To ask you honestly how good your local state school is

[bliepenco]

Just that really. I’ve heard so many bad things about state. If you are totally honest, is there violence, disruption etc? What do your kids say about their days? I’m worried about Dd starting school as have no understanding of the state sector (not from the uk) and have read some bleak things about it!

My kids went to an ofsted outstanding primary & secondary. Neither was perfect, but same
as any school really, you’re going to get some fighting, disruption, especially in secondary. They left their state secondary with 21 grade 9’s between them (DD getting all 9’s this summer). Their cousins on dad’s side all go to private school but its not anything we considered for ours. But we had good schools on our doorstep, and this is the reason I have stayed where I live until youngest goes to uni, i’m desperate to move back up north but less than 2yrs to go.

Same for me, excellent schools, but high house prices.

Primary school - the absolute best a school can be. On an estate. I can not sing the praises of the Head and every teacher my sons had.

Secondary - one of the best state schools in the country. The standards are so high. Homework every night. They are really pushed. Fantastic opportunities. I can see how if you are not academic to a certain degree it might be difficult.

The school I work at a few miles away - the teachers are like none I have ever met. Incredible team. Just has no where near the financial resources of my children’s school. So there are fewer opportunities like less range of subjects to choose in the first place.

My kids went to a 'Requires Improvement' state secondary in a Northern provincial town. They did fine. Good GCSEs No bullying or violence. DS got caught up in incident where a large group of boys were searched for contraband - he thinks a gas cooker lighter thing. But this and an incident where a child climbed into a neighbouring garden to get a ball were the most dramatic it got.

Large village with 3 primaries all rated good or excellent, DD goes to the Catholic secondary in nearby provincial type town, which has 4 secondaries, again all good or excellent. DD loves her school and settled in easily. Discipline is good, expectations are ambitious but realistic, relationships between staff and pupils seem to be mostly respectful and productive, lots of extracurricular activities....sports, music, trips etc. I couldn't ask for more really. We've been very lucky. But I would say in our area this is perfectly normal and just the general expectation... all the schools are great, there's no bad choice really.

Our local schools are really good. Very lucky. The staff are mostly really great. Theres a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities.

I never considered private because the schools are really small and socially narrow. Plus the long days are restrictive. People think private is all upside but it's not. Teens in those schools can really struggle too.

It is harder in all state schools after such long years of budget cuts, plus COVID has affected kids a lot. But overall, our local schools are still great.

I went to private school and we were all convinced - doubtless fed this by our parents - that state schools were scary unpleasant places full of bullying and disruption.

I was a bit apprehensive about sending my kids to state school - partly because we had no experience of it and had been fed these narratives.

I have to say, I have been really pleasantly surprised. A lot of what is said by private school parents turns out to be huge exaggeration. I suppose to an extent to spend that amount of money on something, you really have to convince yourself the alternative must be awful.

The school my kids go to is a pretty standard London primary, it's not especially posh, but it has - great wraparound care, enrichment clubs every day, the teachers differentiate really well in class - different tables working at different levels - my kids are really happy to go in and enthusiastic about learning.

The facilities are fine. My kids sometimes go to a holiday club at the local prep and the facilities there are much more swish - but I am not sure there is a fundamental difference.. both schools have plenty of space for children to play, the climbing frames look shabbier at the state school is all.

If I am honest, I would quite like to send my kids to private for secondary - but private schools have put the fees up so much in recent years, it's probably not going to be something we prioritise

There is disruption and flighting but the school deal with it pretty well. It’s a big school. I think something like 2,500 kids so there’s going to be problematic behaviour.

Mine were brilliant.
State all through.
No issues with pastoral care, excellent results, all at top universities (including Oxbridge) now.

primary absolutely excellent, secondary - low level disruption but the major thing for me is an absolute poverty of aspiration and ambition for the kids. This is a ‘good’ Hampshire secondary.

My children's primary is amazing. We have a local private and people choose our state primary over private as it is a better school. Lots of other good ones about, a couple of bad ones (poor behaviour,high turnover of pupils and staff). We are currently in the process of looking at secondaries. They all have a really good reputation but they have been quite mixed partly as we are in a grammar school area. I am definitely more concerned about this stage but think the main culprit is smartphones and the relaxed attitude the local schools have to them.

