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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to say private school children are much sportier & better musicians?

633 replies

Denimrevival · 29/06/2023 11:43

Just on the back of comparing with friends & family with dc in private schools. The kids & their families are all naturally sporty & outdoorsy anyways but the school provides a vast range of sports with it's own pool & swim team.
Musically their kids all play 2 or three instruments all at least grade 4 or 5..
How do these private schools do the academics, music & sports to such a high standard? Do they also have a very good base if the kids are having sport & music reinforced outside school through their families lifestyles?

OP posts:
Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 17:47

TheWalrusdidbeseech · 29/06/2023 17:34

How would I have little insight in to state school I work with secondary schools and both my DC are at one, I would say that is quite a big insight.

looking at the Hollywood version of state schools you gave us earlier, I'd say you haven't got a clue.

'Hollywood version' - how out of touch are you? I'm sorry to say that the truth is your hefty tax bill is going on state schools where the children do have disruptive, chaotic and violent experiences on a daily basis.

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/06/2023 17:48

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 17:32

I have nieces and nephews at private secondary school so have a very good insight in to that life. How would I have little insight in to state school I work with secondary schools and both my DC are at one, I would say that is quite a big insight.

So your Mum is an 'Artist' and Dad a 'record producer' so what, it doesn't change my argument that the best creativity comes from a place of understanding adversity and the dichotomies of the real world, the main one being poverty and wealth, how can you possibly understand poverty if you attend private school. My DH is an Architect, being married to him gives me an insight in to that creative process but it is a none argument and has zero to do with my point about private schools producing better musicians- particularly as all the evidence is to the contrary!

But by the same logic, how could a person who had a very underprivileged upbringing understand the dichotomy either? If it's the contrary that fuels the creativity it needs to be there on both ends surely?

PolkadotsAndMoonbeams · 29/06/2023 17:49

it doesn't change my argument that the best creativity comes from a place of understanding adversity and the dichotomies of the real world, the main one being poverty and wealth

I wouldn't say playing in an orchestra or singing at the Royal Opera House necessarily needs you to be creative though. An awful lot is about being absolutely reliable with your sound, and a good team player.

People who do that are just as much musicians as a singer-songwriter like Lewis Capaldi or Adele.

itsgettingweird · 29/06/2023 17:51

The pain difference is most independent schools will have much longer days.

Secondary schools nowadays get shorter and shorter days and often finish at 2.30pm. Many only have a half hour lunch.

Also some independents have Saturday school.

So if you attend school 8.30 until 4.30pm daily and have 1 hour lunch you a) have more time for lunch clubs, b) have 5 extra hours a week and c) actually get time to eat a decent meal and have some respite so feel more inclined to do more exercise!

They often also tend to have actual music teachers so they get a wider arrange of musical opportunity via their curriculum.

Funding cuts to sate education and increased responsibility to record everything and justify everything means teachers are less inclined to run an after school club as they prioritise getting home by 7pm having actually finished their work and having some weekends!!! (And I don't blame them!)

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 29/06/2023 17:52

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 17:01

300K? That is 4 x the amount a full private secondary education will cost us for DD. Where did you get that figure from? None of the private schools in our entire county would cost 6 figures.

OK, so you're saying that private secondary for one child has cost you £75,000 in total? Perhaps on the low side of normal, but fair enough.

Can you explain exactly how you think a low income family would go about saving up £75k in an 11 year period? Do you actually have any inkling of what it is like for people who live on low incomes?

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 17:52

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/06/2023 17:48

But by the same logic, how could a person who had a very underprivileged upbringing understand the dichotomy either? If it's the contrary that fuels the creativity it needs to be there on both ends surely?

That's not the same logic though, if you are at a state school you experience all arrays of life not just the offspring of the 7 % of the population that can afford to go to private school.

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 17:54

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 29/06/2023 17:52

OK, so you're saying that private secondary for one child has cost you £75,000 in total? Perhaps on the low side of normal, but fair enough.

Can you explain exactly how you think a low income family would go about saving up £75k in an 11 year period? Do you actually have any inkling of what it is like for people who live on low incomes?

5 years of private in our area will cost at current prices 70K yes.
I wasn't the one who said it was affordable on a low income, I was just refuting the idea that all private schools cost 300K

Terryer · 29/06/2023 17:55

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 17:52

That's not the same logic though, if you are at a state school you experience all arrays of life not just the offspring of the 7 % of the population that can afford to go to private school.

🤣🤣

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 29/06/2023 17:56

Oh, OK, you're talking 5 years? That makes more sense, I was working on the assumption of 7 years.

And fair enough if you are not arguing that lower income families could save for this if they chose to do so. The pp who thinks that is clearly lacking in any awareness!!

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 17:57

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves just to clarify I said that DH and I were on low/average wages when we started saving up. Over 8 years we saved enough for 5 years of private education. That was through not upsizing our house when all our friends were doing so and not having big foreign holidays.
We were extremely lucky in that DHs salary grew enormously over the last 3 years but we managed it through sacrifice and we still haven't upsized our house.

TheWalrusdidbeseech · 29/06/2023 17:59

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 17:47

'Hollywood version' - how out of touch are you? I'm sorry to say that the truth is your hefty tax bill is going on state schools where the children do have disruptive, chaotic and violent experiences on a daily basis.

pretty sure if my child or if my husband were threatened with knives and assaulted in the school I would know about it 😂

but of course if you have one nephew at school you will know all about the school system in the UK..

