Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask if you use state or private education

1001 replies

manicinsomniac · 20/05/2011 17:22

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?

OP posts:
diabolo · 23/05/2011 19:08

Joan

I can think of one way in which they're different from me, that's for sure you say.

What is that? I'd really like to know how you think we are different?

thebestisyettocome · 23/05/2011 19:09

I was wondering about that too diablo...

JoanofArgos · 23/05/2011 19:11

You have more money than me, duh!

diabolo · 23/05/2011 19:13

Not after paying the fees Joan! Grin

JoanofArgos · 23/05/2011 19:14

And I hesitate to say so, because I know it lays me wide open to charges of sour grapes, but honestly, if I sold our 56 reg audi which is on a lease so we can't anyway, and the P reg toyota, how many terms do you think that would get my kids?

Original poster
manicinsomniac · 23/05/2011 19:14

tbh I think a few people have an overly rosy view of private school as well too depressing a view of state school.

Low ability and disruptive children can certainly go to the majority of private schools if their parents can pay for it. We have a few unholy terrors and many many who struggle academically.

State schools do not have a monopoly on bullying (I think some private schools are far worse). My friend's 14 year old recently broke down and admitted to her that the only way forward he could see was to kill himself because he was being so badly bullied and felt he had no future. he has learning difficulties and is small and young for his age - his school - a well thought of independent boarding school!

OP posts:
JoanofArgos · 23/05/2011 19:14

But I don't have fee-equivalent, you see!

Ishani · 23/05/2011 19:18

I could sell everything I own and not be able to afford a range rover does that mean they should be banned and nobody else can have one either ?

Olifin · 23/05/2011 19:19

I ride a Penny-Farthing. I think you'll find that makes me the winner.

JoanofArgos · 23/05/2011 19:19

Well yes they should, but not because of that!

hoofhearted · 23/05/2011 19:20

Private

JoanofArgos · 23/05/2011 19:20

And I never said they should be banned because I can't afford them!

gah, I give up.

AlpinePony · 23/05/2011 19:26

ishani yes. Ban them because they are elitist. All German cars will be driven (boom-tish) from our shores.

Eventually we would all use shanks' pony for transport but I fear inequality there too! Compare and contrast Kate moss' legs to mine.

Ishani · 23/05/2011 19:33

The trouble is Joan, when somebody with a young family wins the lottery literally or throug hard work/business idea what ever they move the children to private school to give their children what they never had, a decent education. There are not many parents at my dc's school who were privately educated themselves so why are they using it for their own children ?

JoanofArgos · 23/05/2011 19:38

I really couldn't say! But I'm not sure what point that makes.

Ishani · 23/05/2011 19:45

Well I could say that too many of us in our thirties had such a shockng state education we've become detirmined that given any choice in the matter we aren't going to subject our own children to it.

wordfactory · 23/05/2011 20:48

manicinsomniac you make a very good point that problems exist in some indepndent schools.
The difference, I guess, is if that were the case at either of my DC's schools, I'd whip them out pretty sharply. I'd be absolutely fucked if I'd pay a heap of cash for something I didn't think was worth it.

Yet many parnets in the state sector haven't got many if any choices. Indeed choice is imho illusory in the state sector. If they have problems what can they do? Often all the other schools in the vicinity are full. It really si a bugger.

happybubblebrain · 23/05/2011 21:03

I opting for 1 year of state primary, then 8 years of independent, then 4 years of private. I'll let you know if it works.

Olifin · 23/05/2011 21:05

What's the difference between independent and private? I thought they were the same.

happybubblebrain · 23/05/2011 21:22

Independent are free schools, not mainstream. Private you pay for.

Fab123 · 23/05/2011 21:27

No, you do have to pay for Independent education, unless you get a scholarship of course
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_school

duchesse · 23/05/2011 21:41

There's a public school (ie independent and private) you can go to without paying a penny if you are poor.

Olifin · 23/05/2011 22:03

happy I take it you mean 'free' as in free to teach what/how they like? Free to follow a vastly different pedagogy to the mainstream? e.g. Steiner/Montessori?

All Independents also private though, no?

Fab123 · 23/05/2011 22:06

Independents are made up of a board of independently selected Governers and privates can be part of a church or for profit organisation.

Olifin · 23/05/2011 22:14

Ah yes, have just Googled and read that Fab.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In
This thread is not accepting new messages.