to consider our catchment school in deprived nearby town

[daisymoo2]

We live in an affluent village where our DC attend the very good state primary school but our catchment secondary school is in a very deprived nearby town. The catchment secondary school seems to be well led and is working hard at helping all children achieve despite the difficult catchment area but it's still bottom of the league tables for exam results.
DC1 is nearing secondary age. A number of DC1's friends will be going to the catchment secondary and DC1 wants to go there too. Our other option is the private school in the village where we live. We could manage this financially but wonder if it's really value for money and we don't want our DC becoming entitled brats.
AIBU considering sending our DC to the catchment school despite reservations about the peer group and exam results?
PS: We're in the country so these two schools are our only two options.

[elevenclips]

I think you should go with the state option seeing as how you're worried the private will make them into entitled brats.

[SciFiFan2015]

I’d go for state school and tutoring because if the worst should happen and your income changes drastically in the wrong way it would be a risk to have children in private education.

[BertrandRussell]

Why are the state school's results like? What was their A*-C% this year? (Look at the 4+ figure rather than the headline 5+ for a fair comparison)What is their Progress 8 figure?

What does the school feel like when you walk round it? What do you think of the Head?

[IJustLostTheGame]

Private.
When growing up my parents had the choice of private or crappy secondary for me. They chose crappy secondary because they could afford tutors, out of school activities etc which meant I'd be 'one of the good ones'.
All that happened was that I was bullied mercilessly for years.
I'm now both physically and mentally scarred.

[autumnintheair]

Op aside from the grades which is the whole point of being in school, why don't you look at both and see which school is best personality fit? Where will he be happier? I can see why people think more extreme public schools may lead to living in bubble like eton, but not so in the middle of the road private school.

[Frazzled2207]

I would go and visit the comp and see what the atmosphere feels like.
I would not worry about the private turning them into “brats” -I went to private school and turned out ok I think!if you can afford the private then it’s almost a no-brainer but forseeing a similar situation with my own kids I’d be worried about my kids mixing with kids much more well off than us, and feeling uncomfortable as a result. But many private schools have a lot of families who are only “just” affording the fees and with some exceptions are not full of rich kids at all.

[BertrandRussell]

Yep. Because bright kids are automatically bullied in state schools, there is no bullying in private schools, and anecdotes from 20 years ago are totally relevant to education today........

[autumnintheair]

Just seen post above mine. I guess that's another consideration but ops sons friends will be going to the state so he may be happier there.
It's all very well however making these decisions on behalf of Innocent children, when they have not had the best time in important school years however and as they grow their eyes are open and they realise, hold on, my dp made me go to that school I hated because they chose to when infact they could have easily afforded private but chose to make me suffer... When they have their own dc they will question your judgement. Not for for one second would I leave dc in a school they hated when I could afford to pay private.

So I guess you could try state and you always have comfort of back up of private?

[Lethaldrizzle]

I would go state school. They'll have a much more rounded view of the world by the end of it and can still highly achieve, I don't particularly agree with private schools.

[Looneytune253]

Our (primary) school is in the middle of a deprived area. The results are far lower yet the ofsted is much higher and the school is the big training school for all the failing schools nearby. It’s really highly regarded. What you have to remember is the more deprived an area is the harder it is for the children to become high achievers. There will be lots of low achievers which will naturally pull down the average scores.

[pandarific]

I would really not underestimate the impact of sending your child to a school where they will stick out as markedly 'different'.

The state school does not sound great from what you've said - only a few kids getting good results? If the vast majority aren't, then I'd be surprised if the kids doing well weren't getting targeted for that. Also, it would likely become obvious that your child comes from a better off background? Also could make them a target for being 'posh'.

In a good state school none of the above would be a concern, but I'm not sure the school you mentioned sounds like one.

[daisymoo2]

Thanks everyone. Lots to think about.

[TheFickleFingerOfFate]

The reason many of these schools are failing is that the brightest kids are siphoned off to local private schools. If DC's pals are going then by all means send him or her to the state school - the more people of your type send their kids to the school, the quicker its rates will pick up. If there is a really fundamental issue like bullying or language barriers going on, then for sure, send to the one they'll face less issues, but really, when the brightest kids are taken out of the state schools, then it is to the detriment of all the children at the school. HOWEVER, if DC begins to have problems or struggle, then remove them in a heartbeat. Keep an eye on the situation, (maybe even ask DC where they want to go and give them some input and feeling of being taken into account) and then monitor the situation.