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 17:59

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 29/06/2023 17:56

Oh, OK, you're talking 5 years? That makes more sense, I was working on the assumption of 7 years.

And fair enough if you are not arguing that lower income families could save for this if they chose to do so. The pp who thinks that is clearly lacking in any awareness!!

We haven't decided yet what will happen for 6th form but even so it wouldn't take the cost above 100K for 7 years of private education

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 18:00

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 17:57

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves just to clarify I said that DH and I were on low/average wages when we started saving up. Over 8 years we saved enough for 5 years of private education. That was through not upsizing our house when all our friends were doing so and not having big foreign holidays.
We were extremely lucky in that DHs salary grew enormously over the last 3 years but we managed it through sacrifice and we still haven't upsized our house.

So which one is it - being lucky or sacrifice. So out of touch, some people are not sacrificing the bigger house, they would be sacrificing 'the house' or 'the flat'!

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 18:05

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 18:00

So which one is it - being lucky or sacrifice. So out of touch, some people are not sacrificing the bigger house, they would be sacrificing 'the house' or 'the flat'!

Both! Sacrificed enormously for 6 years and then lucky (???) that DH salary meant we could afford it quicker. If his salary hadn't gone up we would have continued sacrificing other stuff.
We don't live in London/South so housing costs are fairly low. Don't assume everyone is paying 1000s per month to put a roof over their heads.
When we started saving we were on joint salary of 40K and that enabled up to pay mortgage, live and save up.

Terryer · 29/06/2023 18:05

Goldenbear · 29/06/2023 17:47

'Hollywood version' - how out of touch are you? I'm sorry to say that the truth is your hefty tax bill is going on state schools where the children do have disruptive, chaotic and violent experiences on a daily basis.

It's alright though, because they can immortalise their experiences in song.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 29/06/2023 18:06

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 17:57

@MrsBennetsPoorNerves just to clarify I said that DH and I were on low/average wages when we started saving up. Over 8 years we saved enough for 5 years of private education. That was through not upsizing our house when all our friends were doing so and not having big foreign holidays.
We were extremely lucky in that DHs salary grew enormously over the last 3 years but we managed it through sacrifice and we still haven't upsized our house.

Well, was it low or average? They are not the same thing.

What was your average household income over the 8 years that you saved up and how much did you manage to save?

The low income families that I work with do not have enough money for the basics. It would be beyond impossible for them to save up enough for private education, or even anything approaching that. So I suspect that your version of low income might be different from mine?

TheWalrusdidbeseech · 29/06/2023 18:06

It's alright though, because they can immortalise their experiences in song.

😂😂😂
spot on.

Denimrevival · 29/06/2023 18:10

TheWalrusdidbeseech · 29/06/2023 12:29

hahaha 😂

You keep telling yourself that. Even when it's "blind", it's pretty obvious who did what going through the list of skills and experience.

Instead of trying to punish the ones who have achieved more and better, and dumbing down the level, why not instead push for more opportunities for state school pupils?

@TheWalrusdidbeseech exactly it's not about punishing the children who had access to great enrichment opportunities at all. It's about looking at these kids & seeing what parents can emulate & what schools can do to make such provisions available for all. If I could afford to send my kids to the local private I would in a heartbeat but I can't so for me it's a matter of looking at kids that do go private.. My main observations were music and sports as I mentioned in my opening post.

OP posts:
Notmineagain · 29/06/2023 18:12

My dc are at a very competitive and academic independent school (NW London). Our school has said that if your child wants to try out any activity/sport/ instrument and if they don't offer it, they will get it to the school somehow. There's nothing they can't make happen. I wish this sort of opportunity was offered to all kids everywhere.

Wenfy · 29/06/2023 18:12

Private school kids are often taught music, sports and languages from Primary. The type of kid who goes to private in secondary tends to be one who has gone through Primary so it’s those who seem to excel. Speaking from experience with my DC’s school hardly any of the kids who move to Private Secondary from State Primaries (rich or otherwise) are sporty or athletic.

Stickybackplasticbear · 29/06/2023 18:12

Well it's natural is it. You can't be daft enough to think that. It's all the time and money put into those activities. Obviously.

Denimrevival · 29/06/2023 18:13

I forgot to mention field trips, days out & trips abroad. Privates excel at these too.. Couple that with kids who get extensive travel opportunities with their families too, they are very fortunate.
Enrichment in state schools could be greatly increased.

OP posts:
Rinoachicken · 29/06/2023 18:13

They start earlier, finish later, and also often are in school at weekends for sport.

More hours = more hours to fit all that stuff in and still cover the academics as well.

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 18:16

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 29/06/2023 18:06

Well, was it low or average? They are not the same thing.

What was your average household income over the 8 years that you saved up and how much did you manage to save?

The low income families that I work with do not have enough money for the basics. It would be beyond impossible for them to save up enough for private education, or even anything approaching that. So I suspect that your version of low income might be different from mine?

I've already stated it was 40K for the first 6 years although I don't think I need to justify this

twistyizzy · 29/06/2023 18:17

Terryer · 29/06/2023 18:05

It's alright though, because they can immortalise their experiences in song.

🤣

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