Private Schools- worth it?

No I suppose I sometimes wonder if its been a massive waste of money and would they have come out with such good grades if they'd gone to the local state. I don't think so - I'm not a pushy parent, dh is so laid back he's horizontal and none of my kids listen to anything I say so the idea of helping them at home was a non starter

Our dc go to the local state school which is ranked “good”. Can only speak for our eldest currently, but she is likely to come out with excellent grades and is heavily involved in sports outside of school.

I have always wondered if attending a private school instead of the local state school (we have an excellent private one locally) would have made any difference to her, and if so, in what way. Obviously we will never know.

I always wonder what if anything a private school would have added? why?

The grammar system isn't everywhere in England. Our county has state or private. State is by catchment. Not very hard to understand!

Dd1 yr 11 predicted all 8’s/9’s. Plays sport for local club to a national level.

I always wonder what if anything a private school would have added?

Most of my nct group were not English and asked me to explain the system made me realise how crazy it is! Guess it’s been created piecemeal over hundreds of years some of it makes zero sense but we are where we are I guess!

Yes I know my grandparents are Swedish

Lepers I think you're right, it's the amount of options. I hear friends in England talk about it and it somewhat bewilders me.

Stop trying to cause an argument Bryonyschmyony. I mentioned that curriculum for Excellence is anything but, but in the overall scheme of things it's a blip. It's still a first class education which is genuinely comprehensive with opportunity for all. ( As an aside my DS looked at a Maths Alevel paper recently and says it seemed very straightforward to him- just finished Highers. So it seems it's not always so clear cut).

The OP/ PP are not debating which country is best for them, but the best school/s. Anyone trying to figure out a different educational system to the one they grew up with will find it alien. And for what it's worth Scandinavian schools knock socks off anything in the UK.

‘ most private schools are not good with children who have special needs, nor are they good with children who are having problems of any sort’.

The school I attended were abysmal. There were numerous safe guarding failures for children (myself included) that were being abused and no action was taken. Then of course there was the bullying, suicide, self harm and eating disorders that I mentioned in my previous post. I do wonder if this is because schools such as these aren’t accountable to ofsted, so they ‘regulate’ themselves.

Also the posters who mentioned a ‘better class of teen’ at a private school… yikes. Sweeping statement, yes parents as a whole may have more money but that doesn’t equate to pleasant or kind children.

Agree with Puff. The English system feels alien to me (let me clarify I am of course not saying it IS alien, it’s my own subjective experience) because as a parent now myself I’m having to get my head around state schools, private schools, grammar schools, independent schools ect which is completely outwith my realm of experience. Where I grew up it was state or nothing.

There are far fewer private schools in Scotland and state education has always been of a very good standard (I accept things might have changed recently). Localised areas like central Edinburgh have a long history of private schooling, but I’d say these pupils are in the minority across the country as a whole.

I think it’s very different but that’s only my opinion of course. I have a lot of research still to do on the English system before I’ll feel comfortable managing things for my own kids. There are far more options.

I think it's well known that the Scottish education system needs an overhaul?
www.itv.com/news/border/2019-12-03/new-figures-show-long-term-education-decline-as-scotland-falls-behind-england easily Google able]]
[[

That was I reference to this.

Exactly? What's your basis for this comment? Stats? Personal experience? Research?

Let's not get into a slanging match- it's not about criticism, there are positives and negatives in every system. Your comment also smacks of unfounded bias.

We do have private schools, but as the PP said there are fewer overall and the excellent state schools negate that pull for many.

I think it’s to the credit of them all that they mix up. Also negates the “meeting a better class of teen” the teens make their own decisions! Anecdotally both my neighbours late teen sons (recently left state) have extremely grand girlfriends who board at top name public schools.

@MsTSwift same round here with the inter school socialising… I am told that the private school gang bring the most expensive drugs whilst the grammar boys like the booze! I am amazed by the people my DD meets from different school but that must be partly social media I guess. The parties are all a mixture of different schools.

It's a tough one, and there's really no hard-and-fast rule that would dictate that state schools or private schools are always the better option. It depends on three things: The local state schools that are available, the private schools that are available, and your child.

Speaking as a special needs teacher, I know my opinions on this subject will be biased; Needless to say, most private schools are not good with children who have special needs, nor are they good with children who are having problems of any sort. This is something to bare in mind as you child may develop problems later on even if they don't have problems right now.

Most private schools also will be keen that you child follows a traditional academic path and will not be supportive if your child wants to focus on singing, acting, or any other non-conventional vocation. Our daughter currently trains as a pop singer, and her state school has been supportive in this regard. Academics are still important as well. Keep in mind that doctors and lawyers don't generally earn as much as singers or actors.

But it could still be worth applying of a private school. You could even qualify for financial assistance. But don't expect a place for Y8 entry as many of these occasional places will be oversubscribed if they even take children at Y8.

Interesting thread..
My dd had been state educated - infant( outstanding) and junior( Required improvement).
Since she was in junior school, we visited several private schools for her as we could afford to pay but always we found better infrastructure, more space and not much academic difference so never moved her. Instead, we paid for her extracurriculars and she could manage to have place in local orchestra and sports club. She never got any home work till date except research project every half term so had lot of time for extracurriculars.
At 11plus, she got into all the private school exams, she had applied to including the leading independent girls schools in London.
We accepted the top girl school offer but recently she received offer from partially selective school, which we felt was the perfect fit for her. After seeing both the schools, she found better infrastructure and friendly teachers in selective state and rejected the private school.
The only issue we faced in state school was some rough students and disturbed classes occasionally but that has helped her to develop resilience and better life skills.

Huge levels of intra school socialising in our small city private and state seem to all hang out together. Dd has several private school pals from her sports club and my friends dd who is in an alternative set are very mixed. Although another friend horrified when the head of a local boarding school turned up with the police and an escapee was hiding under her own dds bed!

I mean Scotland has the private system too?

How on earth can it be that alien? It is better in England of course or at least educational attainment always used to be better, that may have changed

I hated private school tbh. So if you do put your child there and they dont enjoy it, don't make them stay!

[quote LepersofRuggedIsland]@Puffalicious I’m completely at sea with it all to be honest - the English system feels very alien to me. My state school experience was as you said, and attainment was pretty good across the board. Very very few people I know went to private school up there.

My DH teaches in a very deprived school not far from where we live and honestly I wouldn’t choose that for my daughter. It feels like so much more of a minefield to find something suitable.[/quote]
I sympathise enormously OP. The more I read about it on MN the more alien it sounds to me too. I teach up here as well. My only experience of the 2 systems is a colleague who is English but trained here, she went home as was offered a job, but ran back to Scotland after a year teaching. She is now happily here for good. I'm sure that's not the story everywhere at all, and our system has suffered enormously in recent years (Curriculum for Excellence is anything but!), but if you've grown up in the Scottish system it's quite straightforward and the English system will be alien.

Your DH will know of other schools that are recommended. Can you look into these? Or, come home? Sorry, couldn't resist. Best of luck.

@Puffalicious I’m completely at sea with it all to be honest - the English system feels very alien to me. My state school experience was as you said, and attainment was pretty good across the board. Very very few people I know went to private school up there.

My DH teaches in a very deprived school not far from where we live and honestly I wouldn’t choose that for my daughter. It feels like so much more of a minefield to find something suitable.