To think my DC is too clever for state secondary school?

[GeniusCreator]

DC is Yr7. Top of year according to what I’ve been told. Read the full series of Harry Potter books by 7 years old. Excels in STEM subjects. Spends ages at home researching science stuff like quantum field theory and nuclear fusion/fission and enjoys it! Designs his own websites and writes his own code for his own games. Primary school were always pretty amazed by him. Secondary school have picked up on him now and have said they’ve never seen anything like him.

He’s already mentioning being a bit bored in class. We live in what could be described as a deprived town and are not well off, no family to help out, so would never be able to get him into a private school. I did check with the private school in the next town but there are no scholarships available.

WIBU to try to crowdfund for private school fees?

He needs a much higher level curriculum than the state school one to continue stretching him. I honestly think he’s destined for amazing things.

<only slightly light hearted>

Read the full series of Harry Potter books by 7 years old

Did he, aye?

Is your ‘son’s’ name Pearl by any chance?

Could you get additional tutors if he really is that bright? However, a lot of kids level out, and he will most likely be average in few years. Harry Potter is hardly intellectually challenging. This sounds like PFB syndrome run wild to me...

Box him up and post him to Eton.

Think about it, why would anyone else give enough money to support someone else's child through private education for the next 7 years? He might be bright, there are plenty of really intelligent kids that never go through private education, it doesn't mean it's not the right choice or will impact their futures. Most secondary schools that I know of have some way to support gifted and talented (as it was termed at my school) kids. There's also so much you could do without inflating his ego and piling on the pressure. I still remember one very intelligent boy in my year who ended up really struggling due to the expectations of his parents and fear that if he didn't do as well as expected his entire life would be over at 18.

Erm Harry Potter is a kids book
If he's that clever then instead of online begging (which crowd funding for private education is) why not dip into your own pocket and pay for extra curricular activities, you know, like the rest of us do.

Love your user name OP.

I'm guessing your child is a chip off the old block.

Most (all?) private schools have entrance exams and the absolute top of the exams do get big discounts on fees plus you can submit reasons why they would be suited to the school . This is how they keep their charitable status . If you think your son is super clever you could explore these things

I think you would get more helpful advice (if you actually want it) on the gifted and talented board.

Ok

I get the impression the OP has come here instead of the gifted and talented board as they are just plebs compared to her genius cherub

YABU to crowdfund. I would also
suggest that your son could have a bad experience at a private school if you do not have the funds to support him in the social
side of school. He would not be able to join in extra curricular programmes and activities due to cost. There would also be costs due to events with friends, birthdays, school uniform, school meals. He would stand out.
However why not pursue grammar schools in nearby areas. There are often transport options to these schools.
Alternatively stay in contact with your son’s current school and have open communication and request that they push him. Then seek extra curricular events and activities outside of school and during the holidays to boost his learning.
Ultimately I think a lot of potential relies on personal ambition and commitment to learning. If your son is focused and self
motivated he will learn and excel in his studies.

Yes you would be completely unreasonable to crowdfund for your child’s private education. I can’t stand this whole trend of attempting to crowdfund for non-essentials - it’s so cheeky! However, YANBU to want the best for your child and it does sound like he’s quite exceptional. Would you / him consider boarding school? A lot of them offer pretty generous bursaries. Or would moving be a possibility? If not then I guess he’s just going to have to continue being exceptional at a state school which wouldn’t be a bad thing - Oxbridge etc will still be there by the time he’s 18!

Oh lol I’ve just seen the OP’s username is ‘GeniusCreator’. After that, I can’t really take the OP seriously anymore 🤣🤣

He could get a scholarship to a private school or attend a selective secondary school. Private schools aren't full of geniuses, though. Selective schools might be better suited. But I don't know that for sure, you'd have to do some research.

Ha, yes to the genius cherub. Get over yourself, OP, and if you think he needs, or, and this is important, wants, extra stuff, then provide it yourself. My parents did, challenging us al the time and opening up new concepts. Read the papers with him, make him think. No one is going to give you money for this. Be the parent he needs , not the out sourcer.

LOL 😂

Re, the Harry Potter books. They’re not exactly ‘kids’ books are they? A lot of 9-10 year olds would struggle to read one a week. There’s a lot of text on each page. I should know, he made me read some out loud as a bedtime story. I only managed a few pages each time! We didn’t want to get him the later books, especially Deathly Hallows, but he told me that he knew it was fantasy not reality and he was fine.

There are no grammar schools in our area at all.

Is that right that I can ask to have him moved up a year? He’s one of the youngest in the his current year though (August birthday).

Just popping here with my popcorn

If your son is exceptional AND self motivated he’ll do well at any school because he’ll be filling in the gaps himself through home study.

I sort of get it. OP is worried because she's got a bright child who says he's bored at school. Ease off her a bit! Thing is, private schools won't necessarily educate him better, even if you could find the money - you'd have to go for the pushy, very selective kind and not the small, gentle school in a market town that caters for sensitive souls and slightly anxious parents. You don't say much about how he gets on socially. If he's already very advanced academically, maybe use this time to broaden his social horizons. Wherever you send him to school, if he's very boffin-ish the other kids won't quite know what to make of him. I would ask school to focus on stretching him academically as much as possible but also on keeping a watchful eye on interactions and checking he is making friends and integrating. If he's really bright he will thrive academically in any school, but where he is he has a chance to befriend and be enriched by being among a much more diverse set of peers.

Op it's a shame you're not in a grammer school area because he sounds like that would be the best place for him.

How would crowd finding work?

Would you need funding for the entire 5 years?
I don’t think any crowdfunding will do that and even if you get it for one year it’s not a good idea to let him go there and then pull him out.

If you can’t afford it, then you can’t afford it - it absolutely sucks and is an example of why the children from wealthy parents have a massive advantage.

I would speak to the school and research every possible bursary and scholarship. There are many scholarships available for exceptional students and if he is genuinely that bright then it should be easy to get one.

He sounds like he could have some SEND. Does he have other behaviours that point towards this? If so it might be worth getting him assessed which will help him in life but also may help towards getting him a scholarship.

The content of the later books is unsuitable , why did you let him read them at 7?

You want him moved up a year, in a secondary comp (I am assuming, correct me if I'm wrong) and he's an august born, because he's read Harry Potter and likes STEM? Are you completely unaware that social relationships are important in high school?