Be honest - would you send DC private if you could?

[Naptrappedmummy]

If your DC is at a state school and you were offered free places for them at the local indie, would you accept? If so, why? If not, why not?

YANBU - Yes I would send them private
YABU - No I wouldn’t send them private

Me - yes I would, in a heartbeat (DD at state primary).

We have pretty much no disposable income so our 3 can go to a fee paying school. But I have taught in multiple state schools in the local area over the last 20 years and know it is 100% worth the sacrifice.

Probably not that said my df eldest is in an independent and she’s so up her own arse with her superiority complex (to my dc and me) I’m not convinced I’d like it. I’m sure she’ll enter the workforce with confidence but god she’s a dick. I don’t think independent schools are better in that sense but they do help build networks and open doors.

I have plenty of money and don’t on principle.

I could have but I didn't. I'm not keen on privately educated people. Also they wouldn't have taken my very dyslexic daughter because she wouldn't have passed any entrance exam. But she got AAA* at A-Level in a dodgy comp. I'm proud of her and the amazing teachers who taught her. I would not want her being with a bunch of boater wearing entitled horrors. My son is at the same school and doing just as well. I love that he gets to do loads of sport and has really grown in confidence since he got there. Private schools do well because they only take the brightest kids - it's a scam.

Fuck, no.

No, we did look into it and decided it was not for our child private does not always mean best

If I was unhappy with the local state schools I'd rather spend the money moving into the catchment area of good state schools than private schools.

10 years ago I'd have said no way. I now have 2 bright children being inadequately taught (not the fault of the teachers or schools, there just aren't enough teachers or funding in state schools). My friends keep d goes private and it just feels so so unfair. If I could live in a dream universe, I would get rid of private, grammars and religious schools. In the absence of that, I'll take the private school place you're offering me!

Absolutely not.

Not unless there were extreme circumstances where by the indie was actually like a decent normal state, in a place where the states were abysmal - and to be fair, my bar for abysmal is low enough I don't believe I'd ever have a desire to go private.

Nope

Gosh, loads of private school threads tonight in an election year

Yes.

In what we thought was “a lovely state school” a group of kids burned it down. It was really just luck that everyone got out unhurt.

After years of classes in sheds “modular classrooms” it was at a point where there were no actual teachers for classes. Not just substitute teachers … literally no teachers.

And then in the latest assessment it was admitted that they can’t even keep kids safe because of disruptive behaviour.

So we remortgaged to send them to private, and it will take an extra 10 years to pay for it.

So yeah, if I could have a private place for free I would!

Yes they did and yes we did. My two got academic scholarships and we jumped at the chance. Having clever kids getting a hard time for working hard and being bright is not a great place to be. Private school fixed that.

I privately educate my DC with a constant huge amount of guilt. If there was a good enough state option near me I wouldn't dream of it. In principle I think private school is a pernicious idea and if it was banned I would honestly celebrate. Yes I know I'm a rank hypocrite but I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford private and ultimately I'm not throwing my DD under a bus for my political principles.

I'd be crazy not to. Our local state schools are poor and I'd feel I'd failed my DC if I had to send them there.

Once I have paid for life's essentials I'm happy to commit every penny towards my DC's education.

I've been investing for quite a while to build up a fund for this purpose. If it was suddenly made free then that would be great!

Not currently, no. DS is in a state primary which is excellent, small class, high ratio of staff:children. They do lots of extras, languages, music etc and he has a lovely group of friends. It's also 2 mins walk away.

Currently no. But this is because we have spent a fortune moving house to live in the catchment of good schools. A few years ago when I could see the primary school we were at wasn't working out I would have said yes.

I would be careful choosing a private school though. I have taught in private schools and they are not all the same. Some are full of the super rich and I really don't think my children would enjoy feeling like they couldn't compete with the lifestyle of their peers. Other private schools (often away from the SE) have children from more varied backgrounds, often with one parent's salary covering only school fees. When families have chosen to put education ahead of other luxuries, schools have a less privileged and more academic vibe.

No, I would have never chosen private. My DD went to a state school and came out with straight 9s. She wouldn't have been able to top that in private school so it would have been a waste of money.

Hhmmm I think it would benefit my DC - the confidence and articulateness (see you can tell I went to state).

But the DC would refuse to go. DC1 on ideological grounds and DC2 on laziness. Their current (state) secondary school is a 5 mins walk away.

Also, the most local private schools are tiny so I suspect too much risk as to whether they have a good cohort who challenge each other and also friendship groups, and not necessarily better teaching. Plus at least one is religious and DC1 is anti-religion and well as anti-elitism .

Probably yes, for primary. Definitely yes for secondary.

We could afford to. Holding off though as our local schools are good and easy to walk to. Private would be a longer day and at least a 30 min school bus journey each way....I'm just not prepared to do that to a 7 year old and don't think the gains would be worth it.

Where we are most of the near enough private school are single sex which I'm not so keen on either.

Absolutely. I was lucky to go to a great state school thanks to where I grew up. DH went to a really shit state school and moved to private in S2 so we've seen all aspects between us.

We chose our house knowing that we might need to pay for secondary education thanks to the local state schools (our catchment is over 3 miles away in a bad area, terrible results, regular fights etc). I don't feel able to send our DC there knowing DH and I had a very different experience. One DC also has autism and I think they'd benefit massively from smaller class sizes etc

I'm not keen on privately educated people.

What? Every single one? If a poster wrote ‘I’m not keen on state educated people’ would you think that acceptable?

No I wouldn't, because the local state primary my kids went to is brilliant.

Secondary, I might. There is only one brilliant state secondary round here.

I do throw money at extracurriculars and an hour of maths tutoring a week to make sure she practices at least a bit as they don't get homework or anything like that.

I moved my 2 children from state to private, so yes I would and I did! We were not in the position to do so for a few years, but as as soon as we were, we did and didn’t look back. However, our decision was based on the state options we have in our area, which are very dire. Their experience at private school is a world away from their experience at state. I may think differently if the local state schools were better.