How do you know if private school is worth the money?

[AmberDrop]

I guess this is one for the Education board but thought there might be more general and helpful views here.

I know it's very hard to measure the effect of private education versus state as you cannot tell what direction a child might have gone in if they had remained in a state school but.....how can you tell if the investment is having any affect (Ie if your Dc is responding to the experience or coasting through it and not enjoying it and would be just as happy/engaged/capable of fulfilling potential at state school)?

DS (9) is not enjoying his school but then I'm not sure that's unusual, regardless of whether it's private or state. However, he seems to be treading water and we're just at the point of wondering if we should take him out as he doesn't seem any further ahead (in terms of academia or enthusiasm) than 2years ago. If anything, he's actually a bit lazy and easily defeated in his approach to the whole thing.

As someone who was very happily state school educated, I am failing to see how the £18k it's costing is being well spent. But maybe I am missing something?

[QTPie]

Hi

I think that there are good private schools and "not so good" private schools: just because you pay more for something doesn't automatically make it better.

However, I would be in deep conversations with the teacher and school to discuss a DC's perceived lack if progress and lack of engagement. When you are spending that much money, you want to feel that it is being well spent.

The other thought is that different private schools can have very different emphasis and ethos. Is it (still) the right school for him? Is it academic enough? Is it too academic (and turning him off)? Are there enough other things to engage him too? I would look around ( at both private and state) and see if there is somewhere more suitable or if the grass is just looking greener elsewhere (and he is actually good where he is).

[prettywhiteguitar]

If he is disengaged then you need to find out why, if he's not interested in school and being lazy is his reaction he probably won't really react well to the expectations of private ed.

I moved my ds but he was younger (5) as he was not enjoying school and his teacher said he had dyslexia. She added that she wouldn't be able to do anything extra with him due to class size.

At your sons age - 9 he would be expected to reach a certain standard to move (depending on the school) as this is when class sizes get bigger and parents put them into to prepare for secondary

[prettywhiteguitar]

Check out your local schools, discuss with him what he thinks about his school and what he isn't enjoying

[AmberDrop]

Many thanks for the feedback and helpful insight.

Pretty, I think you're right, we need to have a chat with him. We do talk about school but he's not one for detail so perhaps it's time we had a more in depth talk about what he likes and doesn't like.

[prettywhiteguitar]

It's hard with boys I think especially. Good luck !

[bettereveryday]

i think you need to chat to your son, my son (7.5) is in private school and he loves it and he has great manners ( i'm not saying state school children don't) and he is just a happy confident boy.

Is it worth paying the money?
Would it be a different story if he went to a state school we don't know...noone does..but you have to ask yourself a question why did you want him to go to this school and whether they are doing what you expected them to do.

I've learnt that there is no perfect school, and I do have issues with my son's school but again he is happy, confident, has a very good general knowledge so that's enougf for me to keep him in.

Good luck, your son might be not interested in school as maybe he finds it boring ( is he very academic) or maybe as someone already said private school doesn't automatically mean is a better option.

[lunar1]

I think it depends on your options. My boys are in private, they wouldn't have been if we could have got into one of the good local schools.

They are happy and love going, I can see their progress. If we couldn't afford private then my next choice would have been he rather than the school we were offered. It feels worth it for us.