloody exam fees!!    They kept hitting us with them twice a year..    then she had a dress code/ uniform too..  and there'd be a school social (in school hours) to some activity... and it would be mandatory attendance... and then three week later we'd get a bill for £120 for it....  it just didn't stop! 

Awww thats great Aimee..someone must be looking out for you....

Do the college she's going to not have a 'hardship fund'  I know a lot of universities do, I'm just wondering if colleges do the same??  It wouldn't hurt to ask as the worst they can say is no 

I'd try and hold out Aimee or there will be a loss cos of them cashing in early..go to your CAB and see what you are entitled too....

You had to pay exam fees!   She should only have to pay for resits!  I can't believe the scholarship didn't cover that! Cheeky beggars!

yep we had to pay exam fees.

AND.... even when she'd got an A, they'd still want her to resit!!!     

I am going to write to the sponsors when we have her results..  a general "thank you so much for the opportunities" letter..   & I want to tell them about the other things she has gained from the scholarship (development, maturing, independence etc)  but I am going to point some of these other things out too.    they need to warn parents about the other costs.   To qualify for the scholarship we had to have a family income under a given threshold... so no family that is eligible is going to be in a position so as not to feel these costs...  most will struggle as we have done. 

Honest Ducks..    they charged us for everything..    including things like..   the boarders had to be back at school by 8pm on a Sunday night..   I used to get her there earlier than that as I had to drive back home again...  but the kitchens aren't open on Sundays, so the head of 6th would get them pizza..    we would get billed for it.      

Oh.. & of course there is the huge amount it has cost us in petrol. 

We pay for everythin books, exam fees, you name it here from the age of 4 until they're 18, the only thing we don't pay for is the teachers wages..then there's college everything....

She is your daughter....

I am well aware of that thanks... 

I have another child as well though..    one that hasn't been able to go on any school trips this year because we haven't had the money.

Please Syd.... do not even go there..    I rarely lose my temper on here..   but you are pushing me on this one.

 I am ?.............

Well that's damn rude!

I earn more than Ditty but have never had to pay for my son's exam fees.......as the vast majority of parents don't! She is only commenting on how difficult it makes it, not that she begrudges it! She paid the fees didn't she? And for your information Ditty would give her last penny to make sure her children have what they need....so maybe you should stop making negative assumptions about someone you know nothing about!

I give in.......

Alternatively you could apologise.

What for?

Don't bother Ducky (thank you btw)..    

but, she's just not worth it.

I just questioned the " huge amount it has cost us in petrol."....

As a parent we have all felt those costs......... 

Holy shit you are either stupidly insensitive Syd or are just a wind up merchant. Irrespective of our desire to do everything we can for our children there is alway a question of means. If you haven't got it you can't spend it no matter how much you ache to do so.

So shut up

Z.

P.S. Yes. This is me mad

Proving Ducky's point that you don't have a clue about me or mine, or what you are talking about.

I had to do weekly trips of 360 miles!

My daughter got a scholarship at a school in Surrey..   a boarding school, but she was struck down with Glandular Fever, meaning she had to come home most weekends.

You are rude!   And I am offended!

Is it that far!!!! Wow, that must cost you a fortune

and ... for what its worth..     

we went without heating all last winter because we could not afford heating oil.   one of the coldest winters on record...    

^^^ indication of hard things like exam fees hit us

If you really don't know then maybe I should give in!

For your information Syd....Ditty's family have sacrificed a lot to give their daughter a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not every parent would! Ickle applied for and earnt a scholarship (through her own hard work and determination I might add) to a private school. A school that has the means to give her an incredible education and a better start in life.  The scholarship pays for the tution fees for the school...... but this is a school that is used to rich parents, parents who for them £120 here £120 there is nothing! To Ditty's family it is a hell of a lot!

I was shocked, because despite the fact this scholarship was supposed to put Ditty's daughter on an equal footing with the other students, Ditty is still expected to pay exam fees.....this is something you NEVER have to do at a state school!

What is so wrong about Ditty commenting on how the UNEXPECTED additional costs have  affected her and her family? Do you really think she needs reminding that she is her daughter? That she is responsible? What are you implying? That is she is not? Because if you are then you have a LOT to apologise for.

I'm frankly appalled Syd, and I don't get appalled on here very often. I'll give you one piece of advice ..... I don't know if you have kids or not..... but it's NEVER a good idea to bring someone elses children into an argument. It makes you look petty and it's a sure fire way of upsetting someone!

Stick to making assumptions on the parents of the rioters and leave individual forum members out of it.

90 miles from here to her school.     so trip down to collect her & back was 180 miles.   then taking her back & returning home on Sunday another 180 miles

Why has Cameron put a US ex-NY cop on our payroll to sort this latest violence out? Surely he should have got the chiefs of police from here into a meeting first? He is the one for making cut-backs yet he seems it fit to employ yet more unnecessary people when it seems to me to be unnecessary and also to the chiefs of Police??? 

No you didn't...... you mentioned nothing about petrol. Maybe you need to be more specific when you criticise someone?

Of course we have all felt these costs, but you are taking that out of context. The post was about how a scholarship failed to warn potential applicants of the extra costs involved. It was not about believing someone else should pay for it.

Bloody hell Stonks! You need to get your ass over here.

It really adds up doesn't it Ditty.....and private schools do charge for every little thing, it's appalling

And an indication of why people should not make assumptions. And why they should give up and apologise if they do.

I am sorry, really sorry about your daughter's  illness, I know I don't know about you or your family...........as you do not know anything about mine..........

I am sorry if I appeared rude, I didn't for one minute set out to be rude.......

I have two children and two grandchildren with problems, and life of our own....we are not saints...

and I was just trying to wonder why!

Ok, you've apologised. I'll shut up now and go elsewhere till I calm down.