To ask how much of your income you spend on school fees? And pls tell me its worth it...

[Claliscool]

Not rich by any means.
Decided to send both children to independent school in September due to all sorts of covid and other reasons. The fees are about one third of our household income. Just bricking it slightly.

Parents who don’t send their children to independent schools but could if they wanted spend an awful lot of time trying to justify their decision. There are also an awful lot of chips on shoulders in this thread.

Well known London prep. Around GBP20k per year. It's probably not worth it given the abundance of good state primaries in my neighbourhood but my husband and I were privately educated so not to do so for our child would seem a bit mean, especially since we only have one child and can afford it. But the small classes, specialist teaching and extra curricular activities - skiing in their own ski chalet for example - make it worthwhile for us.
Would I spend 1/3 of our income? Probably not because I wouldn't want to have to sacrifice holidays etc but everyone has a unique perspective on these things.

Make sure you are in catchment area for a decent secondary state school, don't spend the money on fees.
My DS has just finished state sixth form and has got offers to do his preferred subject at a Russell group uni (fingers crossed) which I am happy with. Predicted AAB at A level.
However he would almost certainly not have passed the entrance test for a selective secondary school around here. those schools get the stellar results because they only admit the students who are guaranteed to do extremely well.

We could afford to send ours to private school but luckily have an excellent state secondary close to us. They're bright kids though anyway. DS1 for example, got all 7's, 8's, 9's in GCSE's last year and DS2 predicted slightly better next year.
Regardless, we prefer to spend our disposable income on numerous family holidays tbh. No need to justify anything. Those experiences have been the very best times of my life.

30% of pre tax income.

But agree with PP who said school uniforms.... our school chnaged their entire uniform about 3 years ago and it cost £1 k per child for the bare minimum.

@Evelefteden you are being disingenuous. Private education generally ensures smaller classes, better facilities and preparation for 11 plus. A clear advantage right from the start over state schooled peers. Parents who have the financial wherewithal to pay for prep school can also often afford tutoring and provide the cultural capital that more disadvantaged children don’t have access to. Naice affluent parents with kids at private school know the system, it’s not for nothing ‘sharp elbowed middle classes’ is a term of description

I would say it depends on the kids. My brother and I were both sent to private school by my cash-strapped parents, he did really well and is in high-flying career where 90% went to private school, I’ve kind of muddled along - way less career success but might have done even worse with comp education. I do often feel very guilty about the amount my parents sacrificed for me to be ‘average’ 😬

Bit off thread.... but never have l been more grateful for our Dcs Private schools as during lockdown as whilst DH and l were having to work around the clock rejigging business etc....Dcs were doing a full online day of varied and well thought out lessons from 8.30 till 4.30pm, within a week.

Teachers and school management were amazing, and really took the educational pressure off us, and kept dcs on track.....

Some state schools did next to nothing....appalling.

It is the businesslike attitude that really sets a good private school ahead, building resiliance and character, of course some state schools also do this but not nearly enough.

We were offered a place at a local private school for our DD and it would have amounted to less than 10% of annual salary. However, we decided against it due to not wanting to be so tethered financially, especially as fees could increase, extra curricular activities etc. Also, we could offer most of the activities the school did. Also didn’t want to have to risk placing her in state after going private. It’s much easier to adjust the other way around.

As it turns out, she is going to a wonderful state primary, which is so unique I can’t give any details as it would be outing. The class size is only 14, and smaller than it would have been in the private school. We couldn’t be happier.

We was offered 65% off fees for dc1. It was tempting and affordable but the trips would been a deal breaker as some are 4k.

Dc2 goes to private but its 100% funded. His ex cricular costs arent too bad but they will hike up from year 8. All of the parents who pay fees say they arent rich but they are all minted. I would think none live in house worth less than 700k and most are above the million mark. That makes having friends here 'interesting'

State and indi are so different. It's like comparing to totally different things. Everything at indi is better by far. Maybe mostly due to class size and everyone being visable, not just a face in a crowd.

As someone with a adverage house in a expensive area I think personally I wouldnt be able to keep up with the extras without a hefty bursary. Choosing to skip one trip one year wouldnt be noticable but not being able to afford most of the trips, instruments etc would make DC feel like he wasnt on par with his peers ( financially hes not )

