Private / Independent schools

Rachel_Mac

It depends very much on what you are wanting from a school. State schools are driven by the economy - we need children to grow into adults that are going to be productive in the society we have created, so we create a curriculum which serves the needs of society and aim for as many children as possible to get high grades as a measure of their ability to perform. My understanding of most private schools is that this is also a major aim, although more driven by individual intellectual acheivement.

There are other options. My daughter goes to a Steiner Waldorf school, which is fee paying, but the aim is to help children to become thinking adults who are capable of giving meaning to their own lives, not simply fitting in to what society wants us to do, but perhaps changing society for the better. It's a very creative education. The children begin academic learing at 6/7 and catch up with peers by 9/10/11, and their work is outstanding - beautiful, thoughtful and meaningful. My understanding is that children who apply to university from Steiner schools are regularly offered uncondional places based on the portfolio and interview.

I trained as a state secondary school teacher and was never satisfied with the way children were viewed, or the philosophy behind the curriculum. That led me to search further than state education. I had to really think about what education was actually for and then which school best offered this approach.

To choose a school/educational system for your child, you need to decide what you believe education is for and this will guide you to the right school for your children.

Benny24

In the mid 70's when it was time for me to go to school my Mum looked round at the schools in my area. The local primary school had 40 kids in the class, Mum wasn't too happy with this and she 'fought' my Dad, a staunch labour supporter!, about sending me to a small independant local school.
He agreed reluctantly and I went into a small class atmosphere, after a school year I was doing joined up writing and the girl next door same age who went to the local primary was still playing with sand!

BUT what was important was that although independent school helped me on my way, I went to a good state secondary school and loved it. At primary age kids are like sponges, I would like to send my kids to a private school during the primary ages, but not possibly secondary. Equally if the state primary school is good with good class size, I would have no problem sending them there either.

Look at your child and decide where you think they would be best placed.....would they be isolated in large class sizes? If they are bright or quiet, or need a little extra help, class size can have a lot of impact.

themaccas

2 of our 3 kids go to independant school (Number 3 is only 3), and I have to say I have no regrets. We are fortunate that OH is in the forces so they pay 90% of the fees. Both of them struggled in state education and for our eldest, GCse's looked an impossible acheivement. He started private ed at age 9 and is now 16. He passed 9 GCSE's in August at excellent grades and is now studying A levels. Our 8 years old started private ed at age 7 and was diagnosed dyslexic within her first month there, was properly assessed and confirmed by an ed psych and now has specialist tuition 4 times a week. Unfortunately we will no longer get this financial help in 18 months time because OH leaves the forces so we will have to decide if our 8 year old will stay, our oldest child will have completed A levels by then. If we can afford it, she will stay and we will start our youngest but it is an enormous financial sacrifice.

Feeby

Dear Georgiasmum, thank you for your post as it has been very encouraging to me. I hope you dont mind me asking you a bit of advice as I seem to be in the same situation as you were. I am a single parent with a 6 year old. Like others posters I have had great difficulty with the school in terms of commmunication etc and am now thinking of sending my daughter to private school, she went to private nursery and did very well and although they have put here nearly 2 years ahead in terms of reading, her writing is illegible, I have had many meetings etc but they are pushing her one way when there are basic things that she needs to concentrate on, she is only six ! I just feel a bit scared about the commitment, did you feel the same ? I want the best for my daughter and get no child support etc from my ex as he is a loser but i have a great family and my mum is always there for after school child care. You mentioned that you managed on your own with private school, house etc, how did you do it ? Did you sacrifice a lot or are you very well paid ? Did you get any help with fees from the school, bursaries etc ?

I really need some encouragement, I hope you can advise.
Many thanks

Feeby

inkie

Its very unlikely that you would get any finanacial assistance at the age that your daughter is. Most means-tested financial help is available from 11 (senior school).
We lloked into sending our D1 (just started yr 7) - to a top girls high school - she sat the entrance exam and got one of the highest marks. We were offered a place (50% fee remission), but would have still had to find around £5,000 per annum to make up the fees. It is a massive commitment, and one that we felt we couldn't make - we have another child as well, and would not have been able to afford for D2 to go as well. Not just the fees but all of the extras as well.
I felt really sad that we couldn't send her, as she is prob brighter than a lot of the girls who have gone. However, she is settled at the local faith school and is in the G & T stream.

verysillyguy06

How about the inbetween? Anyone considered the steiner schools? also known as waldorf schools...you do have to pay but not as much as goes by income mostly....they teach the 'whole child' lots of art and crafts and less of thoses dreaded tests...;)

Strapped

This is an impossible topic really, as so much depends on your local schools; I'd agree with the people who said that it's important to pick the right school for your child, regardless of how it's funded.

