to ask if you use state or private education

[manicinsomniac]

Sorry, I know it's a little rude and personal but I only ask because I think that only 7-8% of the children in the UK are privately educated yet on mumsnet it seems to be massively higher than that which I find interesting.

So, if I'm not being too unreasonable to ask, do/did/will you use private or state education for your child/ren?

No reason for all education to be free at all. Like, what, Steiner and Montessori and specialist stage schools and music schools?

There must be state education. It should offer a good prep academically and socially.

If people want something different, why not?

State.

Would go private if I had the money.

Because it's invidious and socially divisive.

My DS will go to state schools. Although, if I had the money I would send him private for the exam years (year 10-13 : 14-18YO)

Both the DDs went to state primary (outstanding according to OFSTED ) Results were good (and lets face it, that is all OFSTED are interested in...) but somewhere in the region of 40% of children had private tuition as big 11+ area here, so results not necessarily a fair reflection on the teaching.

DD1 is at a private school, now in year 10. It's co-ed but girls and boys taught separately. Not hugely selective but excellent results, brilliant pastoral care and outstanding facilities (their sports facilities are being used for athletes training for the olympics next year.)

DD2 got a place at the same private but also passed the 11+ and gained a place at a great state grammar school and decided to go there.

Had she not chosen the grammar she too would have gone to the private.

Our local comp is supposed to be good to outstanding but they still only get 60% average for GCSEs. Hearing the shenannigans they are allowed to get up to from the DDs friends, I am mightily grateful we have the option to send them elsewhere.

That would be because they aren't allowed to exclude the 40% who aren't going to get the 5 a-cs from the beginning, then.

If money were no object then we would go Private, but since we can't afford it (or maybe I should say we've chosen to work part time so we can be at home more and we've travelled extensively - including a 3 month trip to India when DS1 was 7) we've gone for state Primary and Secondary.
Fortunately, DS is on the Gifted and Talented register and this has provided an extra boost.

From what I understand, in the State system, those that really need help, at either end of the ability scale, get it, it's the majority of children who are average and who would really benefit from smaller class sizes who miss out.

Using the State school system means he is able to take part in most of the extra-curricular activies on offer (exchange trips, Scouts trips, dance).

We are hoping DS2 (aged 2) will flourish in the State system as well. If we felt it necessary then I would do what I could to go to private 6th form/college for A levels.

We've done both. Started off in State infants and junior schools, changed half way through to private (which was hard to afford) because they couldn't help child with dyslexia only to find an elderly deaf nun trying to help her read at the private school! So moved back to state which was ok..ish! Happily found a great state senior school and both have done really well. Hmmm so private is not always best!

Another one now Home educating.

60% would be a brilliant school here!
Highest grades for any school any of mine have been to is 46% (instantly up from 39% after they went on Btec's supposedly worth X GCSE's making up the figures) and that was our good school, but your chances of being in that 46% if black, Turkish, other, or SEN is another story.
One of my older one's went to a school with 12% a few years ago.

I find it so depressing that so many claim that 'a hardworking child will do well irrespective of where they go', actually most of them will be underachieving regardless of 'how well' they've done.

Do people really believe most of us in the areas these schools serve, are honestly just too thick to do better?

"invidious and socially divisive"

do you think privately educated children get a better education and that's not fair?

in what sense do you use the term invidious?

why is social division innately bad? it's completely natural - to advocate such a restriction of freedom you need to give very good examples of the sound and solid benefits it would bring

that would be hard compared to the benefits

private.

I believe in state education and would be so happy if we lived in a grammar area, but the reality is we live inner city and the schools around us are poor at best. My DS is getting a good education - we are getting what we pay for, but the social mix at his school does not reflect the local area at all, i try to make sure he does as many out of school / local activities as possible, so that he knows some local kids and is a bit more rounded.

It makes me weep at the beginning of each term but I can see no option but to go on paying.

Joanof Argos, life is divisive.

From before birth some have advantages others do not from nutrition to parental input, hobbies, education and home environment.

'Twas ever thus .

Los is in state but has a private tutor

Los state is school is the best in the la

DD is not yet school age but i plan on sending her to the steiner school, which is technically private as you pay but not much c.£270pm compared to other private schools. if there was no steiner school i would send her to our local state primary, it has a very good reputation.

Also, you seem to equate good with "academic" whereas I equate good with "prepares you for life, depending on your skill set"

I don't equate good with acadamic. I am objecting to you being slotted into position at 11yrs old and it being very difficult for the academic child to follow an academic path, if they are sent down the secondary modern path, and the child who passed to keep the place, regardless of how they perform.
This is my reason for loving comprehensive schools, the late developer can move up to the top set when appropriate. DCs who can't keep up can be moved down to where they would be happier.
What I would really like is for them to be all in the same school until 14 yrs and then go into appropriate streams not all 'jump through the same hoops' and I think that we waste an enormous amount of talent by ignoring the technical and practical.

Being sorted into different avenues is very sensible BUT not if you are sorted into the one you don't want and not if you are sorted at 11yrs.

1 at 'good' state primary. 2 at state grammar schools, 1 at state 'sink' comp.

If I won the lottery/became rich the one at the sink comp would be going to a private school.

Inthenightkitchen The children being from a different background is not code for anything, its exactly what it is. My dh is a proffesional sports person, he is well known where we live. We have a good income and can afford a lot of extras for our children. Our Parents have worked hard and did well for themselves, we have been fortunate although it hasn't come without hard work so I don't feel I should apologise.

Dd was offered a place in a catholic school, we're not catholic. The school is in an area that is predominantly working class with high percentage of unemployed people. I think its fair to say that we come from very different backgrounds, wouldn't you?

I don't want my dc to feel they have to change, to lose their lovely little accents to fit in.

state - am opposed to priv education in any case as I think its unfair that the quality of education, you get depends on the wealth or otherwise of your parents.. wonder also how much state support, grants etc that private education institutions get and why..

State school here. DH doesn't totally agree with private schools but our main issue is money-we just dont have any.

If I win my 381million pound on the (£1.50) accumulator bet I had earlier today then they'll be straight in private-balls to politics-I want to give my kids the best I can.

Disclaimer-I am not a massive gambler-only occasionally on the football and as its end of season me an dh had a flutter

Both they've all had years in state primaries and private, the difference in their knowledge in just 2 years in private is breath taking, a child from DD2's old school spotted her homework on the table when she came to visit, I could never do that she announced. Didn't have the heart to say it was her younger by 2 years sisters homework, but that wad the level DD2 was working at when they joined the private school which is sad tbh as she is capable of more no doubt other children are too.

Doesn't surprise me, Ishani. So how can this be made possible in state schools?

It IS happening in some state schools.
My childrens state primary was excellent, truly outstanding. A friend of ours moved their child from the local prep to their school and he was behind.

Every school is different. There are fantastic schools in both state and private sectors.

But inconsistency in state simply should not be happening anymore that was the whole idea behind the national curriculum. I've seen 4 children let down by a so called outstanding primary and it's heartbreaking that just money stands in their way :(

And to make matters worse the parents have the money in 2 cases but won't spend that or the time to fill in the gaps.

And private schools can let down pupils too.
The main reason some state schools fail is their intake, I'm afraid. If you have a large number of ill disciplined, badly behaved children who have no desire to learn and parents who can't even feed them or get them to bed on time, let alone provide academic support, then you will have an uphill struggle to get anywhere with those kids.
It's no coincidence that good state schools are in catchments of low social deprivation and higher affluence and aspiration.