Would you move your dcs to private if they were v happy in their current state school?

[brooke73]

I have 2 dds one in year 3 and one in year 1. They currently go to the local infant, and junior school (two separate schools, with different HTs etc,), whilst we are v happy with the infant school, we are less happy with the junior school. I don't like some of the teachers, two classes in the years above are taught by two teachers job-sharing, assemblies seem disorganised, and they do not push the children at all.
So, we are thinking about moving them to private schools, the problems being that it will be a stretch for us financially, but more importantly, both dds are extremely happy in their current school, and have some very good friends. I have thought about moving them to private at secondary level, but I am worried that they would find it hard to make the adjustment from state to private in year 7.
Any advice?

DDs school constantly having cake sales, fairs etc and for after school sports team practices have to be at school to pick up at very inconvenient times as there is no late bus.

DSs school, on the other hand has loads of people helping with any event so not too much input needed from any one person, and run late buses to bring Dcs back from all after school activities.

Worth asking about arrangements re after school activities, has been the bane of my life this term.

PinkE but all in, has it been the right decision for you - did you try state first?

Couldn't get a state school place at age 4 so had to go private.

Then did not want to move them as they were settled.

If I could do it again, ideally I would have had them in state until age 7 then moved to private. That way I might have been able to be more sure I could afford secondary.

The DCs schools from age 7 have been well worth the money, before that less so.

Though the state primaries round here are very good (hence the impossibility of getting a place unless you live practically in the playground). May have had a different plan if state primaries were not as good.

Some state have very good after school clubs others have no provision so you need to question the schools about this as I think this would be important for you.

Went to see the private prep this week, and went there with a fairly negative mind. However, I really liked the school - I could see the differences academically from their current school, and also the school had a really warm and caring atmosphere - I could really see my dds being happy there.

So, we then decided to tell dds that we had been to see another school - dd2 was fine about it, but dd1 was very upset. Said that she did definately did not want to go to another school, and the school that she goes to now is "the best school in the world". After that, I felt there was no way I could move her! But within the next couple of hours she started asking what the uniform was like, were the teachers nice etc.... so possibly started thinking that we could at least persuade her to go for a taster day.

Next issue - money. Dh and I did a cashflow for the next 12 years . On paper, we can afford it with a fairly resonable budget for things like food, clothes etc, but no holidays abroad, and don't know how we will pay for a new car when we need one. When dd2 is 18, my dh will be 60, and we will have no money to help with university fees etc...

Its now or never for private primary education and for the sake of the dds I really feel we need to make a decision asap - I guess it boils down to money. Feel perhaps we would be overstretching ourselves, and would be interested to hear how other people finance school fees, thanks.

Brooke - on your budget I would say DEFINITELY DON'T go for the private primary.

You will be putting yourself under too much strain financially.

Save up for secondary.

Seriously, do you want to spend the next 12 years having sleepless nights over money?

You WILL need to replace your car some time in the next 12 years, and will encounter other unforeseen expenses. You need to have some room in your budget for these.

Think of the bad effect having two permanently stressed parents will have on your DCs.

Unless the primaries they are at now are hell-holes do not move them.

Thanks Pinkelephants - have come to that conclusion too! We're going to save as much as we can for secondary, then at least we will have the option of private education.

Don't do it Brooke.
My children have been to 2 primary schools,..
the first was really poor so I moved them to the bigger state Junior school.... A decent school not an outstanding one.
They've done well there, they've been happy and enjoyed not only the academic side of things but the social life and clubs.
Ds1 has just passed the 11+ with absolute flying colours and could go just about anywhere he chooses. It only took a few hours of tutoring and some bonds papers.
Save your money for Secondary.

Glad you have made that decision, brooke.

You just don't need the stress of worrying about school fees if you have an acceptable state option at primary.

Do your best to save up towards secondary then you have the option for that.

I think the gulf between state and private really shows at that stage so your money will be better spent on secondary.

Also, imagine if - after all that sacrificing of fun and money - your children dropped out! You'd be fuming....

good point, civil.

Sacrificing everything to pay school fees does put a lot of pressure on DCs to make good on the investment, even if you don't mean it to.

i think increasingly places become available in years other than transition ones inwhich case it makes sense to wait if they are happyy now. yr 6 would seem like an obvious choice as it would mean the dds would get prepared for entry exams to secondary

Just a minor point, hope you dont mind Candles
Yr 6 could be too late. Candidates sit the Kent test in the Sept of yr 6, so you might need a move in yr 5

I would agree with Ingles. Moving in yr 6 would be very disruptive.

Just to add from a financial perspective. I went to normal state primaries and won a place at the top private school in the area in which I lived at the time. I went and thoroughy loved every single minute of it. Then after just one year dad lost a chunk of income and I had to come out and go elsewhere. I was devastated at the time and still do get down about (which is ridiculous I know). What I'm trying to say is that if you can afford to give your children the chance to go to a good school for the long term then do it BUT if it is a squeeze and it wouldn't take much to end the dream then don't do it. And it is possible to go into private from state at year 7 and fit right in.