Private/Prep School or State school?

vlad

Primary school; a kid with more than 2 brain cells BUT with parental interest and help will do well at the worst of state schools.
Secondary school; a well motivated kid with parental support will do well at a bog standard school, without that they will probably fail at Harrow.

My wife and her brother both went to private schools from the age of 11 as parents worked in Africa, one got 4 gcse's the other NON.

MallyGirl

we went for private primary (for academically able girls) after viewing the local state one. She loved it. She got offered a small scholarship to carry on to the senior school and she would have been happy there too but she also gained a highly sought after grammar place and wanted to take it. She was just starting yr 8 when OH got made redundant which would have been very worrying if we were still paying school fees (it was quite worrying enough without them).
The junior school instilled a love of learning, had great facilities and did believing in stretching those who were up for it. I recommend it to everyone.
I was also very involved with the school - chair and treasurer of PTA and towards the end also a governor. It helped to know where the money was going.

jaydeeuk1

Wife worked at a state school for near 10 years until we had daughter (she couldn't wait to leave) She has an aunt and uncle who work at a private school.
Money no object, we would go private. They pay more for teachers, therefore generally have a better quality. Most state schools have a high percentage of nqts, and high staff turnover. Derbyshire has the least amount spent per head on a child in UK.

culpepper

I think if you are prepared to help them out with extra learning at home, then either way will work.
A lot depends on home life and attitudes and role models of parents.
A friend of my daughters was horrified when she told him she was home-schooled and took no GCSEs until A level.

ViolaLass

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Wife worked at a state school for near 10 years until we had daughter (she couldn't wait to leave) She has an aunt and uncle who work at a private school.
Money no object, we would go private. They pay more for teachers, Not true - at least, not with the private schools I've known colleagues to go to therefore generally have a better quality. Most state schools have a high percentage of nqts generalisation and not true. , and high staff turnover. generalisation Derbyshire has the least amount spent per head on a child in UK.

With private schooling, you're mostly paying for facilities and schooling with kids who have like-minded parents.

Lunar_Eclipse

We opted for private education at 11. If we could have afforded it, I would have chosen private all the way through.

I think there are schools that are excellent, shocking and everything in-between in both sectors, so I know it's not about whether schools are private or state. It's about individual schools and individual children.

That said, in general, my personal beliefs about education and what I want/expect from schools are less in line with the state system.

I believe in education that goes way beyond academic results; I'm not remotely interested in exam factories. The fact that our local "outstanding" secondary school dictates which pupils take the triple vs dual Sciences at GCSE solely on their academic ability is not something I agree with (I accept there's a level required for the triple, but not all able children should have to take the triple just because they are up to it.)

I have academically bright children. Like most children, they were born as very normal, happy, curious and creative people. Somehow life changes most people as they grow up, but I believe environment has a lot to do with it. Learning is largely fun and enjoyable. I want schools that are happy, safe and inspiring environments.

We didn't find much inspiration in the state sector, though I would never deny that they didn't do well academically. It just misses the point, almost entirely: exam results are the byproduct of an education, not the purpose of it.

MandM90

Darksparkle wrote: »

I knew two people who went to private school.

Both done better exam wise but I now earn more than them.

Personally I never seen the benefit of it but maybe that's just the private schools in my area.

My OH has no A Levels and earns more than me; I went to a top 5 uni and have 4 As at A level. I could theoretically retrain and do what he's doing quite easily and double my income, but it wouldn't suit me. Not all success is measured by money, for all people.

My DD goes to a private prep school, simply because it is the best school in the area. She thrives there. If I had my time again I'd probably have moved to a small village with a good school. That simply wasn't an option at the time though!

Her school has excellent pastoral care, she learns and experiences things I didn't have the opportunity to dip my toe into, the school community is thriving and I don't regret my choice one bit.

Her grandfather is on the board of governors for the local girls grammar, which I and my mother went to. We hope she'll get in, but if not we will consider relocating or continuing to fund her private education. Many state schools around here are shocking (and the experiences of friends who teach locally support this unfortunately)


She might never earn very much at all, but at least I know if she decides to pursue a career which requires a rigorous education, I've done my best to keep the door open for her.

Mrs_pbradley936

It depends where you live. When we lived in London, we paid school fees.
When we moved to Hertfordshire we did not. One son left school as soon as he was able to - the other has a degree in mathematics.

WolfSong2000

ViolaLass wrote: »

Is there much point to a GCSE if you don't get a C?

I was educated privately until I was 16 (when I chose to go to a state school to complete A-Levels). I was publicly shamed at the private school I was at for "failing" maths GCSE (I got a D). After all, how *dare* I bring down the 100% pass rate the school had enjoyed at GCSE level previously.

I benefited in some ways from private schooling - smaller classes, excellent facilities, etc but I also suffered a lot (mainly bullying from students and some teachers).

Despite never passing maths GCSE (tried 3 times and got a D each time), I managed to get into a good university, gained a good degree and then went on to one of the best universities in the country to do a masters degree.

Now, somewhat ironically, I work in finance. lol.

ViolaLass

WolfSong2000 wrote: »

I was educated privately until I was 16 (when I chose to go to a state school to complete A-Levels). I was publicly shamed at the private school I was at for "failing" maths GCSE (I got a D). After all, how *dare* I bring down the 100% pass rate the school had enjoyed at GCSE level previously.

I benefited in some ways from private schooling - smaller classes, excellent facilities, etc but I also suffered a lot (mainly bullying from students and some teachers).

Despite never passing maths GCSE (tried 3 times and got a D each time), I managed to get into a good university, gained a good degree and then went on to one of the best universities in the country to do a masters degree.

Now, somewhat ironically, I work in finance. lol.

That's different - maths GCSE is compulsory. If you had said "I got a D in art and tried three more times" I would question why you kept getting entered for it.