AIBU to discuss A level success without private school spending?

[Absorbthecost]

Parents/carers who have not spent a penny on Educating their children and they have just received great A level results.

The sacrifices made all the struggle,

I’m interested to discuss families where the child has succeeded without need for private school

https://www.gbnews.com/money/private-school-fees-soar-vat

https://www.ft.com/content/091b214d-231b-414a-8f3e-9ef9fc021926?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Those who did pay,

presumably to secure great results at A level

The same kids off to Uni, placements easier to secure as less international competition. Uni the playing field evens.

And now time to pay for Uni,

https://inews.co.uk/news/education/university-tuition-fees-11000-2030-4705197?srsltid=AfmBOorss52PSHD6xJzisWMdeNxcXDen3IrCGS49nnGH1ZyDnmvTOh_k

A child who did outstanding (without spending a penny) the same result as a family who spent £250k + The above article is a low estimation for a selective U.K. day/ boarding.

The kids holding the same result off to the same Uni, How are families feeling!?…. Did you save to help towards the Uni Fees/accomodation.

Impressive all round.

I don't think it works like that, really. I don't think most kids go around with a mental checklist of which of their peers were privately educated or not.

In fact, as stated above, there are a huge number of factors which determine how well a child achieves in their exams, whether or not the parents have paid is not the most important swing factor. There are world-beating comprehensives and appalling private schools, and many many other factors which come into play which are not about school at all, such as the child's intrinsic academic ability, ability to perform under exam conditions, mental stability, the amount of parental support received, peer support, tutoring, I could go on and on and on ad nauseam.

But also as numerous PPs have said, achieving good exam results is often not the key motivating factor for parents in paying for private school.

I think this thread is a bit of an attempted gotcha aimed at people who pay for their kids education, but you're grossly oversimplifying the factors involved.

Full disclosure I do pay for private education (not for academic reasons). I don't mind people having a pop at me for this for ideological reasons because I am uncomfortable with some aspects of the premise of paying for education, but ultimately my child's wellbeing is more important than commitment to an ideological standard set by others. If that makes me a hypocrite, so be it.

But also I think your logic is skewed and you're not really comparing like with like.

@Absorbthecost after your most recent update you are clearly not being genuine. I think you’ll be disappointed. The majority of private school parents are just doing the best for their children with the resources they have, just like everybody else

Ah ok you’ve got a personal obsession issue with private school, hope you can cure yourself soon, it’s a lovely day out there, enjoy!

I'm very sorry that the extra curriculars are being cut at some private schools. I know they're not at my kids', as I have signed them up for clubs for drama and choir, and they have sport 3 times a week with matches most weekends. That's not changing where we are.
The hours they're at school certainly aren't being changed.
And I'm aware they can all join out of school clubs - but I'd have to transport them there, they'd have to choose to do that rather than spend their times on screens etc, whereas the school they're at has 3 or 4 sports per term that they are regularly taught, with matches at their school, or travelled to other schools on a coach, I.e. I don't have to transport them round the county for it. School makes it much easier, especially for those who aren't stellar talents - they can play in the D team and still have matches, I think it would be harder to find that outside of school. Not impossible I'm sure, but much harder

I love these examples. You must be over the moon.

Unlike you, that doesn’t bother me one jot.

So it’s Daycare and Uber One.

= £250k per child.

I sent mine to private preps because they were not really enjoying the local state school and to state secondaries because our local ones were decent and they were older and more able to advocate for themselves.

I know a number of children who went private from state because they struggled at state for a variety of reasons. Some due to additional needs. I know a few who got scholarships and bursaries. I am not sure any brag about it - some are pretty pissed that state school has let them down.

Mine all go to state schools but luckily mine can adapt and tolerate crappy behaviour that teachers seem to sympathise with and cover up. Not all children can do that and no child should watch their class mate throw chairs and tables across the room in primary school. If a parent wants to pay to ensure their child doesn’t witness such behaviour I fully support them.

I think Labours tax increases for private schools will only make state schools even more overcrowded. The kids who would have gone private will still get top grades as plenty will have spare cash for private tutors and extra curric. The kids will be tutored to pass aptitude tests or the 11 plus (depending on area).

Good teaching, good pastoral care, well behaved kids - that’s what I’m paying for, if they don’t get amazing a-level results I’m not bothered. I’m paying for the experience, facilities, and being around other enthusiastic kids who want to learn.

No I think a state school kid achieving the same grades as a kid propped up, spoon fed at private, off to the same Uni ultimately level playing field (without £250k family ‘investment’) must be feeling like they’ve won the lottery!

Well since you’ve been paying private school fees as a parent on your previous threads, you must feel like you’ve lost it.

Reported.

Many people dont pay for results but for the experience. First class and economy both get you to your destination but first class is more comfortable on the way.

People want wrap around care, nice facilities, small classes, pastoral support, accesss to music and sports that they would be paying for on other ways or just not getting.

Im a parent of a child who got great results from a local comp that was one of the worst in my area when he joined. He never got near a proper instrument though. Just a few lessons tapping thier desks.

Reported for what it’s hilarious!

Yes I am still paying. It is the biggest waste of money I have ever experienced. I congratulate the children who have swerved this ‘situation’ to me private school is Day care.

Not everyone picks private school for the exam results. Many do but they tend to admit it.

My dd got 3 x As at a state comp.
Degree and post grad at an RG uni.
Shs has travelled widely all over Europe (indeed, is there now) and plays a sport at club level.
You really don't need to "go private" to achieve any of the above.

How many emails does your school send begging for donations.

You can’t afford the first class your money is swallowed by the Day care, be real.

We all know this.

No one at a private school in this climate can be so stupid to not see this!

Although plenty of state schools dc have tuition to help that academic success, plenty do in the private schools do to obviously.

YANBU OP most A Level students are not and have not gone to private school, and still receive great results.
But you’re wasting your breathe with the Private School parents as they’ll all come tumbling along soon to claim that grades were absolutely NOT the reason they sent their offspring to Private school… and will blather on about ‘richness’ and ‘opportunity’ and ‘well-rounded’ as if sticking kids in a rarified, privileged bubble is somehow more diverse and more competitive than sending them to normal schools.
you know - schools where there is genuine diversity, and competition, and where their decidedly average sprogs aren’t going to be the head of this and captain of that because there’s a lot of children to actually compete against.

Lots of parents do pay for private school because they think the education and thus the grades will be better though.

Same ways as lots of parents move house/find religion/tutor their DC for the 11+ to get them into the state schools with better results.

To answer OP's question, as none of us can clone our children we have no way of knowing whether their experience and/or grades would have been better if they'd gone to private instead of state or vice versa. We can only comment that we are happy with the outcomes that our individual child had. And "happy with" does not mean perfect. It might even mean "good enough". I don't think any school is perfect or any child will have a perfect experience.

Do you mean your couldnt afford first class?

I know i couldnt. I went economy.

I can see the private schools near me have smaller classes and more sports and music and better wrap around care availability. I cant see this as different than a bigger seat and a glass of wine.

I think most people given the choice would send their children to private school. I would have sent my sons if I could have afforded it. Their state school wasn't in the most deprived area, but there were big class sizes, and lots of unruly behaviour, and indifferent teachers.
Nevertheless, they did really well, mainly due to their hard work and our support at home (no tutors, just me coaching).
My friend's daughter suffered horrendous bullying at her private school though so I guess it's not a guarantee.

Ah, so really you’re pissed off at yourself for making the wrong decision. It makes sense now.