To use a comprehensive school?

[StatisticallyLow]

I work in a private school. It is very stressful (I only did a short spell in state whilst training, so can't easily compare).

My ds is due to move to secondary this September. There is a very good teacher discount at my school for fees (50%). However I am considering sending him to our local (rated 'good' Ofsted) comprehensive, which we are certain to get a place at in March. His friends are going to many schools, so no obvious choice there.

I think people are a bit surprised by this, especially due to my job. However I am hoping that as a bright and studious child he will be just fine? I know the private school may get better results, but it is academically selective so that skews the results. I may not stay in my job forever, but I could afford the fees as DH happy to pay. I think the assumption of friends/colleagues was that he'd go to the private school.

To note - he is in state primary.

Just thought of one other thing. At my children’s school (state), there was a set of new boys who had come en masse from the nearest private school in Yr12. They were rude and disruptive which was eye-opening as new pupils don’t tend to be so cocky from day 1 like these but I think they stayed together as a pack and had similar A Level choices. Unfortunately one was my daughter’s class.

I did think that is an advantage of private school as they were not there (!) because private schools have more say in who stays for sixth form. From a friend I know this lot had been encouraged to leave. But then again, this set had been privately educated from Yr7-11. And schools will need the money.

I think it really does depend on your child. Some children are highly motivated, work hard regardless of school and do extremely well. Some need to be in an environment that reminds them to keep up the work pace, and some find such environments stressful causing more issues than benefit.

As a teacher, if your child does start to 'fall behind', struggle you might be able to help more and pick up on such issues.

If I was in your shoes I'd send my dc to private, only because I know how stressed they get if others are misbehaving and need peers that are very much into studying and getting high grades. That is how my dc functions, it might be the complete opposite for your child. I'm also making huge assumptions about the two schools you have mentioned, I'm pretty much imagining the local comprehensive where I live 😁

If your son is top-set material, send him to state school. He will still get his 8s and 9s.

If he is not top set material, or considerably below this level, he might find it easier and more peaceful to get decent grades in the private sector.

If it’s a good private school then take it. Having read what state school teachers are saying about the terrible issues in the state sector right now, I am afraid I think you should buy your way out of it.

Teaching standards are very high in state schools and teachers are under constant scrutiny - through performance management, lesson observations, book scrutinies and results analysis. Training is constant, even for experienced teachers.

There are teachers in state schools teaching to very high standards, but due to the critical shortage of teachers, there will also be classes getting an endless stream of supply teachers, or who have teachers who are not teaching to a high standard that the school had to hire to fill a gap, or that the school can't get rid of because they can't replace.

Class sizes are getting bigger, options are being reduced and support staff are dwindling.

Teachers aren't currently in the middle of industrial action because things in state schools are great. They're not.

I agree that teachers in state schools are very good. I understand about issues with supply teachers etc too, which is obviously something to consider. Ds likes both schools.

Op you are also focusing on results.

What's his personality like? Which environment would he prefer, do the pupils at your school seem happy?

I think school is more than just grades and finding the right environment for your dc. I assume the private school is smaller and cosier?
Some dc don't care but some prefer a smaller feel.