To ask if you would send a child to a private school only for primary?

[Completelyhypothetical]

The reason I would consider this is because with wraparound care included it would work out the same price as state school plus childminders and or after school clubs.

However would it be then emotionally distressing for the child to be withdrawn?

This is a hypothetical scenario by the way!

Are you sure you've done the maths correctly? That seems unlikely. Have you factored in childcare for the longer private school holidays?

I wouldn’t. DP went to private primary and got the piss taken massively when he went to secondary (good school but in a town where a ‘posh’ accent does you no favours with kids!). They might also resent being made to go to ‘normal’ school after - esp if you already know you can’t afford private secondary. (Also, private schools are not something I agree with but trying to keep my politics out of it!)

I don’t think I would. Private terms are v short so I wonder about the money. It’s planning to abandon all those friends that seems a bit mean.

Neither do I really Jeni but I do also have to be practical.

Termly fees come to just less than childminders and after school clubs. And it does seem to be a good education which is obviously important all the way through but especially in infants. Still, it would be tricky changing.

Go private. It opens doors.

I can't believe the maths would ever work out like that. But no I wouldn't anyway.

Don't you have to pay for wrap around at the private school - extra to the term fees? You do at the private primaries I know.

Personally I would. But bare in mind that the private schools round here have significantly longer school holidays

Won't you still need wraparound care with a private school?

If its really cheaper is it too cheap? A private school that costs less than wraparound care in a state school seems something isn't quite right.

Lots of people do that, the children often move on to grammar school or get scholarships at eleven. Money well spent.

I know a few children who stay at a local private school till they're 11 and then to state school. Seems to have no issue, also it's a great start to their education

What about holiday childcare the terms are often shorter and there’s usually one two week half term

Lots of people do

"Won't you still need wraparound care with a private school?"

I think OP said it's included in fees.

But OP, are you sure your maths is correct? Round here the school fees are £3-4000 per term. I can't imagine breakfast club/after school club comes to £250+ per week.

If the costs really are the same I'd do it. An excellent education in tiny classes is a no-brainer imo and they'll all head off to different secondary schools at 11 anyway.

Our primary you can get them in at 7.30am for breakfast club and pick up at 6pm for £12 a day (£3 breakfast club, £9 after school) Will you need beyond 6pm? If not, what private school offers care from 7.30am until 6pm for less than £12 a day? Think you might need to check the maths...

You do have to pay extra but not as much because the school day is longer, you see.

I would - but only if it's a decent private school compared with the state school and would suit the personality / needs of my child. Usually they have smaller classes which is one massive plus for a start.

Sounds like a no brainier to me op

I was at private for primary and my local comp for secondary and I was devastated with the move and would have loved to have stayed there for secondary.
I was heart broken..... and miserable for at least the first year of secondary

Our private school has breakfast and supper clubs but they are extra. The school day is an hour and a half longer than state schools though. But we do get much longer holidays - a week longer at October half term, a week more at Christmas and three weeks longer in summer.
I don’t think the kids would develop a different accent - they all sound the same to me - and it would depend if there are alot of new kids entering in Y7. But educationally it’s the secondary school that really counts, and if you’ve already been paying fees why wouldn’t you keep them in private?

I would, as long as you are happy with the school then I’d go ahead. Surely most children change schools at the end of primary anyway and if they don’t get their first choice sometimes they’d have to go to a different school to their friends so I can’t see it being a bigger wrench.

Are you sure the numbers add up the way you say though? Sounds like either the fees are very low or childcare is very expensive where you live. Have you checked the fees include wrap around care? There is sometimes an additional fee to pay.

Also check the school holidays. Some do but not all private schools have short terms, DD has an extra week off in the summer but otherwise her holidays are the same as the local state schools.

@Completelyhypothetical but does it seriously work out at less than £12 a day for the private school with wraparound care? Also taking into account longer holidays? If I could find a private school for that money (assuming it's the same, say less than £15 a day, all the way until end of year 6) then yeah, why not. What school is this, that's so cheap?

Is there any chance of selective secondary (11+) ? Or moving to Kent or bucks for them ? If not then No... if not then yes ..

It depends where you are. I know one family and have a friend who lived in (different) areas where the norm was to send the kids to private prep and then onto the local secondary schools.