To wonder how the bloody hell people afford private education for their kids?

[HarderToKidnap]

Thinking about TTC and getting WAY ahead of myself I idly googled the local private schools. Bloody hell!! HOW do people afford this? My DH and I earn 100k between us every year so certainly not poor, but with a mortgage (on a two bed terrace) and other, what I consider to be reasonable, outgoings there is just not a way it could be done. So all these children being privately educated, do their parents earn masses and masses? Or am I missing a trick?

(Incidentally I wouldn't send my kid to private school - comprehensive was brilliant for me and if a child is going to do well they will do well, I believe. Was just wondering.)

Ooh, that makes me really posh, Chatelaine. All our school uniform is second hand.

I couldn't agree more, Archstanton. Though I'm laughing at the very idea of having my hair cut professionally since the children started school.

100k income is IMHO, absolutely shitloads. If you can't afford a private school then either a: you have a very poor accountant or b: one of you has terrible spending habits.

Perhaps you guys need to visit www.moneysavingexpert.com and learn how to spot a bargain, and show a little restraint.

Pixie i mean private primary schools nut some run to age 13

'True' preps all run until 13. That's what a prep school does- runs from 7-13 though most incluse a pre-prep from 4-7.

In some areas, you have private primaries instead which run from 4-11. These are usually found in areas where there are grammar schools so kids naturally leave at 11 or those areas that don't do CE and therefore the independent secondary schools take from 11.

I see archstanton thanks for that - dc5 is at a 'prep' that only runs to 11 although no grammars in area...

I see
Just looked one of ours up it 'says' prep school but only runs to 11?

Ds's first school went up to 11, it has prep on the sign outside the school. Ds's current goes up to 13. All of his friends are moving at 11 though so it'll be unfair to leave him there with no friends and move him at 13 so he's moving in September.

we are interested in our local pre-prep, but then it seems our son will be a bit lost going on to enter a state primary at 8.

surely most children go to grammar etc at 11? I have always though Malsis a bit odd having children there until 13....they seem too old to not be in secondary education

Yes, it depends on the secondary schools in the area. If they don't do CE and therefore all start at 11 then the primaries or 'preps' will only go up to 11.

Personally, I think this model is much fairer on the bright state school children. In areas that do CE, state school children are at a huge disadvantage. Far less so with 11+.

I think the plan is to move them to public school at 13 as they go from 13+

Traditional public schools all start at 13 and places are offered subject to how well children do in the CE exam. In some areas of the country such as the South East, almost all independent schools will be preps to 13 then senior school. Though you often find the boys schools change at 13 whilst the girls do 11+. It can be confusing.

In other areas of the country the 11+ will be the standard transfer time. Either because it's a grammar school area or because they just do 11+ rather than CE.

There are big advantages for boys in leaving them at prep school until they're 13: they're much more mature at that stage and ready to move on. At eleven, some of them are still little boys.

snobear, £100k is not shitloads, esp in London.

A very modest 3 bedroom semi in a very average suburb costs £500k. Even with a decent deposit that can still cost £2,500 a month, which is close to half of salary.

If its £100k combined then once you add in childcare costs which in London costs around £65 per day per child in a private nursery.

MumNW: if 100K will pay for a private day nursery, it will surely pay for a private junior school.

I was privately educated and ended up with 10 o'levels then 3 A'levels. I became a sodding nurse. My brother went to a rough comp then to a slighly better college and ended up at london poly where he got a 2:1 degree.He's a very successful millionaire....with several businesses!

2 25 year old newly qualified solicitors living together in London could easily pull in in excess of 100k. Not in the North East - but then, everything costs much less up here! The bare figures don't tell you much, really.

Yes, but day nursery for for 3 years, private school for 10+. Unlikely to have 3DC at a day nursery at once (a nanny would be cheaper)

Also, need to afford day nursery (or nanny) for younger DC and private school for older ones?

As I said before I am extremely lucky that DCs at great faith state school (albeit with hefty voluntary contributions) and I have a choice of 2 or 3 equally excellent secondary schools. we may pay for private schools but not sure it is really worth it, if the state schools are so excellent.

what do you mean by "hefty voluntary contributions" MumNWLondon?

We are on a joint income of about £50-60k a year. We have two children and fees are around 7k each a year.

It is hard but we manage it. We considered home educating but school suits our children. There would have to be serious changes in policy for us to consider state education. Dh works in the state system.

The only people I know who send their children to private school are part funded by the state (RAF).

I said earlier in this thread. At my DCs state (faith) primary school we are expected to pay £1,200 per child per term as a voluntary contribution (paid from pre-tax salary though) - DH has a GAYE account at work.

Plus we are asked for money the whole time. eg school cookbook, school calender, PTA fundraising social event every quarter, money for new school reading books, mathletics. I would estimate I've given the school another £500 or so this year on top of the VCs

Its all voluntary, but we are "invoiced" each term, and the rumour is that if you don't pay and don't call to explain why you can't OR they think you can afford it (ie they see new car / foreign holiday / extension / new house etc) they make things difficult for you.

Meanwhile between the government money and the parental top ups I'm sure the quality of education is as good at, if not better than many private schools.

I think that's the pattern of a lot of jewish schools and some islamic ones too.

Not sure about quasi-compulsory voluntary contributions being taken from pre-tax income. If legal, it sounds as though it's a loophole that needs closing down.

MumNWLondon - I am genuinley bemused by this. I have never heard of state (faith) primary school where you effectivley pay a fee. Is this only in London?

Surely £1200 fee plus book costs etc are just fees. That surely is a selection/exclusion policy on the basis of ability to pay - and in the state sector! Surley this is just private school with a state discount?

Me and DW are in the process of emigratng to New Zealand and the Prep School we are sending DSs to gets state aid (all Prep schools do) in recognition of the fact that parents are not using the state sector and the fee structure is the same as the (faith) primary school you have described.

TBH I think a lot of private schools in the UK may well go to this grant maintained model by opting back into the state sector but not under LEA control under the Gove Plan while still charging a 'voluntary top up fee' as a sort of quasi selection policy.