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Original poster

Private school or £250k house deposit......

610 replies

JanieBP · 12/12/2020 06:21

For your child. Just that really. DH calculated that to send our DC the whole way through private school will be £250k EACH (including fee increases etc....they are at a private school now, but we are reconsidering). Even the most modest private secondary education is going to set you back £60k per child. Yet almost everyone I meet who went to a private school can’t afford to send their own child privately (well not without significant grandparent help). One dad said to me his aim was to make ‘happy adults’. Doesn’t every parent want happy children- Even grown up ones? As adults if they can afford to get on the property ladder and have a secure home that might make them happier than being able to reminisce about the school play, school cricket matches and match tea.......

OP posts:
Bluntness100 · 12/12/2020 17:22

@Saltn

No one does 6 A levels Hmm
Yes they do, there was a girl in my daughters school who did.
Icenii · 12/12/2020 17:26

Bluntness that is not true, otherwise all those people who went to state schools that were not top of the league would be struggling. Education is important, but it doesn't have to be done privately.

MrsMiaWallis · 12/12/2020 17:30

6 A levels must be very rare?!

Dd has offers from excellent unis with bog standard 3 and epq!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General education Private schooling
Thewithesarehere · 12/12/2020 17:31

@MrsMiaWallis

6 A levels must be very rare?!

Dd has offers from excellent unis with bog standard 3 and epq!

^ This. 6 A levels are enough to make your life potentially.
Grace58 · 12/12/2020 17:43

I’m a teacher and I’d go for the house deposit, if you live in an area with a good state school and have the money for tutors if needed (and if you’re having this dilemma then I suspect you do!). I’d only be tempted by private (not that we could afford it tbh) if I lived in an area where I was really concerned about gangs or something horrendous.

Ginfordinner · 12/12/2020 18:03

Then the usual four in sixth form.

The usual number of A levels taken these days is 3 - and I am talking about all post 16 institutions here. Most students who take 4 A levels tend to take further maths as the 4th subject. I would be interested to know whether these A levels were taken before they were decoupled.

I'm with a couple of other posters who think that the offspring of mumsnetters on most of these type of threads is not representative of most 16 - 18 year olds. Most students don't take 6 A levels. Most students don't achieve all A or A* at A level.

gongy · 12/12/2020 18:31

Now probably the youngest GP in the country and very happy.

There's been a few 21 yr old doctors I've read about, seems so young!

DontStopThinkingAboutTomorrow · 12/12/2020 18:32

@gongy

Now probably the youngest GP in the country and very happy.

There's been a few 21 yr old doctors I've read about, seems so young!

How? Medical school is 5 or six years and most have a minimum age of 18.
CherryPavlova · 12/12/2020 18:34

GinforDinner. Good name. Yes trying to work out years - 2008 must have been. She did theological and french during year 11 exams. No further maths though - chemistry, biology, maths and music (already at grade 8 on violin, having learned since she was four, so an easy add on for fun). It wasn't "usual' or an expectation, but about a dozen or so did A levels in year 11 and a few more stuck with four full A levels. Her year sent six to medicine, 2 vets and about five Oxbridge other.

IB and A levels was 2015 and about scholarship requirements and esrly entry because already fluentish in French, with intention of languages at university.

It certainly wasn't at expense of fun or other interests. The children who did early entry were usually those who found studying quite easy.

DontStopThinkingAboutTomorrow · 12/12/2020 18:36

Oh never mind- just googled! Seems that you can graduate just before you turn 22, if you start at 17, which some do.
Seems so young!

AliceBlueGown · 12/12/2020 18:37

I agree with @Ginfordinner most students don't take 6 Alevels or get A and A* - FE providers would not recommend 6 and would not be funded for 6. Some students might take 4 - the majority 3. I think that unless you can very comfortably afford private education then choose state.

gongy · 12/12/2020 18:38

Some start at 17 so it depends on birthday dates

IsurvivedbutdidI · 12/12/2020 18:41

House deposit! It will set them up and take so much pressure off them in life.

Anjo2011 · 12/12/2020 18:41

No one can decide for you. I have two children at private school, the fees are not the end, there is the uniform, clubs, school trips that need to be added to the cost. If you can find a great state school then that would be my first choice, but the reality is different , you may not have the luxury of a decent state school, we didn’t. if you go private it really is a long haul. Have your children expressed a preference?

Myshinynewname · 12/12/2020 18:42

I think it depends where you live and what the local schools are like. We went with state and don't regret it but I'm aware we're very lucky to have excellent state schools and relatively cheap housing.

gongy · 12/12/2020 18:43

Re Oxbridge I think about 70% now come from state schools.

ThatIsNotMyUsername · 12/12/2020 18:47

There’s state schools and state schools. Friends bought a 1.5mil house to be in the catchment area of a really good state school. The kids friends parents were mostly city types and ‘Professionals’.

Thewithesarehere · 12/12/2020 18:48

@gongy

Re Oxbridge I think about 70% now come from state schools.
This makes me feel quite angry on the situation before this change took place and how it still is affecting so many places where people (mostly men) from that time are at the top in every walk of life. What did the oxbridge interview involve in those times? It’s not like state schools have started to produce more able students to change the statistics this way. It’s in the past and things are hopefully improving but it’s still unnerving to think of the scale of it and the mentality behind it.
stodgystollen · 12/12/2020 18:48

I got 6As 15 years ago in the normal 2 years of 6th form, and there were 5 others in my year who did too. I remember because we had to do some moronic photoshoot '6 get 6As' for the local paper instead of being allowed to go to the pub. It's really not that uncommon. Admittedly it was at a grammar school, and one of those was general studies. Interestingly, I was the only one with an Oxbridge offer. The others were mostly going for medicine/law though.

nitsandwormsdodger · 12/12/2020 18:50

Move to an area with really good schools
Private schools don't get OFSTD inspections so no idea if they are any good
Depends in your child's need are they self motivated
Could they get a scholarship

SendHelp30 · 12/12/2020 19:04

@stodgystollen general studies don’t count towards UCAS though do they?

TheRubyRedshoes · 12/12/2020 19:06

My dd is in supposedly good comp and I'm appalled by how they handled covid, they just abandoned them whereas local grammars went on line in days by being proactive and training staff quickly.

I'm doing all I can to get her into grammar now, playing fools game with my dd education is not on.

TheRubyRedshoes · 12/12/2020 19:08

(iceni)

Icenii · 12/12/2020 19:08

'Kids parents are city types and professionals'... Why is that important?

TheRubyRedshoes · 12/12/2020 19:13

The with it agree but actually I'm sure I read somewhere that they are taking state students with lesser grades?