to pretend that state school is not so bad...

[RichTeas]

We are in an area with no shortage of preps and indies; the state schools are not bad, but for us, definitely not the preferred option. Yet it looks like it's going to be state all the way through. So far DS (Y3) doesn't have any idea of the types of schools that exist, as we have never openly discussed it, but I expect soon he will be clued up enough to question the system he finds himself in. It feels disingenuous to fib that we're happy with just a state education (when we're not), yet we don't want him to grow up feeling he's missed out by over-egging the independents. I suppose it could be worse, he could be in private and then forced to come out, but the issues is the same I wonder how others explain this kind of mismatch...

Bloody hell Charlie, 2 lots of rounders, and a club based on worshipping an explorer....

and I am pleased that through Charlie's post I have now worked out the difference between state and private, they actually have the ability to fly at private school. No wonder the OP is so bothered!

I send my ds to a non-selective private prep - he has ASD so probably wouldn;t get in to a selective school of any kind.
One of those "thick kids" chippy people on threads like this like to refer to. If going private keeps ds away from people who think like that it's worth every penny.

It's probably not good sense to choose a school because of the huge range of strange sounding sporting activities on offer anyway bisjo.

"duck duck goose"

No idea what it is but it sounds very twee.

If your dcs go to Eton they have to do compulsory

It is either a puerile game for children (which they love) in which they walk around in a circle tapping other children on the head and saying 'duck' and then when they say 'goose' they get chased or Charlie is talking about a very posh public school and it is a twee name for hunting club!

Duck duck goose and marco polo are not exactly organised sports, more like games that all children play in the playground.

What is Marco Polo Iodine? Enlighten me. I am intrigued now.

What a seriously offensive thread title! It's totally uncalled for. You don't have to "pretend that state school is not so bad", because it isn't.

This kind of nonsense and outright snobbery infuriates me:

"It feels disingenuous to fib that we're happy with just a state education" Just?! I'm speechless at the ignorance and arrogance of this statement.

"I wonder how others explain this kind of mismatch". What is the mismatch here? You're too poor to afford it like the vast majority of the population. Deal with it. You think you're somehow superior in some kind of way?

There are excellent state schools out there, with high achieving pupils. I was lucky enough to attend a comprehensive school in the 1970s; by academic achievements it was named as in the top 4 in the country, with pupils attending all of the best universities at a time when only 4% of the population went on to higher education (Oxford, Cambridge, St Andrew's etc).

If a child has the ability to do so then they can excel whether they are in state or independent school.

...and breathe!

Private is not always better, but nor is state, Whatever happened to "individual needs and uniqueness of each individual child?"
Presuming all children in private schools are somehow superior and all kids at the state are mediocre can be a very damaging statement.
Calling children "thick" in a private sector also could not be further from the truth, rather the opposite in our experience.

Oh for goodness sake Charley I have just googled "duck duck goose" and it is another name for "I sent a letter to my mother". It is basically a playground game like tag or hopscotch. Surely you didn't choose your children's education because they play duck duck goose.

bisjo that Eton style thing is so cringey.

Can you apply for a bursary?

What happened to walking into a school whether state or private, getting a feel for it and liking it?

apostropheuse Fantastic post.

Sparkling I thought it was quite funny

If prviate education produces such inferior results, usualsuspect, one has to wonder why you devote so much of your energy here to denouncing those who choose it. If people choose to waste their money, isn't that their problem? Why should it bother you?

Duck duck goose???

Sorry, I've jumped from page 2 to this last page but are you seriously holding up this playground game as a valuable extra - curricular activity that schools should aspire to?

Apologies if I've missed something & you're being ironic/sarcastic - will read back now

Surely the message you want your ds to grow up with is that he is responsible for what he makes of his life? Making the most of his life isn't something you can give to him regardless of how rich you are; it's about the person he chooses to become.

it was bisjo but cringey too.

No, member you read it correctly!

Sparklingbrook-

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Polo_(game)

To play on land remove all references of a swimming pool!