Downsizing to educate privately - any pearls?

Well I'm going to swim against the tide and say that regular, short focussed pieces of HW are helpful.

For example if you want to become proficient at a language, you will need to learn your vacab and grammar regularly. There is no substitution for this.
Ditto times tables.

The key however is finding a school that understands what short, focussed homework means.

There are schools that do lots of guing??? I want to go there!!!

This is perfectly normal homework for a Year 4, which is an age when there's more to life than a mountain of homework when you get in

You'll find you get more 'academic' homework in Year 5 and it ramps up in Year 6 to prepare for SATs and secondary. Not liking homework is perfectly normal but you can't blame the children's lack of respect for it on the school. I't the parent's job to reinforce that it's important and it would get done. If they're complaining about cutting out and making a hut, what do you think they're going to do if faced with a maths sheet???

If you feel your children aren't getting enough 'extra', then encourage museum visits, home activities etc

My personal view is that downsizing for private school is bonkers - particularly so if it isn't even selective! Believe me, dc's who do lots of guing and sticking in years 3 and 4 still go to Oxbridge ....

I have to disagree with posters saying homework is not important. At my DDs school we get homework to reinforce work that has been done in the classroom that day. The curriculum moves so fast without homework and parental input I know my children would find it hard to keep up, every child is different after all.
Personally I would move to a better/more academic school be it private or state, to have a good education in this day and age is invaluable.

Heavens Chandon, I had to pinch myself when I read your first post, we moved ours out of a top performing state in a middle class leafy area for near identical reasons.
The state school our DCs attended looks amazing on paper, but the amout of tutoring those kids do after spending a day at school is a disgrace, the school is nothing more than a creche. As a result of spending so much time outside of school at tutors, or doing tutor homework, there is no time for exercise and many of the kids become very overweight by the time they reach Y6. I was actually shocked when I saw the first sports day as it wasn't something I expected to see in a wealthy suburb.
We moved ours to schools that manage to fit everything into the school day, and are fortunate that that the cost isn't a problem. For anyone not so fortunate I would say that it isn't all about learning maths and English, taking kids to football/rugby/tennis/gym etc is just as important.

Actually, if they are not getting homework it can mean the work is covered efficiently in school (as in case of DSs super-selective secondary). Just be glad they haven't got loads of tedious stuff to wade through and give them something to get on with yourself.

I'd also think about checking out your secondary more thoroughly, and - given that you're considering moving already - exploring the possibility of moving into the catchment area for a school that you think would suit your DCs.

Agree also that plenty of parents pay to get loads of sport! (In fact I'm delighted that one of our local secondaries insists on an hour of exercise for every child every day, though to be fair this isn't all in school time, they are expected strongly encouraged to join lunchtime or after school clubs.) IMO a fit healthy child is much more likely to do well in other areas.

I guess willali that your school is a bit posher. We chose a school that is academic, but has shabby buildings to be fair, small grounds (half a cricket pitch, so they only play away-matches ), no swimming, no fancy trips. It's like a no-frills prep! teachers are fab, and classes small, results are very good, and that's what matters to me. Still new to this, so hoping for the best (eternal optimist emoticon)

Chandon - your fees are enviable! My £12000 is for both children - junior at about £4k but Senior nearer £8k (minor public school in SE). Younger one's senior fees will be about £5k. Public School charges for Stationery !!!!

PS, our fees are 2,200 per child per term (so fees vary! just read the fees of the poster above) going up to 2,400 by y6. School trips are low key, 3 days in Dorset I think, and cost 200 pounds or less. No other hidden costs.

Interesting. I have just moved my y4 boy and his younger bro to private.

So I can tell you a bit about the difference.

They were at a "good" school with 95% getting English and Maths L4-5.

However, scratch the surface and you find the majority (I kid you not!) of parents sending their kids to Kumon, Kip or tutor (anxious middle class area ).

I liked the school though, and as DS was seriously behind with English (predicted to not even get L4 in Y6), we did some research and sent him to KipMcGrath for a year. This helped a bit, definitely.

We were undecided but what swung it for us was that DS then got beaten up a few times by 2 children who have SN and are violent, and the school did not deal with that.