Perspective of a teacher who has spent half a career so far in state, and half in private. The best half was in state. I have a nice life as a private school teacher but the state school was better. Teachers were held more accountable for their teaching and it was better monitored. It was a leafy comp, but had a wide mix of kids, large classes and a building that was crappy in many places. The school was run amazingly by excellent leaders and teachers. Results were good, uni destinations good - loads of Russell group and a few oxbridge each year. Excellent music and drama, and plenty of competitive sport. As a parent I would be happy for my kids to go there for secondary.
Private secondary. Small classes, okay facilities, good extra curricular. Outstanding pastoral care. Terribly managed, some good teachers some terrible ones but teaching was unmonitored and HR matters decidedly dodgy. The senior team was made up 0f the head and his mates and they were not effective. The admin team was made up of mates and family of higher up teaching members. Results were still good as families supportive and kids hard working, not because the school was good. I wouldn't have sent my kids if they had paid me, and I didn't take advantage of the large staff discount. I work in an international private school now which has more in common with the UK private.
When we return to the UK next year my DC will return to state and stay there. I genuinely believe they will do just as well, and I can pay for their extra curricular interests. .
So, op no I dont think that there are any guarantees that itll be worth the stretch, but it depends on why you are doing it. I will say the private school did a great job for kids who found their state school challenging for social reasons.

6.3%. Best £100 a month I spend!

Just worked it out will be 22% of post tax income for all three now in primary but will go up to about a third by the time in secondary (but that is assuming income doesn't go up).

We ensured when we bought a house we were in the catchment for an excellent girls state school with best results in county. With state you need to supplement sport so ensured girls in well run sports clubs so they get the weekend sports which you get at private school but not state. We do the character development in house. Very happy with the decision so far. If the state option was not so good would consider private but frankly genuinely can’t see how it’s a justifiable use of resources for us. The state has better results than the private girls school.

@Evelefteden somebody writes a calm detailed post, and they have a chip on their shoulder? Perhaps you do. Maybe I do. What a meaningless comment. Many many teaching professionals won't work in private schools because they are actually very behind when it comes to the academic side of teaching, and they get their results due to low class sizes. Sofor teachers who love their craft, a public school will be a frustrating place to work. Recently I went to a development event and PS teachers still all believed in widely debunked learning styles theories. Send kids to an excellent secondary and they will fly...and also be far better able to mix socially. Public school kids are notorious for only really fitting in with other public school kids. And no, not because they have better manners. Maybe towards their parents, but they can be downright arrogant towards anyone outside of their little world. Which, yes, is a very successful world, but I'd rather have kids who fit into wider society.

@Dragongirl10 ifI could have a tenner for every parent of a private school kid who repeatedly suggests that state schools put on poor covid teaching.. honestly. My state kids got 6 bespoke lessons EVERY day. Plus Y10 got 5 weeks of full time face to face. The teaching staff are shattered. Stop implying state teachers have had a 3 month holiday!!!!!

About 15% for prep. We won't be continuing for secondary as it would stretch us too much. If you really think you're going to struggle I would reconsider now as it's worse to start them and then have to pull them out to state school.

Fizzysours*I said SOME state schools had little provision during lockdown, of course some did a great job ... but it’s a fact it was a inconsistent.

This is all a bit meaningless. Percentage of gross or net? Plus 33% of £500k is very different to 33% of £100k. Our income differs year to year, as DH is paid a salary + up to 100% of his salary again as bonus - if he gets 100% then the percentage we spend on school fees halves! Lots of high earners will be paid like this. So I can’t really answer your question re percentage, but yes, it is absolutely worth it.

@Claliscool you will be fine. Our kids are in a very competitive SW London prep and we are in a similar position financially and i am happy we made the choice we did. Our school is rejigging uniforms next year but we have been given a years notice and most parents use the second hand shop for staples like skirts , ties etc. Lunches are part of the fees so no hidden suprises there and trips are included too apart from a big one to Canada which most chose not to go on. Music lessons are also same rate as any local music lessons. Holiday wise , we have 1 nice holiday a year (think France or Spain) at the start of July when all the state schools are still going so we pay about 2k less than you would in August and we also go on camping trips with groups of friend etc. The benefits are great pastoral care, small class sizes (16-17) and the kids are given so much 1 2 1 attention. It is a huge financial commitment but it’s worth it in my opinion - good luck whatever you decide

0% and yes!
Except if you include school lunches which probably add up to about 0.5% and still yes.

@Dragongirl10 when you say 'my private school was great, some state schools were rubbish' what are you implying there? I sais you IMPLIED and I stand by that... You could have differentiated in a different way in your statement...you chose to differentiate by sector.

We paid about 25% of income to send our DD from year 7, it was a stretch and we remortgaged the house to find the extra for 6th form. No foreign holidays, no new cars no upgrade to a bigger house.
She loved her time at the school though and at times when she needed extra help emotionally they were nurturing and supportive. I think she would have drowned in our local state schools.
Definitely worth it for us but there's no way we could have done it for 2

I would not spend 1/3, unless it was 1/3 of a very generous salary with very low outgoings.

School fees for us was less than 10%.

Remember to factor in that they will increase annually.

Less than 10% net.