These are perfectly valid reasons to choose the private school?

[Fandanglethat]

We've opted to send reception age DS to private school where he has been at nursery (they are a 0-11 school, DD is also in the nursery). We chose the nursery because it was nice, mid priced, hours and location worked for us. We always intended that he'd go to the local state primary, and we applied there and got in. I then started planning for before and after school care, holiday care etc and it is an absolute nightmare! The state school relies on off-site out of school provision or child minders, which are all full. The off-site wrap around care is extortionate (£25 per day) and is block book per term only. So we'd need to block book full weeks, though would only need 3 days provision most weeks (but changes weekly, at short notice). Holiday club doesn't take reception kids. The only local one that does is 10-3 which is pretty useless. And the cost! It's almost the same per week as nursery!

The school attached to DSs nursery has onsite wrap around provision at £3.50 per session, no booking required. Holiday club is £15, 8-6, onsite plus a few trips which cost extra. The fees are £3500 per year but when I've done the maths it works out at about £50 per month more than state school when you include the wrap around and holiday care.

£50 for a lot less faff seems very reasonable!

But my mum and some friends seem to have a real issue with the idea of private school. Is it a bad idea? It's not a posh school, it's not full of really rich kids. Most parents are professionals like us and choose to pay for education over foreign holidays etc.

So we've put his name down and paid his deposit. Are we making a massive mistake?

Educationally both schools seem fine, they have strengths in different areas.

Agree with all pp that is has to be per term (we have 2 at a prep school).
As for what other people think.....private schools seem to be the only area where every man and his wife thinks they have the right to judge how you spend yours. No-one says ‘why spend all that money to go on holiday in Barbados, there are lots of lovely beaches in Cornwall’ or ‘why spend all that money on a Range Rover, a skoda Kodiaq has 7 seats and will get you there just as fast’......but private schools.....’why spend all that money on private schooling, the state schools round here are very good’ (even if they really aren’t very good). I’m always tempted to reply ‘ well that depends on your definition of good’. But I never do.

It's broadly similar to having 2 in full time nursery.

I really need to move.

Just checked my local private school and it’s £3k per term for a regular day, and £3.7k per term for an extended day (until 6pm).

We are in Yorkshire and our fees for Private school are very cheap compared to other areas but that is VERY VERY low

It's not tight for us to afford it. It's broadly similar to having 2 in full time nursery

Wait... Are you saying you currently only pay £350 a month for 2 children in full time nursery...

I would definitely stick to the private school at that cost. Interestingly I did the same calculations for DD starting in September with wrap around care and the difference was bigger than yours but affordable so figured the same as you.

Apart from that, your reasons for sending your child to Private school are your own and nobody else’s business

Just a word of warning. I send mine to private school nursery for very same reasons, to a similar school. I didn't intend to keep her there for primary years, but kind of got sucked in as it was such a lovely school. This year, in Prep, the fees have got WAY more expensive and things are pretttty tight, in a way they weren't really before. More like 5k a term, now.

Reverse snobbery from you family. Nasty bitchy behaviour. If people were so snobby about state schools they’d be slated.

Can people see I've linked to one with similar fees?

CoveredInBeeeees as in, if I include fees and wraparound care, it's broadly similar (around £1300 a month).

TinySleepThief see above.

It's definitely correct. I've just signed the direct debit mandate - just under £400 per month including the lunches and termly trip. It'll be around £500 a month in year 1. Plus wrap around and holiday care.

Wow! That’s a bargain! Where are you?!!

I'd want to understand how it can be that cheap - that's in line with what state schools are given per pupil.

Fandangle I know - and even then, wow to those nursery fees!

Whilst you’re NBU to consider private school, I would question why the fees are so low. It is a Steiner school or something like that? 😖

I would want to check the financial viability of the school at that cost. A standard Prep class would probably be around 15 children and at those fees it would barely cover the cost of a teacher - no admin staff, grounds staff, finance staff, TAs, light/power/repairs etc.

To be fair 1300 a month for 2 in full time childcare is still very cheap for where I live.

I would imagine some of your families comments are based on the fact they think it's going to be much more of a financial pressure and it's a difficult one to get out of once you've started. I wonder if they are also worried the school will close. If a relative told me their childs private school was only going to cost £350 a month I would have to say I'd be very dubious the school was financially viable.

I really want to know where that school is , we have decided to keep our youngest at the private school attached to his pre school and it's £3100 a term.

@bellsbuss

I really want to know where that school is , we have decided to keep our youngest at the private school attached to his pre school and it's £3100 a term.

There is one in Durham

State schools are 5K at primary level (with 30+ in a class)and more at secondary www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/education-46180290

For comparison, the 2 closest secondary schools are £12k

It's been open 30 years, so I don't see why it'd close now. If it did we could afford one of the other privates near us (unlikely to get them in to state mid year).

I'm not giving further details on the school, I don't want people trying to find it.

The upper years will be subsidising the lower years and this has to be up "North" or Wales. That's so cheap that I'd be a little hesitant. Spending less than the state school spends isn't a great idea. I'd want to know where the cuts come from. In theory there's absolutely nothing wrong with going private because of the childcare. Plenty of people do for the wrap around care and the onsite clubs/sports because they both work. Some go for flexiboarding if they both work jobs that require travel/very late nights and don't want live in help. You'll not be alone.

Oh, and we also get a sibling discount, think that's about 12%

It would genuinely worry me for fees to be that low, as its lower that amount given by the government per pupil for state fees. People are always complaining that state schools are unable to function properly because they're underfunded, so how on earth is a private school going to function adequately with just about half the funding per pupil of a state school? If its a Steiner school, or any kind of religious affiliated school who subs it to further their own means/ideals - then run for the hills.