To think private schools are more about parental ego than children’s education?

Ha ha, this is a new one.

Private has smaller classes, it doesn’t take much to realise how that is beneficial to any child.

If I had the money I would go private any day.

Sorry but I think you’re talking crap. The hate for anyone who sends their child to private school is ridiculous. Parents who send their children to private school do because they want the best for their children and can afford to pay a premium for that.
It doesn’t make them better or worse than someone who sends their children to state school or who pay a premium to live in the best postcode to get that.

My daughter’s autistic and couldn’t cope in a room of 30 kids running around and making noise, she literally sat in a corner with her hands over her ears for 6 months and sobbed not to go every day. She also has virtually no working memory, so needed far more help than her poor teacher who was run of her feet could ever give her.

So we pulled her out and sent her to a small private school with a class of 10, which had a teacher and TA. I would have bloody loved to have saved all the money her education cost us. I have a shit pension, tiny house and no holidays for the better part of 16 years. But please carry on telling me about my ego.

😂😂😂😂😂 In my experience I think in certain circles it’d be easier to admit to being child molester than the fact you send your children to private school! Certainly it was something I actively avoided mentioning with new people so definite not to bolster my ego. Just wanted to give my children a consistent educational experience in a smallish school.

‘Sometimes it’s about wanting your child seen a certain way by others, not just what they’re learning.‘

I think that’s just you projecting.

I feel sorry for the teachers who are mostly doing their best in terrible conditions. It’s a sad state of affairs and all kids deserve far better.

Yes.

Obviously a troll post but LOL. State schools in my area are in the shitter. Have had to move my DD private because of bullying and absolutely toxic culture of underachievement. State schools just don’t have the resources to cope with the appalling behaviour of kids and I feel sorry for the teachers who are mostly doing their best in terrible conditions. It’s a sad state of affairs and all kids deserve far better.

What about that VAT on private school issue eh? Yey or ney? Now we’ve had a bit of time to appreciate the benefits of it in (non grammar) state schools, they must be cracking on with their renewed funding stream and extra teachers.

I don’t think so OP. I think if state schools were a better standard, there would be less demand for private schools, or at least the ones that just offer an alternative to a really awful local school. Mine go to state.

The intent is that the DC will get a good education, colour that how you will.
But it is also about opening doors to options that are not always available to the people that go to public schools or your local secondary/comprehensive/academy. The old school tie is still very much alive and well.

It's a factor but probably not the main driving force

The same does apply to private health care, it will tick over on the nice little things and put fresh flowers in your room but try getting a heart transplant.
You'll end up back at the local comp, sorry NHS hospital complaining how entitled you are.

Or maybe they want their children to learn in an environment where it is not considered weird to stay at school beyond 16? Where they are not going to be bullied for being academic? Where someone is going to notice if they are doing nothing at the back of the class? Or as my daughter said to me, not letting them be satisfied with second best?

@Elferbowton well done - you are right! My DD is thick as mince ( I prefer to just say she has slow processing but I suppose it's all the same to you) So bloody what. You sound very bitter.

Well personally I sent DD to private school after removing her from state because her mental health was in pieces and we'd tried everything to get her well mentally. She also has a chronic health condition that the state school was rubbish at accommodating.

After her GCSEs she told me that if we hadn't moved her to her lovely private school she probably wouldn't be here now. She admitted she had attempted an overdose before we moved her ( thankfully she took pills that would never have given her the desired result)

She got GCSE passes she would never have managed at state school and we get to see her alive and well everyday. Win win for us although the back account is still hurting even a year after she left at 16.

But it's lovely to know what people thought about me when they saw me with her in her private school uniform.

Some people would do well not to judge others as things aren't always what they appear to be.

All schools are a lucky dip. All children also are a lucky dip of where they can thrive and what individuals they get in their lives that help support them correctly
boarding schools however … 😱

I once worked in a state school where a parent, at parent’s evening, told me, “I don’t pay £3000 a month for our mortgage for my child to get results like this”. Twats are around in every walk of life, including parents of state and private schooled children. I wouldn’t stereotype either group; I don’t think that’s ever the right way to go.

My DC is about to start at an independent school. It has absolutely nothing to do with ego or status symbol. In fact we've actively tried to hide our school choice from others to avoid the judgement that will no doubt be forthcoming.

After exploring a lot of state options, we realised none would suit the needs of our child. Tbh I'm surprised some of the states we saw meet the needs of any child! It's not about results at all. It's about happiness and ensuring our child develops a love of learning, in a caring supportive enviorment. Rather than being forced into a place they end up hating that breaks them. We paid for an amazing nursery provision (not linked to the school) which has been the making of them, we want to ensure that positive experience continues.

You're lucky if you have a state option that offers what all children deserve. But we didn't.

Disclaimer: my children don’t attend private school, we can’t afford it and that’s fine.

I think the vast majority of parents do what they believe is best for their kids. Including those who choose to send theirs to private school. Yeah, some might be egotistical but I doubt that’s their main drive.

As someone who went to a private school, and was unfortunately the poor daughter of a single mum who happened to have wealthy grandparents, the most egotistical people I’ve ever met were at that school. Mostly the kids sadly, which I hope half of them grew out of, but even now if I ever bump into any of the parents it’s an immediate brag of “Oh hiii! So-and-so is doing this this this this this!” before you’ve managed to blink. Obviously I can’t speak for them all, but my experience was certainly like that, and the teachers were well aware of it.

I remember one of the worst boys started a food fight at my 10th birthday party, and his mum was very upset that he’d come home with his clothes covered in ketchup. His sister had a few choice words for me the next day and I said “your mum can pig off!”. she was LIVID. Her mum stormed into the office the next day trying to get me in trouble. The headmistress pulled me to one side, put her arm around me and said “don’t worry, we know all about those sorts”. Still makes me chuckle to this day.

And yes of course, ‘private schools are more about parental ego than children’s education’.

Totally. Such an insightful and accurate observation. 👀