Anyway, after a term and a bit at the new, private, school I can see the following differences;

• regular homework (science once a week, maths once or twice an A4 sheet of sums, spellings every week + project (geo or history) once a week). I actually wish they did not have any homework, as they are only little and really 9-4 at school should cover everything IMHO. However, he DOES it as the school expects him to (and it is not just me nagging them).
• They seem to get more work done during school hours (he basically has to work quite a bit harder. He is NOT happy about this. I am.)
• The standard is higher, expectations are higher (DS was top table maths in state school, he is now bottom, as a year behind!)
• the "fun stuff" is really exciting (drama, music and sports)

Downside is the cost and being perceived as some kind of "snob", and also the fact that it is a bit tougher in that if you are not good at sport, you won't get selected to play matches. None of this "it is not about winning, it is about taking part" which I actually liked about state school.

I don't know where he will be in Y6, and we may go back to State (I haven't written it off as such, my DS just has some catching up to do first).

Not sure if this essay is of any use to you, it is just that every individual case varies!

The school is categorically not strechting her, and it may also not be stretching her.

I agree with the other posters homework is not the issue here. You mention that the school failed to see gaps in your DC and others maths knowledge yet the Head says have faith our SATs results are good. It might be worth seeing how many DCs in years 5 and 6 have tutors and how many do the 11+ (if you have one in your area) or go onto private schools with entrance exams. Obviously not all parents pay for tutors for 11+ or entrance exams but a great number do and this might give you some idea. If this is the case then school are taking the credit for the SATs results and parents are paying for the tutors (as you are doing now)!!!
Are there any other primary schools in the area that you could change to?

You need to think hard about it and give some serious consideration as to how the finances will stack up.

I did this, as DS has a host of learning difficulties as well as ASD, but somehow despite all my trying is not severe enough to qualify for any significant help via the state system.

I sold my house in London & moved out, meaning that I was mortgage free & had a bit of cash left over. The fees for DS school are really high & it is crippling. We lead a very frugal lifestyle, week in week out - but as far as I am concerned it is worth every penny. He is happy & thriving. The difference in him is amazing.

If you are really concerned, and there are no other state options near you, how about getting some extra tutoring. Damn site cheaper than a private school.

The school is not pushing and not strechting her. She is capable of more. But don't despair, hopefully things will change at secondary school.

Hopefully there will be no more 'cut out a hut from a pattern, and stick some foliage on it for a class project' in secondary school.

LOL @ "a bit of carrying things to and fro, to a deadline"

Not all private schools are good and forking out lots of money to instill 'self discipline' is a waste of money. Much better to engender it voluntarily by achieving demonstrable results with extra tuition after school.

My son got sat L5 in all subjects now is gifted and talented. He hardly did any homework. It's irrelevant IMO. Nothing stopping you getting the KS workbooks and doing it at home yourself.

You are getting too stressed and hung up on nothing. Sorry.

I agree that it is not worth it. Downsizing may lead to not living in as good a neighbourhood. I would hire a tutor instead. She will want to do extra to keep up when the tutor comes round and this will eventually instill pride in doing extra work. It will have a snowball effect and show her the results of independent, hard work.

Gah. I dislike primary homework quite intensely. Children don't necessarily learn anything from their homework and, conversely, children don't need to be doing homework to learn outside school hours.

I think primary schools should ban homework until year 6, at which point, a bit of carrying things to and fro, to a deadline, might be good preparation for secondary school.

I agree with others that your focus on homework is slightly odd and is really no indicator of how the primary school is performing or serving your children. It would be interesting to know against what criteria you are comparing their experience?

However whst I wanted to focusd on was the financial aspects. Exactly how much mponey do you think you can raise by "downsizing"?

I have 2 children in private schools - one Primary and one senior. Here's how it goes: fees are £12,000 a term, and will rise when the younger one goes into senior school. I can expect to pay up to £3000 a year on school trips (not compulsory admittedly) and a good few hundred on replacement uniform bits after the initial hundreds kitting them out. Travel is £150 a term for the older one. If I worked and needed to use after school care this would be £10 a day. There are at least one or two weeks holidays additional to state school holidays when holiday clubs etc are not offered so I would have to cover this in some way if I worked. This will carry on for the next 6years at the very least.

My view is that if this kind of commitment would mean a drastic change in lifestyle then IT IS NOT WORTH IT. You sound like a committed and focussed parent. Being able to offer experiences such as travel which you may not be able to offer if you are paying school fees etc is a huge loss to your children and to your family as a whole.

Private does not necessarily mean best. Private schools do not miraculously change lazy children into scholars - they just punish them more. I think you need to properly explore the options before you make any drastic changes which may have long term consequences and not give the results you seem to want

We have established that you are prepared to move house for better education. Instead of down-sizing, could you move to buy/rent in the catchment of the preferred schools?