Are Private Schools worth it?

cobbingstones

My view is if you child is privately educated you are more able to call the shots than at the local comp. For example, if you have a child in the class who is causing trouble you can contact the head and demand is stop! After all private schools are a business which you are paying into. You have more control.

Good luck with you decision OP

MM

cobbingstones

My view is if your child is privately educated you are more able to call the shots than at the local comp. For example, if you have a child in the class who is causing trouble you can contact the head and demand is stop! After all private schools are a business which you are paying into. You have more control.

Good luck with you decision OP

MM

JFuller105

It is very true to say that the quality of teaching may be no better in a private school than in a comp.

However, the real advantage is that the teacher will not be wasting half the lesson on crowd control, or trying to cajole a reluctant pupil to work knowing that the pupils parents will not provide any backup if they are consulted.

A fee-paying school will always deal more severely with a disruptive pupil, since they are very conscious that the parents of the other pupils are paying for them to have a suitable working environment. And smaller class sizes will pay dividends for the "average" pupil who can go unnoticed in a class of 32.

You will also find that a private school can choose the best bits of the National Curriculum to follow, without being compelled to slavishly follow the whole lot. More time will be spent learning, and less on being needlessly tested.

However, choose a school where you sense that the other kids are relaxed and happy to be there. If your child is anything other than a genius, it will not help him/her to be constantly competing with a class of swots!

I should declare a vested interest : I teach in a private school and now wouldnt consider going back to the state system.

devils_advocate

since they are very conscious that the parents of the other pupils are paying for them to have a suitable working environment.

I'm amazed that you've made this comment. Out of all the private schools which I've seen/ been involved with, I don't know of any who look at the parents interests before those of the child. As a parent and a governor of my kids school, if I told the headmaster 'do this for my child because I'm paying for it', I've no doubt that i would learn a few new words in the English language!

As far a s I can see, my kids interests are paramount, and mine are very much secondary!

DKLS

From my experience, One thing that Private Schools do very well at, If i dare say it they encourage success and competition, whether in academic or sporting activities. Success is somerthing to be celebrated, not ashamed of.
Which you cant always say that about state schools, The school my mates kid goes to has no winners on sports day as they dont want to upset the kids that didnt win, Whats the point?

tottie666

I sent both my daughters to the local private school as i thought this was the best thing. I teach in a local comp so knew the local area of education very well. It turned out to be a big waste of money. My eldest daughter got to year 2 and could not read confidently and would not engage in learning at home. She is now at an excellent local primary and she is flourishing. Her reading is fluent and her love of education is growing. My younger daughter has special needs and funding for her stopped at 5, so all the extra support she got was either going to stop or the cost passed onto us. I am angry with my own choice. I have put them in a primary that will eventually feed into my school where I will place then if they want to or one of the other schools in our federation so i can keep an eye on everything. My advice is private education may not be the answer, check it out carefully. In state schools you can guarentee that the staff are qualified and those who are not brilliant have access to training where private schools need to pay for this so often don't give it.

But this is just my opinion based on one school.

Tottie

devils_advocate

In state schools you can guarentee that the staff are qualified and those who are not brilliant have access to training where private schools need to pay for this so often don't give it.

Is that a statement of your experience, or your opinion?

tottie666

experience, both as a professional and a parent of children. My daughters teacher was an NQt (Newly qualified teacher) in state she would have got alot of additional support and continual assessment, in private she was not. In state schools there are so many training programs that are run by the LA that there is no excuse for teaching to be poor, although it can still be. Private schools are not invited to these courses. But like i said, the experience i mentioned was just from onw school, others may better.

budget_counsellor_shaz

I have taught as a maths teacher for 12 years working in 3 different state secondary schools. My 3 children all went to state schools and my 2 youngest are at university at the moment and the oldest has completed his degree with a 2.1.

I have taught classes of up to 33 and other teachers in the school have classes of 39!!!

If I could have afforded it, I would have put my children into a private school because the class sizes are smaller.

A lot of teachers if they can afford it also put their children in private schools because of the class sizes.

A hard working, contientious, not top of the class pupil can get missed. Loud, confident, demanding and naughty children take up a huge proportion of a teachers time however experienced they are.

Although some teachers may not be as highly qualified in a private school although all the teachers I know are just as qualified. In fact a lot of teachers choose to work in a private school as they are able to teach without the hastle.

But it is not worth it if you can't afford it my kids have done ok. They were good in class although they didn't always work as hard as they should have.:eek:

School isn't just about academic qualifications it is about an all rounded education of being able to cope with the rest of their life and to live as happy, confident, thoughtful and kind adults.

The most valuable thing you can give your children as they grow up is time.......


Shaz