Are Private Schools worth it?

purplepurple

conradmum wrote:

Private school teachers are not guaranteed to be better qualified. Qualifications are not regulated in the private sector, so they could easily be worse qualified.

You just need to ask the head about the staff and find out their qualifications... most school prospectuses will list all the current staff and their educational qualifications, so don't panic about that. Generally (not always!) teachers will stay at a private school a lot longer than a state school.... their wages are decided by the school, not the government, so are often paid a lot more than state teachers. For example, when I became qualified, the starting NQT wage was £13,000, my flat mate who got an amazing job at a private school in manchester started on £24,000, plus many more perks! The facilities are generally much better, much smaller class sizes and more time to have one to one attention. Some private schools are 6 days a week, so you'd have to consider that also.

As a state secondary school teacher I can appreciate both sides of the coin, my professional feelings probably contrast with my personal feelings as a parent :snow_laug

[Deleted User]

black-saturn wrote:

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

(Sorry this wasn't black saturn speaking I mucked up the quote.)

Surely 10 grand a year private fees would pay for the majority of Uni fees!?? I'm 30 but I think most students leave uni with about 10-15k of fees? Those that aren't MSE and have multiple p/t jobs that is......;)

gilly41

Hi
I am totally in favour of state schools. Both my children(now aged 20 & 22) went to the local schools.The Comprehensive they went to had the lowest results in the borough but because it is on our doorstep and I didnt want my kids travelling half way across town each day they both happily went there.
They are now at University- my daughter achieved 11 GCSEs- 8 at grade A and 2 at A* and my son achieved 4(totally different- my daughter is a worker and my son was completely lazy!!!)My daughter went to the 6th form college and got 4 A Levels and my son went to the local Tech College and got a BTEC in Sport(entry to this is 4 GCSES so he just made it!!!).
My daughter has just gained a 1st in a Maths degree and my son is in his second year of a Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching. I truly believe that if children are prepared to work and have the right encouragement at home they will achieve the best they can.I am very proud of both of them- I went to a very good state school and left at 16. My parents wanted me out at work!!!
As the above poster says most kids do leave uni with between 10-15K of debt-the 10 grand a year would therefore clear the Uni loans etc.
xx

Wings

Having received both state and private education, I can strongly recommend private schooling. Private schools offer opportunities that your child would never receive from a state school education, for example travel, flying airplanes and connections.

Not knowing the state school’s secondary syllabus, your child will have the option of studying several languages, Latin as well as the classics along with the standard required subjects. On top your child will have the possibility to learn how to play musical instruments and several sporting activities that will give your child an advantage when applying for University.

Without realising it, your child will learn discipline, teamwork, social skills and finesse, therefore character building and finish. Mixing with those with money will open doors!

The best investment you can give your child is to educate them to their full potential, for you can take money, gifts and love from a child, but good schooling/education can never be taken back from a child, so the earlier they receive private education the better.

black-saturn

What is the whole point in learning Latin?

Wings

Latin is the basics of English!!

black-saturn

I think they would do better by just concentrating on English.

gilly41

Hi
Just wanted to add that both my children had lots of opportunitites at state school. My son was selected to play football(through links with the school) with one of the league clubs- he was with them for 18 months! My daughter travelled to various countries on school trips and played the flute to grade 5 level!!
I really am totally in favour of state schools.
University has given them the chance to do lots more things- my son is going to America for 8 weeks in the summer.
My daughters best friend went to private school(she met her in her 1st year at York Uni)- she came out with a 2.2 and my daughter gained a 1st and went to one of the worst state schools in the borough!!
xx

Zziggi

raeble wrote:

I went to a state school, so called comprehensive mixed ability teaching where everything is rounded down to the lowest common demoninator. It was the worst thing for me.
...... I have no comprehesion of English grammar and my spelling can be quite poor. My social skills weren't exactly improved at school either.

I have to agree with you hear raeble. I also think it is often the lowest common denominator in many schools.

I would class myself as faily well educated but my english grammar and spelling is terrible. Something we weren't taught at all at comprehensive school. I only learnt my basic english grammar through studying the grammar of foreign languages.

In the cityi lived previously, all state schools (11yrs+) were diabolical. Really really terrible. I have friends who were teachers who freely said they would not send a dog to any of the state schools in the city. The primary schools however were a mixed bag. If you got a good primary your were fine. At year 7 the choice really was private school (a mediocre private school at that) or home education. I was gearing myself to H.E. from year 7.

The other option open to me was to move 30 miles away to a different town. Circumstances allowed us to do this. Even the worst state school here is better than any of the city schools and most state schools in this town are FAR better than the private school in the city. Housing surprisingly is not more expensive in this area. Before i moved one teacher-friend of mine suggested that if i got a terrible school in year 7 and i didn;t want to H.E. then i should pack up with DS and move onto a council estate in this town 30 miles away as even the state schools that serve the council estate are better than staying in the city.

I am hoping to send DS to the local very good state primary. We live in the catchement area so fingers crossed.... I haven't rules out H.E. but i would prefer to give the state schools a good go first.

The environment and peers is a big factor in childrens' behaviour and performance but the other big factors include parental support and children's own motivation.

purplepurple

Wings wrote:

Having received both state and private education, I can strongly recommend private schooling. Private schools offer opportunities that your child would never receive from a state school education, for example travel, flying airplanes and connections.

Not knowing the state school’s secondary syllabus, your child will have the option of studying several languages, Latin as well as the classics along with the standard required subjects. On top your child will have the possibility to learn how to play musical instruments and several sporting activities that will give your child an advantage when applying for University.

Without realising it, your child will learn discipline, teamwork, social skills and finesse, therefore character building and finish. Mixing with those with money will open doors!

The best investment you can give your child is to educate them to their full potential, for you can take money, gifts and love from a child, but good schooling/education can never be taken back from a child, so the earlier they receive private education the better.

My local Grammar school offers all this and has better GCSE and A Level results than many of the private schools in the country.... as other posters have said, if it is in your child to work hard, they will succeed wherever they are.... be it state education, private education or home schooling.