I really really want to be........mortgage free!

edinburgher

I would point out that bullying is probably rampant at all schools (it certainly was at my highly respected school). The problem is that it takes very different forms. So your local school might have problems with 'gangs' of kids or physical bullying, we had 'status-related' bullying, quite insidious and very nasty. Mini Occ will find his way no matter what happens, just keep talking to him as he grows up from your current darling lad to an 'orrible teenager

Ali-OK

Feel for you on the schools, had a similar experience when looking at middle schools for DS (3 tier system here)...the catchment one was going downhill swiftly in similar ways*. So bad, I wouldn't put it on the selection form even as a last resort! Luckily got him into an out of area one, as he was already in an out of area feeder for it. Toyed with moving house when he was younger but schools can change over the years anyway (glad we didn't, the feed into what was a good Upper is now a struggling one).

* They then put a Superhead in to turn it around, followed by a new Head. New Head was then found to have altered SATS results :eek:. School has closed down.

I looked at private too for secondary/upper - fees here £14-15K a year and you're right, they have to be in some form of education (either college, As, apprenticeship) until 18 now. Fortunately a new small school opened and I took a punt - fortunately it's working out pretty well so far as DS is a sensitive soul too.

Good education really shouldn't be this difficult or worrying.

And well done Mini OCC on the football

edinburgher

£14-15k? Good God - are you in the SE?

Ali-OK

Sort of..classed as Outer South East, 50 miles north of London and massive commuter belt territory. It's got some old top private schools here (not Eton) and the £14-15k is the bottom end of the range! That was when I last seriously looked, so 5 years ago.

The top private school here, we were at last week for a national school event DS was taking part in - they command £19-21k at Y10 :eek:

ourcornercottage

Today was a good day. A NSD, put £100 in the mini education fund so that's a start. Will just be treating it as additional savings.

Went into work for a few hours today, got loads done and went!

otherwise a quiet day moneywise. got 3 things to review sent through today which is fab although they are slowing down a little now which im not complaining about as I have enough beauty products/toiletries to last about a year now!!!

PrincessLou

On the whole school discussion, your plan sounds sensible, particularly starting saving many years in advance. However, don't discount the fact that school reputations can change within a relatively short period of time.

When we bought our house just over three years ago the primary school around the corner was classed as a very good school but within two years, probably due to a change in head, the school slid right down to being classed as 'inadequate' and in need of special measures. We are now in a difficult situation, in which there is absolutely no way that we will be sending our boys to that school in two years. We have talked through so many options, taking our chances in trying to apply for other schools, applying to the private school down the road (not an option we can comfortably afford - especially with twins!), even home educating for a couple of years before we can move to our forever home. :eek: Despite loving our home, even though it is not our forever home, we may just have to accept that we will be forced to move elsewhere just to get into a decent school.

ourcornercottage

PrincessLou wrote: »

On the whole school discussion, your plan sounds sensible, particularly starting saving many years in advance. However, don't discount the fact that school reputations can change within a relatively short period of time.

When we bought our house just over three years ago the primary school around the corner was classed as a very good school but within two years, probably due to a change in head, the school slid right down to being classed as 'inadequate' and in need of special measures. We are now in a difficult situation, in which there is absolutely no way that we will be sending our boys to that school in two years. We have talked through so many options, taking our chances in trying to apply for other schools, applying to the private school down the road (not an option we can comfortably afford - especially with twins!), even home educating for a couple of years before we can move to our forever home. :eek: Despite loving our home, even though it is not our forever home, we may just have to accept that we will be forced to move elsewhere just to get into a decent school.

That's exactly whats happening here. I can't even consider home schooling at senior level as I am not cleaver enough! Preparation is the key though to give us all the options available.

choccielover

Our local school is utterly dreadful, similar state to the one you describe OCC. our catchment junior school has fallen off a cliff recently too drawing a dreadful ofsted report despite being outstanding previously and hearing awful anecdotal tales from friends with children there.
So off to The local fee paying establishment baby Chocs has gone.
I just look at it as paying nursery fees for a little longer.....like an extra 14 years
Her happiness means everything to me, it doesn't stretch me financially or stop us doing/spending/op'ing what we wish to, and gives her outstanding opportunities she wouldn't otherwise get. She adores it, as do we.

If there were outstanding schools I could push to get her in locally I would but there just aren't and having been gifted academically and fought my way through a crap school myself I won't do that to her, what she makes of her life's opportunities is up to her, it's my way to pave the way for them to present themselves.

In hindsight Mr Chocs and I could have and should have left the area pre baby but stayed for family reasons. Paying for that decision in many many ways both financial and not now

Chocs

AlexLK

I think most are aware my views on schooling contradict the majority on here. My son will be attending my old prep school from 7 and I have very little faith in the state education system. Regarding senior school, we'll choose based on his academic and music / sporting strengths nearer the time but counting prep school, this is likely to cost around £250,000 over the 11 years (if he's a day boy until Sixth Form). :eek: The price of an independent education has risen a lot over the years. However, I do not believe a price can be put on a good education and whilst public schools have their own problems, decent ones tend to have a good academic records and offer unrivalled extra curricular opportunities.

Bullying is an issue in all schools and I'd say affects most children in one way or another at some point, whether they be the victim or perpetrator. A certain amount of things we may now consider "bullying" was accepted during my education. I work within my old prep school's music department and it's a similar environment still. My old senior school now charges just over £30k per year to boarders and has had issues with bullying, drinking (reckon everyone's done this at school :rotfl: but when it's a public school, such events make local press and on rare occasions, national press), drug taking (was a bit shocked by that but apparently not uncommon) etc.

shangaijimmy

Bullying goes on at all schools in various forms and unfortunately will never be eradicated. Kids can be cruel, and parents job is to chart their way through it with their kids and give them the tools to deal with it, avoid it etc... I also think parents can do more by dealing directly with parents (but that can be tricky I appreciate). Let's be honest bullying also goes on in the workplace so it never truly finished when kids leave school. It's a sad though regards to bullying but better than burying heads in sand thinking all is rosy.