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?

Private. I don't believe in State.

State. DS1 will be going to a state school in September. I wish it was a better one but not too bothered as I know I absolutely flourished in the benign neglect of a very plain state primary back in the 80s. (We imported rabbits into the courtyard without the teachers noticing. It was brilliant).

If I came in to a lot of money I am not sure I wouldn't flick him into something snazzy and private to be honest but I wouldn't penny pinch to do it at this point.

Ask me again when he's at secondary age...

Ooh, teeny feet Jamie.

How dainty you are, you lovely beardy thing!

Pretty sure we will do both

1st baby not even born yet! OH wants private all the way.... when little i want to be able to WALK them to school, and we have 2 LOVELY state schools within a short walk.... nearest independant 20 - 25mins drive.

Im sure we will use both but independant as they get older,

I hope to have a few DC and may move them all across together when youngest (not even concieved yet!) is about 6 or 7 I guess

One at prep and one staring prep in Sept, its been a difficult decision as i'm expecting a 3rd but we're just going to go with the flow. We can afford it, just, at the minute but we started a business 3 years ago and it has thankfully gone very well and i would hope we'll be able to manage the 3rd too. I do worry about everything going tits up and us having to take the dc out but we have thought it through and have an emigrating or returning to my home country plan if that was ever to happen.

We do go without expensive holidays and we put in alot of hours to pay for it but DD is very very happy at school at that's what is important to us, her cousin is at a state school and academically there isn't much between them but the pastoral care and EC activities make it worthwhile.

Another for HE.

Great answer Tuggy, PMSL! :o

In my case, both, one DC in private, one DC in state. Private DD there by unfortunate series of events, the school is excellent. State DD there by necessity, the school is pretty crap.

If I had the money I would be giving Tuggy's response wrt both children.

Both 2 at private 1 at state

Private x2

State. Never considered private.

Tell you what gets me, the No. of MNers who have attended Oxbridge. I as a Uni academic for 15 years, and I still barely know anyone IRL who went to Oxbridge.

I went to Oxford. After state school.

State

State for all 3 .

state

and i am intersted in the results of your survey too!

Maniac....by obsessed I mean that there are so many threads here devoted to private education and a great number of people in Britain tend to judge you on whether your kids are being privately educated or whether you were educated in that sector or not.It's like it's a members club that people feel so privilaged to belong to. I don't get why it matters so much whether you pay for your kids' school.

I remember when I first came to this country at 18 for uni, within a week everyone knew which kids had gone to Eton or Cheltenham. It meant nothing to me but it clearly created boundaries. Again, it's like you have been blessed with belonging to a superior club if you have gone to private school. I just don't get it. As long as children achieve their true potential....why should it matter? Why are people so keen to express the fact that they spend money on their schooling? Is it to show off?

Private at the moment, may well be state secondary.

Private x2
I have taught in state schools, now teach in private, would not go back.

State Primary - disaster - then private primary
Now state secondary and delighted with it

DS will be going to State school. If he wants to go to a private school when older I would consider it if I was in a position to do so but otherwise will very happily stick with the state system.

I was offered the chance to apply for a scholarship at a private school when I was 11 and was determined I wasn't going to go and I am pleased my parents listened to my wishes.

Some of you lot must earn a fortune if you can put 3 children through private schools.

I have 4 dc - all in state schools and very pleased with them. 1 in secondary and 3 in 2 different primaries.

I have nothing against private schools especially as dh teaches in private schools - simply can't afford it.

My 3 older DCs went to a fantastic state primary in the overrun with fantastic state primaries area of London we lived in. They are now all rapidly approaching the end of their secondary education at private school. My education was exactly the same.

I am hoping to send DD3 to the same primary in 2½ years as it is still ranked as one of the best in London. I have absolutely no idea what she'll do at secondary as I suspect I'll be locking her up and wailing at her childhood passing

State. I went to private secondary, and while I wouldn't rule it out for my children, it will only be if I am not happy with their state secondary, which hopefully won't be the case.

as someone who went to state primary and private secondary, I'm not convinced it is necessarily the definitive best thing for all children. I'll wait and see

just out of interest why do the private ed people choose private??

my dcs went to a perfectly good state secondary and got top grade gcses (so far)