[Foxyloxy1plus1]

Visit them, with your DC. Nothing beats actually seeing and getting a feel for the place.

[CamperVamp]

Is the private school any good? They aren't all!

Are your Dc's peers from the primary likely to be hard working, medium to high achievers? If there is a critical mass of kids working hard and doing well, they do well. Whether or not the overall average is affected by other lower achievers.

Do more digging into the stats for the catchment school. How many of each ability group meet or exceed their target? What is the Progress 8 Score? And of course, visit!

[Ttbb]

I don't know anyone who went to private school who has become an entitled brat, most of them are extremely hardworking a successful. Some (not most-most are equally normal and hard working) of the people that I have known at state schools on the other hand, well, that's a very different story. Expecting other people to pay for them to go to universoty, thinking that they deserve a job just for finishing uni, feeling entitled to council flats/rent controls, getting pissed off because they can't afford to save for a deposit for a house while smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.

[BertrandRussell]

Ttbb. Yes, that's exactly why people from state schools are like. Nailed it.

[TheHobbitMum]

If I had that choice I'd be going private! Could you investigate buesarys of you'd only just afford it? I wouldn't be happy sending my kids to a school with such low grades, especially if you had another option (private).

[CamperVamp]

If the state school does get results from the top achieving kids, that's fine!

The overall average is irrelevant. What matters is that every child, of whatever ability, is doing the best they can and being supported to get what they can get!

My Dc are in quite a 'rough' comp, one just got a long list of A*/A/7-9, ad did their friends.

[chitofftheshovel]

At the end of the day if my kids come out of the education system happy, and at one with themselves, that is what sits easy with me.

[moofolk]

I can't believe you would not think of sending your kid to the local school?! Lots of snobbery on the thread above, sadly.
Private schools give children the message that they are better than other kids who can't afford it. Before the middle class private ed brigade argue against - if people don't think it's better why would they pay? Especially those who would send kids to a state school in a well to do area but not somewhere deprived. I find this offensive.

[C8H10N4O2]

Ttbb. The Perrier Award has already gone this year. Try 2018

[Fruitcorner123]

Look at progress rather than results. A private school is likely to have a far more able intake but that doesn't mean an equivalent student would make more progress there.

Also look at extra curricular opportunities and whats available for your DS.

Don't take peoples anecdotes from their school years to heart. Some people would have gone to private and been bullied/ felt too much pressure/ not been pished or challenged etc. Others will have had that same experience at a state secondary. You need to look at these two schools as they are now.

Generally if your child is very bright theh y will do well anywhere.

[KnobJockey]

Not quite the same, but my daughter started yr7 at the local comp. We lived in what was classed as a deprived area, and the school has a very high PP. She has always been academically able, and actively tried to be the top of her class in primary.

By the end of year 7, her grades were slipping, and her attitude was changing. She was still easily being in all of the top sets in her class, but not striving so hard to get the top marks. She was questioning why she would even WANT to go to uni, and chats about careers were all ending up in jobs that would pay little more than minimum wage with little growth. Combine that with a bit of teasing about being a geek, and a best friend who was mouthy and attitudey to the teachers, we decided to take her out.

She started year 8 in another comp, but one in an almost-local town. She is in year 9, and its been a massive change and a hard year. She's gone from being top class to being middle/ average in everything, which she's REALLY struggled with. She's just finding her feet this year, with a couple of close friends, and joining some clubs.

It's been the best thing we could have done for her. She needed something to push for, to show her that it's not acceptable just to coast and accept her lot, that it should be the norm to try your hardest.

We travelled every day to get her to the school, cost lots extra for travel. We've actually just moved out of our owned home and into private rented, to give her the best chance. I would definitely be going private in your situation.

[autumnintheair]

Moo people pay for all sorts of reasons and actually many dc with various ld in private. Private aside from paying offers choice. May the dc prefers and suits smaller schools. Some dc find buzz of huge school with thousands going in the best thing, other dc needs smaller more manageable environments.
Not one fits all which is why we need choice