to wonder what the fuss is regarding Private Schools?

[peppapigandhumf]

A friend has 2 kids at a local prep school. She doesnt really bang on about the school to me etc but i wonder why bother pay for education when schooling is free.

Is it really just about small class sizes and fancy expensive uniforms?

As far as I an work out the difference between my state schooling (shit end of scale) and the oprivate amny of my friends and BIL attended is that I walked out feeling I could achieve nothing and deserved nothing in life and they walked out feeling they could rule the world and were entitled to a shot at anything they wanted.

Even though academically I have achieved more.

That's a huge thing imo.

Pag

FWIW as a liberal / socialist type who was raised in poverty and is still broke

I;d do exactly the same iff I were you ten times over (well i don;t have ten kids but ykwim )

As much as I would like to contribute to my community I swear I don't have the time, and to be honest I know from experience that I would be in the minority, if I can singlehandedly change the education system I would. To improve the education in my local primaries i would suggest the only way they can do this is by putting all esl children in a separate class regardless of age and bringing them upto the standard they are suppose to be at for e.g a year 2 would be speed taught English upto level 2 at which point they would enter their age appropriate class. This way the teachers are free to get on with teaching the rest of the class.
This is the only solution I see to the problems I'm facing at primary, and no amount of volunteering/fundraising etc is going to change the local councils view of paying for the changes.

I don't think anti private school feeling is always from envy and stuff.

I think many posters have strong ethical and political reasons to object (which is fine). I think many others attack the decisions of others out of defensiveness as we do in the sahm vs whom debates and bring vs ffing.

We try to do the best for our children and seeing others do something different makes us uncomfortable so we attack.

And of course it is unfair that some can pay and others can't. But that is true if many things

Peachy,

Cheers. I have the same background. I guess we just look at our kids and try to do the best we can.

My dad did not approve until he tried to help me take ds1 to a swimming cession with ds2. Then he said ' for Christ sake, do whatever you have to'

I don;t think it's about disagreeing with inequality

I disagree with fundamental inequality: at least in terms of value as a human being - and that encompasses access to a decent education

But disagreeing with and sacrificing your kids to it is another things entirely.

I think having SN kids toughened me up

Mine are and always will be in state- in fact they're relatively lucky in where they go (ish, am not into creationism meself but.... ). But to get one of two ASD comp places for ds1 I had to 'beat' sompetition from an application list of 37. At one stage I;d have dropped out rather than affecting another child's chances but my job is to fight for my kids, and if chances are limited- well I cannot throw him on the sacrificial fire.

I do my bit, helping out the community I think although even that's going to go as I am setting up privately: again I will hate that but it's no good doing what I am doing, saving everyone else's arse whilst we struggle to get by and watch disability provision be shredded at the same time, wodnering how long we'll have our (rented) house.

Look after yourself and your own and then you can look after others.

Joan, you are hilarious. Judgemental and blinkered but hilarious.

Would you honestly send your child to a failing school where there are security guards patrolling the bus stop at kicking out time just so you could sit nicely on your smug little patch of moral high ground? Actually, don't bother answering because, as you are not interested in my reasons and beliefs, I am not interested in yours. I can simply make up my own version of your answers instead.

Portofino - If you get your children into a good secondary state school (or heaven forbid grammer school), that's not fair either by your reasoning. Why aren't you sending them to the sink school with dreadful results as it's your personal responsibility to make it better for all the other children that don't have the opportunities that yours do?

And as for the yah boo you're all tories rubbish, I'd be interested to know how many Labour MPs send their children to private schools. I really dont think private school is a Tory thing, unless Diane Abbott et al switched sides and nobody told me.

LondonMother I agree with everything you said and was falling in love with you until you said you voted Labour.

Still, no-one's perfect.

Joan-of-Arc why do you stand in judgement of people? Why is that, in your world, everyone should do what you would do? Why can't people do what they think is best for their DC without being on the receiving end of a flaming from you?

Gorgeous some of us lefties are OK you know.

And had to PMSl at the comment about flamings and judgements starting with an emboldened Joan Of Arc- tres drole. (That's probably not the French I imagine it is due to shite state school but heck, so be it )

I don't see why people make such a big deal of the state/private choice. People make choices everyday for their family depending on their priorities. This is just one of them.

We could buy a couple of brand new Range Rovers but we own a battered 10-year old hatchback because my DH and I don't give a damn about cars.

We may well decide use private education because we do give a damn about our DCs education. However, at secondary I think the choice between state grammar and private might be harder.

Siasl that implies that peple who select state do not give a damn about education

That's not true; my aprents cared very much, that is why I am well qualified. They were just not very well off.

The argument about inequality is a red herring IMO as there isn't equality in the State System I went to grammar school but my sisters didn't but no-one talks about the inequality of this

Some state education may be fantastic. Where we currently live it just isn't ... it's good but not fantastic.

At primary level I think the following factors make us favour private education

Academically selective
High academic expectations for pupils
Rigid discipline
Smaller class sizes.
More flexible curriculum (no NC/SATs).
Excellent languages/sports/music/art.
Motivated parents

We can't achieve this easily through the state system where we currently live. If we move and can achieve this then we would happily select state.

They do Hudd, plenty talk about Grammar LOL- every sociology GCSE class as a start

But I agree; my kids go to a quiet little Church school and although it's not my cup of tea (I loved the old less posh-wannbe school but we moved) I accept it's ridiculously different from the inner city schools they could attend if we lived elsewhere.

Also my DH and I both went state aswell. However, that was 20+ years ago and in a different part of the country for my DH and different country for me.

State school I went to was awful; had name changed eventually in an attempt to change it (never works does it?)

Saw my first teacher stabbing at 7

Luckily thatr's not where we are now but if it were and we had money it ould be a no brainer

I doubt it gets better, Gorgeous, if I say I vote Green now!

Siasl, I can't imagine there are any academically selective state primary schools anywhere in the UK. The ability gap gets wider and wider as children get older and was far more of an issue for us by the end of primary education.

Some people only have access to crap state schools, so scrimp, save and go without in order to access independent

Some people have access to state schools which are fine for the majority, but think their children might not do well enough there, and need a different experience to reach their potential.

It's about parental choice (within the parameters that they have choice) innit?

I just wish more parents who use independent schools could actually spell independent...

LondonMother LOL - Much better! I'm loving you again.

"Some people only have access to crap state schools"

Or, more likely to schools that they have judged, sight unseen, to be crap.

I don't really get this.
This thread is gushing with comments about private primaries: a broad and flexible multi-lingual curriculum; a huge variety of sporting; opportunities to play the sackbut rather than the recorder, etc, etc

It seems to me, however, that these parents are those who adhere to the prescribed and 'academic' curriculum so favoured by the current idiots at Westminster. They are the people who diss the 'soft' GCSEs and want children to learn FACTS.

What's going on?

A lot of people are using the word 'choice' on this thread.

What choice? Outside of MNs affluent core MOST parents cannot afford to pay for private education full stop.

Oh no - it's all about what you choose yo spend your money on. You know, some parents compromise on soft furnishings, skiing, and drive an 'old banger.' if everyone did that instead of spending money on Uggs and Primark jammies, they would realise it actually affordable ()