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Original poster

If you could only afford five out of the seven years at private senior school, which would you choose?

40 replies

BettyBedlam · 31/01/2012 13:12

It is going to be very uncomfortable to afford all seven years at senior school for our family privately, but we can do five. I'm not sure what universities assess on initially or when you apply - do they look mostly at GCSE results, or AS level results?

So, would you:

a) send to single sex ex-grammar state school from 11-13 (friends are going there - this is a plus as DC1 is sensitive) but then take out at 13+ to a school where most of the intake at that age is likely to be boarding (we will be day) and stay for 6th form. The private school has good pastoral care.

b) send to private school from 11-16 and possibly have to remove for A levels. A lot of local privately educated A level students move to the ex-grammar for A levels. It is mixed at that stage.

OP posts:
mollymole · 31/01/2012 16:53

I would start at 11 (very hard to disrupt a boy at 13 - especially if sensitive).
By the time he is ready for A levels your circumstances may have changed, he may be able to get a bursary for 6th form. He may even not go on to 6th form.

BoffinMum · 31/01/2012 15:49

Sixth form. Seriously, it's the only stage where bright kids really need to be clustered together for best effect.

If you have spare cash before then, it's worth sending them on language courses each summer and so on instead of school fees.

takeonboard · 31/01/2012 15:46

Option B -I would start at 11 the early years are very important, also if he is sensitive it would be very difficult to move him away from all his frinds after 2 years wouldn't it?
If he does well he may get a scholarship for 6th and your finacial situation may well have improved by then.

Colleger · 31/01/2012 15:02

I think it's not fair to disrupt a child for two years to then disrupt them again. If he likes the school I think it would be hard to remove him and then you could be left with a poor school.

How will the child be prepared for common entrance at 13? At least with sixth form entrance the requirement is GCSE's, not an unusual exam.

Forrestgump · 31/01/2012 14:05

I would go with age 11- GCSE's. My childrens school doesnt have a 6th form so the children currently leave to go else where anycase. Many go on to Private school, but we have a local comp that does pretty well and many switch back to there for 6th form.

My DH was awarded a full scholarship for 6th form.

NotYetEverything · 31/01/2012 13:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

meditrina · 31/01/2012 13:45

13-18: it's the normal school life-cycle for many schools. So all academic trajectory and the social, pastoral and friendship aspects will be naturally in step.

Breitling · 31/01/2012 13:35

Many children start a new school at 13 due to the preps finishing at that age. There will be plenty of new kids on the block at the same time.

Breitling · 31/01/2012 13:33

13 to 18 if possible.

Colleger · 31/01/2012 13:33

I'd start private at 11. Better to have a solid foundation and who knows he may win a bursary/scholarship to sixth form. That aside there are lots of good sixth form options available

Amaretti · 31/01/2012 13:31

You'd have to be sure he was on board for the 13+ and convinced he wouldnt change his mind - he might be a grumpy 13yo settled with his friends by then.

daytoday · 31/01/2012 13:23

Aren't they changing 13+ exams - so it'll be harder? Just heard a friend talking about it but wasn't paying too much attention.

Personally I think moving a child mid school 13+ is tricky. I think it would be emotionally hard for them to feel connected make friends etc AND start GCSE course.

Def do first 5 years and them hopefully they'll get into good 6th form.

wahwahwah · 31/01/2012 13:20

Start from 13+ then go through to A levels (or whatever they do these days?). If you pay upfront for a few years you can negociate a discount. Maybe apply for a sponsorship or bursary rather than all that chopping and chanding.

Original poster
BettyBedlam · 31/01/2012 13:18

Because (and there is a whole other post on this somewhere) it is very sporty, he is not, and I'm not sure how good the fit is. We may well just send him there though.

OP posts:
Phwooooar · 31/01/2012 13:16

I would go for option a as his friends are going there - but why remove him later for private school if it's a good ex-grammar?