To ask how you afford private school fees

[Elephantslovetofly]

We have a young DD, and although it's a while away yet we are thinking about school. The area we live in does not have a good local school, and we are considering an independent school for her

Disclaimer - I went to a private school and for what it's worth had a great education. I enjoyed being there and did well in exams. I believe my parents decided to send me there also because of a lack of a good local state school. I might have done fine at a state school, but will never know I guess

We are probably 45 min drive from the school I went to - further than is ideal. DH doesn't mind driving her there if we decide to send her there though (if she is fortunate enough to get a place)

The issue is whether we can afford it. The fees are about £9k per year for junior and £12k for senior. Assuming we therefore need to find £1k per month for fees

My cheeky question is this - if you have a child at private school, what does your household earn and how difficult is it to find the money each month to pay the fees? Our income is about £60k, and at the moment I don't think we can do it (along with our other current expenses). Wages might go up a bit before we would need to start paying, but if this is always going to be a pipe dream i'd rather get over it now

I know we could move closer to a good state school, but am exploring my options at this stage. Don't really want to move, as we have a good house here and are settled

Thanks for reading

I'd rather be born rich than smart. Smart only gets you so far. Having money gets you everywhere.

If you want to say that "money" is a general commonality at private schools, then I think by that standard of "generality" you would have to say that selectivity is also a general commonality in private schools.

Like PM. And mayor of London.

Because the only thing privately educated children have in common is money

And what would you say is the 'only thing' state educated children have in common?

So harry would it be fairer if dc like karlos all got the same shite? Would it make for social change if her child also suffered the same horrors on offer down the road from me? Do you think any of the parents that don't have a choice would take a vindictive pleasure in knowing that there was another to swell their ranks?

As for your ability logic, I'd like to see that too. But it won't ever happen while state education is the way it is, it has nothing to do with private. Ability will never get true representation from the state sector because the current thinking to make it 'fair' is to ignore the able. And ability inspires the same envy as the private system.

Fwiw we don't all have money in common.

I hate it when the private school threads get derailed by the private school bashers. It's the same old crap about inequality that gets spouted. OP asked a specific question about costs/affordability.

What do you think is the overriding common denominator in private schools, 80k? Height? Weight?

Why can't the private school threads all congregate on their own separate topic so that you can have your elitist chat amongst yourselves, away from the rest of the unwashed proletariat. That's what I want to know.

Being super rich might, but very few of the privately educated fall into that category. The reality is much more mundane. Most privately educated children will need to shift for themselves in later life and I'm afraid you need to have a bit more than a nice middle class mum and dad if you're going to make a go of it in anything these days except possibly the media where being well-connected does indeed still seem to be an adequate substitute for talent.
Another example of undeserved good luck which helps you get ahead, of course, is looks. How do the fairness warriors propose to deal with that? Cut all the pretty girls' noses off? Or only the pretty middle class girls? Do the under-privileged still get to flirt their way to the top? What are the rules here? Enlighten us.

The mayor of London was the son of a bus driver and grew up in a council house.

^And what would you say is the 'only thing' state educated children have in common?°

Common sense? Self awareness? Second hand cars? Knives? I dunno. What do you think?

Haha. That's about all you've got, 80k!

I hope Sadiq gets right up your nose!

The common denominator is private school, that's all.

Some people have money, some have very little. Some children are highly academic, some are non-academic. Some have special needs, some have disabilities. Some families are based in the UK, some are from overseas.

What do you think?

I'd say state education Harry.

I think what manon may be trying to suggest, but be too polite to say, is that generalising about people on the basis of where they went to school is a crass and stupid thing to do.
I am less polite.

You're wrong, Manon. Well meaning, but wrong nonetheless.

Why would he get up my nose Harry? He seems an intelligent accomplished man. If he solves even a tenth of the housing problem he will be a success. He has hardly gig his feet under the desk, let's give him a chance and see how he gets on.

About your private school conclusion, I mean.

Gig=got

I'm not discussing the London mayor. If you choose to deflect, I'll leave you to it, 80k!

What you mean is Harry you don't agree with me.

Karls, you are outrageously dumb!
Don't you read your posts back?
No idea on your stand point unless to boast and condescend.

Condescending possibly. Not sure what I've boasted about, but no doubt lizzylou can explain; clarity is obviously her thing

You did bring him up Harry. [confused

I'm not sure what point your trying to make about private schools.

No, I mean you're wrong, Manon.

The common denominator is money. Regardless of their academic abilities, their nationality, their disabilities, the thing most privately educated kids have in common is money.

How is this even up for debate?