Are your grammars not state then? One of mine went to an excellent state grammar DS went to the local comp- then moaned 2 years later when his cousin got a grammar place( he hadn't wanted to do 11plus)both schools were fine. No violence security guards etc.

We live in London. Primary school was amazing. Between them mine went to three secondaries - two good, one amazing- it was a bit like a free private school! (Set up as a 'free school' by parents about 10 years ago - governors were very involved parents and the head was/ is outstanding.)

But London is known for better schools generally at secondary. My sister's kids school (100 miles away) boasts of its results but they wouldn't be considered all that good where we live.

We've gotten very lucky (as there is no way to guarantee entry into the secondary, it's not done by catchment). Primary is a tiny rural school, we drive 5 miles to it but it's such a nurturing school with a cohort that has very engaged parents, behaviour is excellent. We removed our son from a school that had a very challenging cohort that was hugely disruptive.

The secondary is in the top 10% of non selective state schools in the country (in terms of performance). It's a very aspirational school and really stretches the students. However, it does still have some issues with behaviour, not violence or what we hear from some of the other local schools, but disruptive classroom behaviour I've had to contact the school about a few times, it's improved for my son the more classes that have been put into sets.

I wouldn't use a private school even if someone gave me the money with the options we have currently.

Our local schools are good. Any disruption is felt with quickly. The primary is nurturing and amazing with children with SEN. The secondary's results are brilliant and they run a very tight ship and are hot on behaviour.

Primary or secondary. primary is amazing and tbh never single one in my town is very good. Secondary...I don't know yet but I have concerns....

I would say though my husband went to private school and my in-laws were horrified we were going to use state (as if we had a choice with a family of two nurses) as they truly believed all state schools were filled with knife carrying youfs.

I don’t call know because we didn’t live here when DS went to primary and now he goes to the boy’s Grammar school in our nearest city. I do know that they’re tiny! Our nearest primary takes 6 per year and the one on the other side of the village takes 15 per year. Everyone seems happy with them, the only issue has been that there aren’t many friendship options in the school that only takes 6.

DS’s primary was excellent. I know because I used to work there. It’s OFSTED outstanding and very nurturing. His final experience of primary was lockdown where they provided online learning from day 1, which is amazing really considering the amount of notice!

The local high school gets mixed reviews. Most of of friends’ children are doing well there but one is the disrupter and always in trouble! They also have a massive vaping problem. They also don’t have a 6th form and have given some questionable career advice to one of our friends’ children who wants to be a doctor.

DS’s Grammar school is incredible. They get insane results at GCSE and A level and behaviour is impeccable. They’re encouraged to really think and debate about wider issues And consider those careers very early on. The extra curricular options are limited though if you’re not into chess club type activities or rugby.

my son has ehcp so he can go to school anywhere, no need catchment. I move him to another school in a affluent area and its so different. The quality of people are different. I’m so sorry if i triggering someone with my post. I’m sure not all council estate kids are in bad upbringing.

Primary pretty good, secondary very good. My eldest DC is now studying at a highly ranked university, having gone through the state system with no extra tutoring, nice friends and an overall positive experience. I'm not sure what more he could have got from a private school tbh.

Had an image of a mum checking teeth and sniffing the kids to determine the quality.

Primary excellent, secondary dire, especially if you have any sort of SEN. Mine are at an independent school and very happy.

Ok sorry, I understand what you mean, they sound awful and I wouldn’t want my kids around that either,

Very very good. Dh and I always struck by the energy and positivity of the place whenever we visited. Both dds did as well as we could have hoped. Admittedly, dd1 could have got a better grade in one of her subjects and due to certain factors I absolutely hang the blame at the door of the school for that but she still managed to get into an excellent RG uni and is making brilliant progress.
Ultimately though, both of my dds were really happy and are both well-rounded and wonderful human beings.

Well that’s absolutely the ideal isn’t it, and I’m sure most people with a state secondary like that nearby would choose it over private. Sadly many of us don’t have a state secondary like that nearby so look at different options.