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Only freedom will do

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  • edinburgher
    edinburgher Posts: 14,079 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    The money will largely be held in trust until there's a clear need for it and she has shown herself to be sensible as regards using a decent amount of money. I definitely can't see us paying for school fees with it, £8k/year minimum in Glasgow, that's the deposit on an ok house in this neck of the woods.

    I am sure you'll catch me again by the end of June, this is proving to be a wildly expensive time. Still, hang the expense, we'll only have one first child :)
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    Your plans seem sensible. :)

    Choosing a school is not fun, we've spent the last two years or so looking at various schools and debating the various options for our son. Initially, he's going to be attending our village school as I think I probably live in the only place in the country that the village school (circa 30 children from 4-11) has much smaller class sizes than the nearest prep school. At 7 he will go to my old prep school as a day pupil because by then, I hope, he will be used to attending school.

    The fees add up to a rather eye watering amount and I'm rather glad I'm not going to be paying, unless my parents decide I can be trusted with the money. Somehow, I doubt it as they probably think I'd keep my son at the village school before sending him to the local senior school whilst driving about in an Aston Martin. :rotfl: ... Now, there's a plan ...

    There always seems to be things to buy. The toys do get better though once the baby mobiles are thrown away and the Scalextric is bought. :D
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  • edinburgher
    edinburgher Posts: 14,079 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    All of my siblings and I went to private school, I feel that it probably hasn't been that great an investment for my parents. All of us have ended up with decent white collar jobs, but there is a real shortage of high court judges and rocket scientists.

    Academic success is not enough and the 'connections' side of things that some parents wrongly assume will be formed if they send their children to that sort of school only happen if you already mix in swanky circles ;)

    When I consider the fact that they have spent ££££££, even with scholarships etc., I feel quite guilty. Their choice, made with love, but not the choice that I will make for my children :)
  • Alchemilla
    Alchemilla Posts: 6,276 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Wise words.

    My parents gave me a choice. Independent school or a pony...
  • edinburgher
    edinburgher Posts: 14,079 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I like that :)
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    School is about so much more than a pupil getting a "good job" in adulthood, I also happen to think that generally university is not the place for that, either. Unfortunately, in recent years, education seems to have become all about potential choices in adulthood and not to be enjoyed for it's own sake. I have a couple of pupils taking music exams because it "looks good on a CV", personally, I think that's rather tragic.

    Initially, I was very much against my son attending the village school until recently as I wanted him to attend my old school from the beginning. However, the village school seems to be a lot more supportive and understanding of a child very apprehensive about going to school. To be honest, for the KS1 years, their provision has rather impressed me.

    In contrast, I think the curriculum offered by most state schools beyond the early years is very narrow and too heavily focused on English, Maths and Science. It seems they neglect the arts and humanities as well as modern and classical languages. Furthermore, it seems most lack good extra curricular and sporting opportunities for pupils. Perhaps the situation is different in Scotland.
    2018 totals:
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  • Karmacat
    Karmacat Posts: 39,460 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Private school wasn't for people like us when I was growing up (tho it is now :rotfl:)
    2023: the year I get to buy a car
  • chickadee
    chickadee Posts: 1,447 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    AlexLK wrote: »
    In contrast, I think the curriculum offered by most state schools beyond the early years is very narrow and too heavily focused on English, Maths and Science. It seems they neglect the arts and humanities as well as modern and classical languages. Furthermore, it seems most lack good extra curricular and sporting opportunities for pupils. Perhaps the situation is different in Scotland.



    Hi there, I hope you don't mind me chipping in, but this is one of my 'soap box' subjects. You are absolutely right about the very narrow curriculum, but state schools are forced to do this because it is what is measured by Ofsted. The focus is so much more on English, Maths and Science rather than on other subjects that may make children into well-rounded individuals because there is so much more weighting given to these in league tables. It really distorts the education system in my opinion. Private schools are inspected differently and parents looking at these schools tend to have more experience of them and are therefore not as influenced by league tables or Ofsted ratings. Sadly, education seems to be interfered with at the whim of the latest political party in power.


    There, that's it off my chest.
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  • edinburgher
    edinburgher Posts: 14,079 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Personally, I think that's rather tragic.

    Welcome to the world we live in! Me sitting misty eyed and reminiscing about an idolisedvision of childhood as being all about joy and discovery won't change the reality that I need to encourage a certain level of ambition in my daughter, or to make it that she doesn't need to have said ambition to succeed. As the second option strikes me as damaging, it will need to be the first.

    There is nothing to stop her having a good time on the way :)
  • AlexLK
    AlexLK Posts: 6,125 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    chickadee: I don't mind you chipping in at all and found your points quite interesting.

    Ed: Unfortunately, I think you're right about how the world works. Though it seems only the ambition of commercial success is rewarded particularly handsomely. Other ambitions are left trailing behind in terms of monetary reward and public praise.
    2018 totals:
    Savings £11,200
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