Would you send your child to a private school?

silvercar

If the local state primaries are good I would use them, then tutor privately for the entrance exams for decent secondary schools. Private schools look at children individually, if they see the potential in someone from the state sector they will make allowances when looking at the exam results.

My elder managed to get a place at a state grammar school and the education was a very high standard, my younger son is more artistic/ creative than academic and we searched in the private and state sector for the best school that suited his needs. As it happened it is a private school, he has thrived - developmentally and educationally and we were very pleased that we were able to afford to send him. Had he not gone private he would have gone to a large decent state comprehensive which does get decent results, but it wouldn't have suited him and he wouldn't have done as well as he did.

inmypocketnottheirs

I wouldn't hesitate to send my children to private school. Smaller class sizes and better support for the children would be my motivation.

Tropez

I don't have any children but it would be dependent on a number of factors as to whether I would consider sending a child private.

One of my good friends was educated privately and to this day I have yet to see any evidence as to the potential benefits of their private education. Even they themselves have stated they didn't feel it offered any significant benefits to them and instead filled their head with a lot of useless information such as latin lessons. On the other side, somebody I know who was educated in a school that was fairly low in the league table rankings, graduated from Cambridge with a First Class honours degree and now holds a lecturers position at one of the major American universities. The private school educated individual has been bouncing around jobs ever since they finished University.

Therefore, I think a lot of it depends on what the private school can actually offer that is significantly different, and whether the child is of the mind to take up such opportunities. Certain private schools have an advantage for opening doors in business related areas but it is difficult to ascertain whether such doors are a good fit for your child and I think that there are some private schools (certainly not all of them, maybe only a handful) who have no real intention of providing the extra services that your money is paying for but are more than happy to take your money for them regardless.

I think the main issue for me is, regardless of the school - whether it be state, or private - and regardless of your child's background, a child that is going to buckle down and work hard will do so no matter what their education and a child that isn't of that mindset is not going to be suddenly spurred on by the fact their parents are paying out thousands per year for their education. While all parents push their children to do the best for themselves that they can (well, most parents at least) there is only so much the extras can do - so much depends on the child.

pinkclouds

Accountant_Kerry wrote: »

Hi All,

I wanted to get some opinions, if you could afford it even though you would need to live a fairly frugal lifestyle would you send your child to a private / fee paying school?

Thanks

Yes, absolutely.

Assuming I could afford to fund both my kids and any others that might come along. There's always some sort of proviso, I guess.

Accountant_Kerry

I do agree with you Tropez, but the way i look at it if i provide all the necessary education and support that I can if the child chooses a different path then so be it. Although if they are artistic I would want to send them to an arts school etc, options that don;t really seem available in the state sector.

Spendless

In my own circs no, but that is because something I wanted very much for mine, was to have local friends, ones they knew from school that they could play with after school, in hols, that they could walk to and from school with. The private school(s) here take from all around the town, and would be driving distance and extreme liklihood of no local friends.

I also wanted them to attend one of only a handful of secondary schools, so in order for me to get both my wishes we moved into catchment when eldest was under 2. My area has catchment as its 1st criteria. My 'hindsight' has turned out to be correct. The local secondary has only 16 places (possibly 24 if they can get the LA to increase the admissions number) to anyone not with a catchment address for next yr, less than the number of pupils currently in yr6 at the feeder schools.

VK-2008

if i had the money and i am hoping i will have dont see why i want unless when i have kids they scam me for money for first few years why i wouldnt send them too private school. the 3 private schools near me are perfect, and if money is ok i would send them.
on the other hand if i cannot afford whcih there is every chance i may not if that makes sense as i do not know what lies infront on me i would happily send them to a state school. there are three local primary schools 2 of which fab and 1 very poor. i would want them to have the best education possible but at that i would tutor them on subjects at home and try and get them to learn as much as they can. i went to state school myself but in my final years at high school my parents hired an english and maths tutor to give me the best possible grade i could in both subjects.

gratefulforhelp_2

Yes. Quotable quotes from DD1's headteacher...

"You can't get better at Maths with practice, you can either do it or you can't" and...

"I can't improve the quality of writing in this school since I don't have any examples of good writing"

I'm a teacher and a firm believer in state education, but read those quotes!!!

Can't afford it, though, so I will teach her myself, others don't have that option.

Accountant_Kerry

It looks like the general theme is yes to private school.

Any thoughts on mixed vs single sex schooling?

zarazara

I have 2 adult sons. I wish I had had the money to send them to private schools.