Downsize for private school fees?

Croydon high is a great GDST school, and ranks ‘high’ on the Times list but not one which I would be looking to downsize to afford going there.

if I could I’d try to find the extra cash to invest in extra curricular sports and put money aside for university.

Also true about weeding out/ withdrawal of bursary/ scholarship funding.

This is always a risk with private schools. States basically can’t chuck you out until sixth form for any reason short of something pretty heinous.

Also, what were your own experiences of school as parents? I’m asking because that can really shape your inclinations. If you went to state and it was miserable and crap, it can push you toward private for your kids.

State in London boroughs is now is a million times better than you might imagine. And probably state schools in many other places. I was really amazed when I went back to my secondary school recently, and also heard through family the kinds of things they now offer kids. Completely different.

There are cold spots of pretty poor secondary schooling in some bits of England, but generally well-supported kids with involved and intelligent parents are going to do well wherever they go.

The sport thing is a consideration. Is your child able to continue this sport outside of school, or is it contingent on being at the private school? And just how good are they? Like, potential Olympians or county level or what?

Croydon High was listed 98th is the Sunday times Independent schools guide in 2024, it's 77% grade 9-7 at GCSE.

How academic are the schools? Are they the sort of schools that weed out anyone less academic once their sports skills make them less useful for winning team sports for the school? These might be other questions you need to ask

Croydon High is a good school -
well done to your dd but along with many other private schools it is not worth downsizing for.

Where would she likely be in the academic pecking order at the private school? If in the bottom third (but potentially much higher in the pecking order of the state school), being at the state school might be better for her confidence.

I have 3 kids, 1 of whom went private for years 7-11. No way would I downsize for what private gave him - even though I was perfectly happy with it. Some of his friends came out with very mediocre academic results and are now doing the kind of school-leaver jobs not very academic kid from state schools do. I don't think I'd feel great about that if I'd sacrificed as much as you're contemplating - how do you think you (and your daughter) would feel in that situation?
Just not enough of a difference between state and private, at least not where I live. But I guess if she's completely passionate and has a real chance of getting to the top in a sport that you really wouldn't be able to facilitate if she was at a state school, that's different. Or if the state alternative are really shocking (but if that was the case, I'd move to a different area but not downsize).

There’s another thread on here re Kingsdale and information from posters whose kids had different % scholarships about likelihood of getting a place which might be helpful? I know it’s massively over subscribed.

Stick with a state school, it's really not worth selling your house for school fees which are only going to increase. The scholarship is just covering the VAT that wasn't in place when you started looking at schools. You could always reassess for 6th form.
If it helps when the grammar school places come out on 3rd March many many parents holding scholarships from top private schools will ditch them for a free grammar place or an excellent state secondary (that you may get anyway).

I have multiple children in private schools so I recognize there are potential positives to them. But I absolutely wouldn't do this unless you can identify a specific need of your daughter's that will not be met if she attends KFS or another state school. If you can identify a need then I would still work hard to figure out how you could meet that need outside of school for less money.

If you have some funds for independent school just not enough for full-fees I would save up and use it to open up additional options for your DD at 6th form. Then if she chooses a state option post-GCSEs you'll be able to offer help for a gap year endeavor, a house downpayment, etc.

what do you hope your daughter will get from the private placement, and is this a) realistic and quantified and b) worth it to you as a family?

its a lot to put on a child, uprooting your own security and nice home life (which she enjoys the fruits of too).

I can only answer for me and my situation, everyone’s is different. I can imagine my DD would have done brilliantly in a private school. She did really well in a state school with parental support, encouragement and cramming despite some SEND. So, for me and her, probably not worth it. But then she is not sporty, not in the least.

Incidentslly, she is at (state) school with two friends who are excelling in a traditionally private school sport and might get scholarships to unis based on that.

only you can decide what works for your family 🤷‍♀️

Hello,
it sounds like a difficult decision. Just so we understand the alternative.. she wouod get a place at Kingsdale? How do you feel about that school?
or if that isn’t certain then where would she get in?

also, do you want to share the name of the private achoool? There is a huge variation in quality - sone are not worth their fees let alone a huge family sacrifice.