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?

All 3 at state schools. One primary, two secondary. I don't think private education is a good thing, as it distorts the intake of comprehensive schools.

State.

But we moved from an area of 'average' state schools (where, if we had stayed, we would have gone private) to an area with an outstanding secondary. So we use that money to pay the extra mortgage instead! Indeed, there's only about 5% difference in GCSE points between the local state (outstanding) and the local private (mediocre).

Depending on what DD wants to do long term, we may consider private 6th form, but we'd have to travel to the city for that and that's quite a trek (20+ miles), so I wouldn't consider it until 6th form.

All 3 were at state, one is nwo at private since last September (had social issues, will remain there as long as he likes or until he finishes).
I am not wildly happy about the private, but it's good for him.

I had someone actually say ' I don't believe in private schools ' in real life.

I said. " but they are real ".

I wish i had a badge or something so that I could convey that I don't give a shit what they think of my choices.

Oooh.
I don't give a shit what anyone thinks of my choices.

There.

State. There is very little private around here so it wasn't really a choice I faced, ds was home ed for a while and that is an option again if we need to though.

This is not a very scientific survey

State.

hully - stop attacking people with fruit

Not desperately scientific no.

Who sends their child to state school and has just the teeniest beginnings of a moustache?

I'm curious.

(Agree with Bibbity...)

State.

I can't afford private, and wouldn't put my kids in for bursaries. I don't approve of private education.

My children are at a not particularly marvellous state primary where they appear to be doing extremely well.

pagwatch ~Raises my hand~

Pagwatch, don't get me wrong, if the choice is there, people should be free to make the choice, be it private or state. I would go private but can't afford it.

However, I don't think the choice should be there at all. That way we all had to select a state school given to us within a 2-4 mile radius of where we live. Selection would be by lottery to limit expensive housing areas to develop. I say limit, as I know that it won't stop altogether.

I was bottle fed, which I suspect is probably relevant here

See?

Told you the demographic had changed.

Raspberry

Clever

Melon. Inserted anywhere you like

I have never had the beginnings of a moustache, nor sent my children to state school...

pingu will folk still be able to HE when you stop people having choice in state schooling?

State. It will be both in September when dd1 goes to secondary school.

That's fine pingu
I did that as a child. Totally shit, horrible education.
So I am pleased to be able to chose for my children. And I like single sex. But that is another story.

What about the whole moustache thing?

I have two private, one state, a hefty tache and some determined beardy growth.

[bugger]

Private. But we're in the North West and it's a LOT cheaper than it is down South. If the state schools were not all failing we would have chosen state....but here there is ONE school with a good ofsted...the others are really bad.

I went to a girls school, have the beginnings, middle and end of a moustache and read the Guardian

My feet are size 4

Physillis

Aw word factory.
Don't feel left out.

here you go

Whay thank you Pagwach...though I fear it may clash with yummy mummy independent school designer handbags.

Private. And having been state educated myself, I can tell you that not one day goes past without me thanking our lucky stars and me realising how very, very lucky we are to be in this position.

My son did year 2 at a state primary in a class of 30. His teacher told me he was away with fairies, didn't concentrate, daydreamed. I removed him to a prep school and after one year, he won the progress prize at speech day. He is now secure in the top academic set.

Although hugely significant, it's not just the academic side of things that blows me away, it's the 'extras' - the early morning swim squad with professional coach, the theatre, costumes and make up and training the children get for the school play, the triathlon coach, the pre season rugby training, the cricket matches, the small classes, the way the kids have individual subject teachers from Year 4, the way individual masters have time to show personal interest and come up to you and say "i was watching young man bluebell swim, and I can tell you it's going to be 'his thing"!, basically the recognition that the children get for their abilities.

I don't apologise for saying that I would crawl over broken glass to keep them in the private system.