How do private schools do it?

[Anotherday24]

Had a quick catch up with DD’s teacher a couple of days ago. DD’s always had good grades and been towards the top of her class since she started in reception, but recently has seemed quite down about school work.

Teacher told me that there had been an influx of “very clever” kids this year (the local private school closed and 7 DC joined the year). And it’s been a real shock to DD not having it all her own way and she has struggled to keep up with them, especially in English. It was almost as if he was crowing that DD is being out performed.

I’m trying to make sense of this. The school that closed down wasn’t selective. I find it strange that all 7 are SO much cleverer than the 20 odd state school kids. Is it just that they’ve already covered the syllabus, or they’ve been taught better? Perhaps their lockdown offering was better? Will it level off?

Also the teacher has taught this class for 2 years so shouldn’t he be concerned that all these new kids are doing so much better than the ones who have been taught at his school all the way through?

Just not sure what to make of it. Will DD (year 5) ever catch up? How do private schools do it?

Lots of reasons on here about private schools success but what glares out to me from your post is that you and your DD need to not get your self worth from being top of the class. More competition and bright kids to stimulate the class is surely good for her. You need to work on her being self motivated to do the best she can do. Because throughout life she will not always be top

The most reliable predictor of a child's educational attainment is parental income.

If you can afford private school fees your child will be more likely statistically to be educationally successful, whether you actually send them to a private school or not.

I agree @Marchitectmummy

My son struggles academically, isn't great under exam and test conditions and lacks confidence.
His independent school has identified he needs additional support and have placed him into early morning (before school) classes for English and maths that run Monday to Thursday weekly.

I paid for him to see an educational psychologist last summer to allow us to understand the areas of challenge for him and the best ways for us to support him. The school were very interested in the outcome of the report and have built the learning recommendations into his personal learning plan.
This has meant I haven't had to pay for additional tutoring on top of school fees.

I know his school works one academic year ahead.

When it's time to apply for secondary education it's likely he won't do great with the entrance exams. I'm hoping he will secure a place as his school is a feeder school for the other local independent schools. In addition, we will secure a tutor for the last two years of prep school.

This, for me, supports some of the insights provided by pp above.

If you have a bright child performing at the top of her year group, then it's to her huge advantage to be taught with other high-flyers, they are an intellectual stimulus and incentive to each other . From a class teachers POV. now she has a little group of pupils who can handle some additional challenges. A teacher once told me it was her absolute joy how "I can throw them some idea, one or other will catch the ball and run with it, and it takes off. "

Of course private school are selective, btw. Not always by examination; they just don't admit disruptive refuseniks whose misbehaviour holds back an entire class They select pupils for factors that enable teachers to spend more time on education than crowd control.

This.. I'd also add all the extra field trips & trips abroad that private schools provide. Also many private school kids are very well travelled which will prepare them to compete in a very globalised environment