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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To consider private primary?

27 replies

surreygirl1987 · 13/01/2023 20:58

I have two children at nursery. My eldest will go to school in September. I live in a small village with an 'outstanding' primary school. It is big- 3 form intake, and classes are mixed out at 30 with a waiting list.

I teach in a private secondary school. I get a 50% staff discount to send my children to a local prep school in the same village. This has 2 form intake and maximum 15 in each class. Plus longer days, so my kids won't need wraparound care. Facilities honestly seem pretty equal (I get the state primary gets lots of funding as it's so big).

The difference we'd have to pay to send my kids to the private school would be £8k for both kids in total per year (taking into account school dinner costs, state wraparound care etc). We could do it, but would feel it. £8k is a lot of money and could be saved for a deposit for a house when they're older, or invested or spent on travel or whatever.

The long term plan would be for them to go to the senior school I work at (if I'm still there- if not, then wherever I am working).

Wwyd? The private school option at £8k a year or the state primary option? Thanks in advance.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 13/01/2023 21:04

My DC did State Primary and Private Secondary because we had the option of a good Primary but Secondary provision is awful.
There was no knowledge gap and while they was a gap in PE/sports due to time spent doing it at Primary they soon caught up. My DC were actually more mature and streetwise than a lot of their Y7 peers who had been there since Prep.
Of course your circumstances are a bit different because you will have to consider wrap around care and we didn’t but generally if you have a good State option available there is no need for Private, especially if finances will be tight

underneaththeash · 13/01/2023 21:06

Every private school we’ve been to has been significantly better than every state school my three have been to. Both in London and outside.

however, in KS1 you can easily broach the gap, it’s social at that stage. (For you mainly).

if money is an issue wait til ks2.

(ks1 = infants) (ks2= Juniors)

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 13/01/2023 21:16

Yeh, I thought about waiting until Yesr 3 entry, but the school has a tougher selection process then and lots get rejected so it is a risk. Plus they don't accept many extra at Year 3. We could never afford private school without the discount so it would have to be this school if private.

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cansu · 13/01/2023 21:21

No. You can't really afford it.

Oinkypig · 13/01/2023 21:50

I think your prep sounds a little too small and not a lot of options if friendships don’t work out. Also if it doesn’t work out in the prep it sounds like it could be tricky to get into the state primary.

I’d worry about the financial security of a private school that small that also offers 50% discount to staff children.

90 children a year is not a big primary school at all either I would say it’s just big enough.

Thats before even thinking about money….

Oinkypig · 13/01/2023 21:54

Sorry missed your last post, that sounds a bit strange the school rejects lots of children in year 3 but allows staff to start younger children in reception with a 50% discount, I would be really worried they would be tempted to get staff children to leave in favour of brighter, full paying pupils at year 3. You know the school though so maybe that just doesn’t happen.

VestaTilley · 13/01/2023 22:20

Don’t do it. £8k per year is a lot of money if you can’t really afford it. Private primary isn’t worth it anyway.

Hankunamatata · 13/01/2023 22:31

So round up to about £700 a month. How much would wrap round care ve at the local primary?

Reluctantadult · 13/01/2023 22:33

My friend used to teach at a private primary until 5yrs ago and always says it's a waste of money.

Msstakes · 13/01/2023 22:34

Hopefully private schools are going to lose their "charitable" status. So will cost 20% more quite likely.

Nevermind31 · 13/01/2023 22:36

We chose private primary for the wrap around care, which was excellent. We left private primary because the classes got too small - lots of kids left when they got places at the state primary they wanted + other reasons. Although the state primary we went to only has 20 per class

yoyo1234 · 13/01/2023 22:38

What would school lunches and wrap around cost? Is it likely they would then go to the secondary school you teach in with their friends from primary. I love the idea of "run through" (4-18) schooling and small classes.. ..

Landlubber2019 · 13/01/2023 22:40

Go state school, very little difference in ks1. Have you considered the increasing costs for KS2 + 3 and what if your job changes and the bursary is lost?

Staffielove23 · 13/01/2023 23:18

I’m guessing you only get the discount when working there? If so you are committing yourself to working in the same school for how many years. I don’t even know.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:14

I’m guessing you only get the discount when working there?

The discount will still apply even if I change schools, so that is not an issue, as long as I stay there for at least another year and a half. Although I'm not planning on going anywhere.

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Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:16

I’d worry about the financial security of a private school that small that also offers 50% discount to staff children

No, the financial security is excellent. It's a top school, very well regarded and very stable financially, so not at all worried on that front. All the private schools I've ever worked in offer 50% staff discount and they're all top well known ones.

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Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:17

Have you considered the increasing costs for KS2 + 3 and what if your job changes and the bursary is lost?

Yes, the fees stay very similar until they leave year 6. Then when they start year 7 at the senior school it rises substantially. We can afford it but it is certainly a hit.

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Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:20

We chose private primary for the wrap around care, which was excellent. We left private primary because the classes got too small - lots of kids left when they got places at the state primary they wanted + other reasons. Although the state primary we went to only has 20 per class

Yes that's a key reason why I'm considering - the local state option wraparound care concerns me. The private school has just increased it's numbers from 20 intake to 30 intake due to demand so are moving from one form to two. Then they take a small handful more at Year 3 but are very selective then.

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Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:20

Hopefully private schools are going to lose their "charitable" status. So will cost 20% more quite likely

Yes, this is certainly a concern.

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YomAsalYomBasal · 14/01/2023 00:21

I would, personally. State schools are going rapidly downhill and you're being offered a bargain.

unicornsandchocolate · 14/01/2023 00:23

I am in a very similar position to you (I think same county also) and have chosen state primary for now. We want to put the money we save towards family experiences etc.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:24

What would school lunches and wrap around cost? Is it likely they would then go to the secondary school you teach in with their friends from primary. I love the idea of "run through" (4-18) schooling and small classes

We've factored that in. The difference between private and state would be £8k all things considered. And yes, almost every child goes from the prep to the senior school - it's the main feeder school. The senior school is large. There are lots of spaces to join at that point, but it is a very selective school with a big waiting list and many more apply than there are places, so no guarantees they'd get in then. Pretty much automatic if they're already at the prep though.

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unicornsandchocolate · 14/01/2023 00:25

I mean we have chosen state school for primary education. We are hoping the children will join me at my school (entrance assessments depending) for secondary.

Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:26

Sorry missed your last post, that sounds a bit strange the school rejects lots of children in year 3 but allows staff to start younger children in reception with a 50% discount, I would be really worried they would be tempted to get staff children to leave in favour of brighter, full paying pupils at year 3. You know the school though so maybe that just doesn’t happen.

No, quite the opposite. Staff children seem to get an unfair preference actually (although no guarantees they'd get in at year 3). They like staff kids going there. The school is very wealthy so I'm not worried about that aspect.

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Original poster
surreygirl1987 · 14/01/2023 00:29

I am in a very similar position to you (I think same county also) and have chosen state primary for now. We want to put the money we save towards family experiences etc

Yes this is our dilemma also. We could afford it but we would be able to easily afford loads of expensive travel trips each year... I want to go on ski trips and exotic holidays and it's school or lifestyle, can't have both.

How does your wraparound care work though? That's what I'm worried about... I work long days.

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