Private education???

maz123_2

I've been looking on the site for ages and was after any inspiration for the situation that i am in.

My son has just completed his first year at school, reception class and if anything has gone down hill from when he was at nursery. i understand that all the kids need to be at the same level but he now has no interest in school, has not been bringing work home but nobody told me:mad: There has been lots of problems and i just feel that i'm banging my head against the wall with the school.

I have been trying to sort out his breakfast club and after school club which has now had to close as the school has forced the lady out of business. so i have now found an afterschool club for £9 per day, but as yet no breakfast club.
I have no family to ask for help and the OH just seems to think its my problem (my son)
The nursery school that he went to has a private school attached and pricing it up it will come in at £450 per month:eek: but this will be care from 8.15am-5.45pm which fits in with my working hours and commute (work 30miles away)

Now the situation currently doing up the house just spent £4000 on it, (all paid by saving!:D ) starting to get out more and enjoy holidays (looking at new york) I am about to go back full time if i can find child care which will increase my wage by £16000 per year.

Questions - Should i opt for private? It would be an extra £250 per month for good quality all day care.
- How do i persuade OH that a good education is invaluable? OH on £30000 with no qualifications and so thinks it's all about luck
Other BIG problem is even though i'm making good headway in the debts still up for £10000:eek:
But have paid off £7000 and had a good time eg holidays and OH still gets spending money of £80 per week!)

My head just feels completely up my a**e
Any words of wisdom?

funky-footprints

Im all for private school, and ours will be attending at some time in the near future, defiantely at 11, however at under 7 i think a lot of education, is what goes on at home, as well as in school.

Im not sure what work you expect your son to be bringing home from reception, all my son had was a reading folder, and teachers told us parents about that individually at parents evening. It was up to us to ensure he bought his folder home at night, and up to us to ensure he read at home.

If you are in debt i would personally pay your debts off before taking on any more outgoings.

You say there are other problems concerning school ..what are they ?

maz123_2

the biggy was he was referred to paediatric occupational therapy for problems, including fine motor skills, never worried me but he was sent without my permission. No commnication with the school, so i missed parents evenings, pictures non-uniform days school clothes going missing, extra curricular activites. Had to put my son back onto school dinners as the other kids were eating all his dinner, no-one watches the packed lunchers.
It feels like it's been one thing after another. Only found out this week that the out of school care closed, so this has stressed me out ALOT!
Think i just needed someone with a bit of common sense to talk to me feel like screaming!!

Rikki

If you take private education through to the age of 18 it will be very expensive. Its not just the fees you have to concider it is the uniform, games kits and all the extras.

My son has just left the sixth form and the fees for the last term were £6,400. Thats £19,000 for one year.:eek:

His Dads paying for University.:T

whitewing

My son went to nursery & did well. Then to state school, but his behaviour got worse and he was switched off school. He has just finished a year in private school and is a different child - much happier. We can only afford it for his last two years of primary school but I think it will make all the difference in the world to him. I had wondered if it was better to do it now or wait until secondary school but decided to go ahead with it now. I'm glad I did. I'd love him to carry on but I still think the benefit will stay with him for the whole of his school life.

maz123_2

Thanks for replying its such a big decision, i have noticed a difference in his behaviour but in general he is good. i know that if i didn't have the debt it would be a straight yes.
thanks for replying giving me food for thought, aaah food my favourite hobby

whitewing

I have put off buying a house so son can go to private school. But I still don't regret it. I am one of those people that will give my child chances that I didn't get for myself, and I know private school would have made a difference too to the little girl that used to be me...

Minerva69

Just to put a spanner in the works - private education isn't always the best. My best friend had her child in private school and took him out because he wasn't performing as well as in state school. He was very bright (especially in Maths) but the teachers weren't stretching him academically as it was a small class and the other children weren't up to his standard. He got very bored and his behaviour started to suffer, he did a lot better when he went to state primary school.

That being said, I would like my daughter to go to private school as I live in an area where all the state schools are poor, but unfortunately there is no way we can afford it

Kimitatsu

My question would be what do you expect a reception child to be bringing home? At that stage of their schooling all of it is learning through play not sitting through an hour of prep a night.

I can understand your concerns with the lack of communication with the school and think that they have failed your child in that respect, but personally I would be looking at a different school in the state sector rather than private at this age. If you are concerned about his academic achievment then I would look at the Kumon programme, both of my boys do it and they have thrived in state schools.

As for the fine motor skills, I dont think I would give that much credence at the moment, I was told that DS1 had poor fine motor skills (teacher should have seen him making the intricate technical model this morning then) and DS2 had poor gross motor skills (climbing wall yesterday), all children develop differently and you would have noticed a major deficiency by now.

IMO it is finding the right school for him regardless of whether it is state or private, I have heard horror stories from both sides of the fence.

Errata

The nursery school that he went to has a private school attached and pricing it up it will come in at £450 per month:eek: but this will be care from 8.15am-5.45pm which fits in with my working hours and commute (work 30miles away

This seems a horrendously long day for a small child especially with a school commute at each end of it. Would it really be worth it?

Rikki

Errata wrote: »

This seems a horrendously long day for a small child especially with a school commute at each end of it. Would it really be worth it?

It would be a play club up until school starts at 9 and a school play club after school till 5.45. Thats what it was for my son in pre-prep.

I think its just the OP with the commute.