OK guys, a bit of help here please

carolt

Wow, didn't realise the annual ticket was so expensive!

Ouch.

misskool

fc123 wrote: »

That's a bit unfair MS?
My 2 don't think they are a race apart at all. They do notice that we don't have the material trappings that others have (a bit of an understatement in DD's case at the mo ) but, apart from that, no snobbery (inverted or otherwise) is apparent.
I do admit that neither say 'innit' anymore...but that was a Sarf London fing and may not apply anywhere else.

Private schools have just a varied mix of pupils as state...the good states that rely on nice catchments perhaps have less variety?

No offence but having taught students from all sorts of backgrounds, I can honestly say there is a difference. If nothing else, smaller classes at public schools means they get more attention and therefore are better at certain tasks compared to those from a state school.

Perhaps you don't see the difference as you're in the system so to say?

fc123

carolt wrote: »

Re your first point, apparently friends in St Albans tell me that schools in the St Albans consortium, whatever that is (about 3 schools, I think, in different locations around the city? - am I right on this?) currently share facilities and are bussed around from lesson to lesson all day long. So maybe that's where the traffic's coming from? Sounds like madness to me. Don't know the details - but at least travelling to 1 school rather than lots seems better to me.

Re the second point, I was referring to grammar or semi-selective rather than independent - I'm an ex-grammar school girl myself and loved it. I wouldn't send my kids to private school even if I could afford it (I can't) as I dislike it, personally. But grammar's a different matter. My eldest is pretty bright and needs something stretching - a comp with a good 'fast stream' would do us too.

Have you looked at the semi-selectives? The friends mentioned above are looking at Dame Alice Owen, for example - it is co-ed. Actually, on second thoughts, they don't live in central St Albans - don't know if there is a catchment area covering all of the city? Might be worth looking into?

My sis has done the Grammars with hers....lives in a pricier area...we never had the choice as we didn't have any in either borough....no grammars at all...in London, you had to apply independently and travel over the boundary of the borough.

So, wouldn't have ,meant anything for DD as B + H don't have a Grammar system in place. Mind you, she failed the London test by a few marks as we failed her in not getting her 'tutored'....but then we moved anyhows.

With son, we just paid as seemed simpler at the time. I resent the fees still as we would have cleared our mortgage but lifes too short to fret and hold bitterness at strangers in positions of power...:D

I still feel it was unfair though.......Bas5***s.!!!!

fc123

misskool wrote: »

No offence but having taught students from all sorts of backgrounds, I can honestly say there is a difference. If nothing else, smaller classes at public schools means they get more attention and therefore are better at certain tasks compared to those from a state school.

Perhaps you don't see the difference as you're in the system so to say?

Well, I confess to Miss Kool but only in secret.....I do notice the difference with their cousins (on OH's side) but do put that down to other reasons...like their parenting and lifestyle choices....which influence kids massively.

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

If nothing else, smaller classes at public schools means they get more attention ?

It not just class sizes. One of my neices is NOT academic, not really at all, and she has had significant issues with learning ...the hours an hours of education support she' had has been staggarring, and its all included. Her problems were picked up on early and attcked with gusto.

DH feel something particular about girls in UK though, and as always held he'd prefer a girls secondary to be elsewhere, socially, to do with seual politics etc, not eductaionally.


His Italian state education was, just superb. Better than a lot of UK schools, regardless of fee paying or not IMO.

lostinrates

carolt wrote: »

Wow, didn't realise the annual ticket was so expensive!

Ouch.

The cost of trains from here is so eyewatering I just winced as I thought, ''So cheap'' about the same figures. I'll tell you one day what DH pays for his once a week long coomute that some people out here, yes as far as here, do daily or four times a week.

misskool

lostinrates wrote: »

It not just class sizes. One of my neices is NOT academic, not really at all, and she has had significant issues with learning ...the hours an hours of education support she' had has been staggarring, and its all included. Her problems were picked up on early and attcked with gusto.

DH feel something particular about girls in UK though, and as always held he'd prefer a girls secondary to be elsewhere, socially, to do with seual politics etc, not eductaionally.


His Italian state education was, just superb. Better than a lot of UK schools, regardless of fee paying or not IMO.

You can be sure that your niece would have been forgotten and allowed to pass through the system in a state school. I volunteer to run workshops at an East London school and there are 30 students per class, mixed abilites and there are 12 year olds who can't even spell normal words

lostinrates

misskool wrote: »

You can be sure that your niece would have been forgotten and allowed to pass through the system in a state school. I volunteer to run workshops at an East London school and there are 30 students per class, mixed abilites and there are 12 year olds who can't even spell normal words

TBF in early years there were some things in the private schools that shocked me, five yar olds eating with sppons an fingers, barely able to speak, one still in gibberish baby talk.
Education start at home, and I think that parents with active minds and educated interest, (amoung whom my guess Michaels numbers) children will do ok, but.....in that way I think some kid I have seen would have been missed by parents and large class sizes, and the school picked up the slack

As for the spelling, I'lljust sit here in my glass house keeping tight hoold of my stones

michaels

Don't worry, I am based in St A so any commuting anywhere else is on expenses

Day trips to Leeds when the train can be over 200 quid if you are not able to book in advance would be frightening if I had to pay...

carolt wrote: »

Wow, didn't realise the annual ticket was so expensive!

Ouch.

MY school was a secondary turned comprehensive so I got to mix with everyone, it was a rural area of there was no picking and choosing by postcode or otherwise (only other option was independent) so I got to do woodwork and cookery with all my peers, academic subjects were streamed and setted so generally teachers were able to whole class teach so class sizes over 30 did not seem to be an issue. I got 5 As at a level back when A levels were difficult so it can't have been that bad and I feel I got to see the real world which those in independent schools never will.

michaels

lostinrates wrote: »

...I think that parents with active minds and educated interest, (amoung whom my guess Michaels numbers) children will do ok....

Well we don't have Sky and all sit down to a family meal without the TV on if that's what you mean...