Most fee shortfalls are not about parents refusing to pay. They come from invoices that arrive late, balances nobody can confirm, and reminders that only go out when the bursar has a free afternoon. This playbook sets a target of 90% of term fees collected by the end of week four, and works backwards from it.
Two weeks before resumption: get the invoice out
Parents budget around the date they first see a number. Issue term invoices at least two weeks before resumption, broken down line by line — tuition, levies, optional items and any discount — so there is nothing left to query on the first day.
- Apply sibling and staff discounts before invoices go out, not as credit notes afterwards.
- Mark optional items such as excursions and clubs clearly, so parents can see what is mandatory.
- Carry arrears forward as their own line instead of folding them into tuition.
Make the first payment easy to start
Many families pay in instalments whether or not you plan for it. Set the rules up front: the minimum first instalment, the dates for the rest, and what happens if a date is missed. A written plan beats an informal promise at the gate.
A reminder cadence that does not rely on memory
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1
Invoice day
Invoice and payment link sent by SMS or WhatsApp, with the portal link.
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2
Resumption week
A short reminder to everyone with a balance, showing the amount due.
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3
End of week two
A reminder to families who have not started paying or are behind their plan.
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4
Week three
A personal call from the bursary to the largest outstanding balances.
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5
Week four
A statement to every family with a remaining balance.
Watch the right number every Friday
Track collected-against-billed for the term, class by class. A class that lags usually points to something specific — a disputed levy, a new fee item, a message that never landed — and it is far easier to fix in week two than in week ten.
Keep every conversation documented
Payments, reminders and agreed plans should all sit on the student record, so whoever answers the parent’s call sees the same history. Disputes shrink when both sides are looking at the same statement.