Are Private Schools worth it?

Mumstheword

I too went to a private school, which was considered to be one of the two best ones in the manchester area. I saw a mix of girls there, from supremely intelligent geeks (!!), snobby little madams, people like me who I considered normal(ha!) but clever enought o get in, to b!tchy little scrotes. However, the mix was heavily weighted in favour of the clever ones, and I didnt hear of a single fight in the 7 years I was there.
The worst thing I ever heard of was someone breaking a fork and putting it in the custard jug. It was quite a scandal though!!
It was an easy life compared to the stories from my friends at the local comp, and I didnt ever know of any bullies causing problems. In lesson time, everyone was there to work, and in spare time a lot of the conversation was based around how to tackle homework. There really was a good work vibe in the school and it never occured to me that I could get away with not doing so., I was never in any doubt that any misbehaviour or refusal to work would be reported to the head and my parents. That was threat enough to make me get on with my work! At the local comp, I would have suffered with the bullying which I know from friends went on, but maybe I would have been happier being near the top of the class all the time...who knows? All I do know is that I wouldnt have tried so hard and done as well without the rocket up my backside which I got at school.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi

I was privately educated through to grammar. I personally wouldnt send my DD to private school and I think alot of it is down to the child. DD is a hard worker and knuckles down and Im sure she will do well whether she goes to comprehensive, grammar or private school. If the child is willing to work hard, they will do well wherever they go.

DD is now 11 and are awaiting her 11+ results. Im uncertain how they will go, but obviously as a good parent I have looked through all the local borough schools and Ofstead reports to see who and where is best for either comprehensive or grammar. The schools we picked actually come out higher graded than the 2 private secondary schools locally.

I would say research research research all your local schools!!! Your childs eduaction is in your hands but attending a private school does not mean they will be better educated.

Why waste good money? Put it away for their university fees.

Good Luck
PP
xx

conradmum

Mumstheword wrote:

It was an easy life compared to the stories from my friends at the local comp, and I didnt ever know of any bullies causing problems. In lesson time, everyone was there to work, and in spare time a lot of the conversation was based around how to tackle homework. There really was a good work vibe in the school and it never occured to me that I could get away with not doing so., I was never in any doubt that any misbehaviour or refusal to work would be reported to the head and my parents. That was threat enough to make me get on with my work! At the local comp, I would have suffered with the bullying which I know from friends went on, but maybe I would have been happier being near the top of the class all the time...who knows? All I do know is that I wouldnt have tried so hard and done as well without the rocket up my backside which I got at school.

What's being described here is a good school versus a bad school, not private versus state. My boys go to a state school which has the same ethos as this private school.

Mumstheword

chickenlady wrote:

Go and view as many state schools as you can in your area before you decide - you might be surprised at how pleasant and unscary some of them are.

That's okay in an ideal world.

Where I live, my lads go to a lovely little village primary school, which not only does well, but also produces good personalities in the kids.

For a long time now, they have had an automatic place at the secondary school which comes high in league tables consistently.

The county council though have been trying for a while now to change the system. The change would leave the kids from this primary going to a secondary which is failing, and in a rough area. That being the case, I've got the options of either home educating, moving to another area, and so uprooting all my kids from their happy stable life, friends and family, or just paying (if they can pass the entrance exam and interview). Let me just say that going to the alternative is NOT an option.

Like I said in my first reply on this thread, each case needs to be decided on its own merits. There is a good case to be put for private education to be available, and there is also a good case to be put for the old 11+ free grammar school system. I dont see a problem in teaching children of different abilities seperately. That way, education can be geared more easily to what each child can and wants to achieve. Not all children are academically minded, so what is the point of forcing them into 5 years of academic study? A better system would be to have different schools for different subjects, ie academic schools or vocational schools etc. We dont need a nation of people who can all do the same things. Vocational schools can still teach core subjects, eg maths and english, but in a way which is more aimed at the way they will need to use it.

Rikki

We are not just talking about getting the top GCSE grades.
We are talking about a rounded education. Sports everyday, CCF, D of E, Young Enterprise, Religion and Assembleys for the whole school. House challenges and Entering National competitions.

Not all children excell academically and they are encouraged in different areas ie: sport, music what ever they show a flair for.

Some of the children who go to private schools because it is way their family are others scrimp and save and some children are there on their own merit. There is a good mixture of children from all walks of life with very different back grounds.

Mumstheword

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

I would say research research research all your local schools!!!

But what about those of us in areas where there actually isnt a choice of state schools? Where I live, you get what you are given, which at the moment is a reasonable school. But like I said, the council are trying their best to change the system.

Mumstheword

Rikki wrote:

There is a good mixture of children from all walks of life with very different back grounds.

That's certainly the experience I had from my private school. Although I wasn't aware of the diverse backgrounds the students had until I was older.
The only time I noticed someone's background being criticised was by a teacher. She corrected a girl's broad Bolton accent (at a school in Bolton!!).

Edit: thanks rikki, your post has reminded me of all the other reasons for private education, rather than just results. I really think our local private school will suit DS1 over our local comp. He is keen to go there, although he cant possibly know enough at 9yo to make a proper judgement on it.

nearlyrich

I didn't send my children to private school, luckily we have a selective but fee free grammar school just down the road where my son went from 11 to 18 and my daughter from 16 to 18, she went to an average state comp but achieved good results and says she wouls not swap her experiences there.

I have known people pay a lot in fees for their children to go to schools where the results are worse than either of the schools mine went to. I think if a child is encouraged to work at school to acheive their potential they will do well and it doesn't have to be expensive.

funky-footprints

op you may as well of asked
"shall i vote labour or conservarive in the next general election"
the choice to educate privately or state is a totally personally choice, no other person can tell you what to do, if the schools in your area are poor and you can afford to do something about it, then do so, if the schools in your area are satisfactory then stick with them. if class sizes are huge and you think your child will get lost in the system and you have a choice then make it !!

(the primary school my children go to is actually the only one in the area where the children are not coached for thier stats exams, the head teacher believes that the results of the school should be based on the actual academic abilities of the age of the child, something which i didnt know about until talking to a member of the pta)

MrHelpful

Hello,

Well what a can of worms this has opened up. Well I went to a state school and I think it is a 50:50 on what the child wants to do in life, I feel if you went to a private school a child will adapt to the "big smoke" well and be able to play the game as many people in this industry are posh/private school kids even though they may not be as clever as some public school candidates. This may not seem fair but it is the way of the world and it would be frontline news if one was to see a state school student make PM however a toff or private school student being more of the norm.

What I personally would do is send them to a state school.. that way they live in the 'real' world, get to know more diverse people not "rich kids". If they are clever and have the aptitude they will pull through - remember the cream always rises to the top and if they need help you can help them or point them to this website!!