For the record, I was privately educated (military funding for boarding school followed by scholarship to a very traditional public school) but have chosen state ed for my own children - although we have just moved across country to settle in an area that we chose carefully. I would NEVER send my kids to board though (OMG the stories I could tell :eek: ).

One thing that is often cited about private education is the richness of the extra-curriculum activites available; I'd just say that's OK if you can afford it. It wasn't great always being the "poor" kid...

However, I'd agree somewhat with the comments about the influence of peers on your child's aspirations. My sixth form basically secured me a place at Cambridge - before anyone starts jumping up and down about how plenty of state school pupils make it to Oxbridge too, I know that's true, but it was the absolutely standard thing to take S levels and apply for Oxbridge. (Although, I confess that I rebelled and went somewhere else in the end).

Good luck with whatever you decide.

duchy

We've experienced both with my son.
Primary was fine. He went to a small (one class per year) state (CoE) primary school and despite been diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome did very well academically (and the school were very supportive of his special needs). His SATs results were in line with his classmates -the school was 2nd or 3rd that year in results for the borough (Croydon) -no mean feat for much a small school where even one low achieving child totally messes with the percentages. Many of these children went on to grammer school (Croydon doesn't have them but nearby Sutton and Kingston do)-a good primary will not ensure kids will pass the 11 plus but it will help. I certainly knew parents who sent their kids privately at primary to ensure they did pass the 11 plus -something the private prep school were geared to almost exclusively and knew many an average ability child who passed due to the way they were "taught" to pass-although probably at the expense of a broader education. Fees are lower at primary level so sometimes paying for primary to get into grammer is a "good investment".
We then moved to another LEA (Medway)which also had grammer schools. My son struggled in state high school-the work was no problem but due to the huge size of the school, poor student behaviour and his disability he was totally demotivated and was bullied. By the end of year 8 the decision was made to move him. He now attends a private school-average class size is 8 and is in his GCSE year with predictions of As across the board. However i have found that because the brightest children in the main attend the grammer schools his classmates are not particually academic and the parents are paying to ensure these average ability children get good results-and indeed they do.
So private schools in a grammer school area can be impacted by losing some of the kids who would in a non selective school area make up the majority of the class-something to consider-it alters the balance.
I am VERY happy with our choices-the school is fantastically supportive and despite having no special needs expertise the small classes and the fact that every child is regarded as an individual and timetabled to reflect that with any areas of excellence/difficulty been given extra tuition. (I've worked as an LEA within the state system locally-I'm fully aware how rare this is in the high schools here no matter what lip service is paid to it)
I'm fortunate-the LEA pay the fees but if that was taken away tomorrow-I'd work 2 or 3 jobs to ensure my son remained there.
So overall based on my own experiences-if you can get your child into a GOOD primary school that is essential (and a bit of a lottery in the state system) without that strong foundation most children will struggle. What makes a good primary school is subjective and very much dependent on the head. My son's school had a lousy OFSTED the year before he started-which led to the head taking early retirement and a new pro-active and excellent head been appointed. It was essentially a different school.
There are no easy answers but the more research you do the better informed decision you can make-ultimately it boils down to what is available in YOUR area-Good luck.

Ms_Piggy_2

cupid_s wrote: »

I would never send my kids to a private school. I didn't go to a private school and am glad. I'd have hated it.

How on earth do you know you would have hated it?
It sounds as though you have very preconceived ideas on what private school is, but with no experience of reality.

Schools in general, differ hugely. A fee paying school isn't necessarily better than a state school just because it's fee paying, but different school suit different children.

Badger_Lady

I personally could never have gone to a state secondary school - I did start at my local comprehensive aged 11 but it was the worst year of my young life! However, my parents would not have considered sacrificing our family lifestyle for a private school, and luckily I found a Grammar school only 50 miles away which was the best place I ever could have gone! Tuition was free, most of my classmates had been privately educated in order to get it (so it was reasonably posh but not snobby), and I am still so happy that I went there.

I would generally agree that Primary school is less important, and that it's good for children to mix socially with large groups, but my friends withdrew their 7-yr-old girl from state primary and I'm just amazed with the sorts of things she does in the private school! She is a very bright little girl anyway, but her (expensive) school really encourages her talents and I have no doubt that it's giving her a huge advantage. I'm actually quite jealous! However, at £2k per half-term, it's not within everyone's reach, and it would be quite another story if she had siblings.