Would you work Full Time to fund private education for your children

[tryingtobemarypoppins2]

with you working Full time resulting in your 2 young children (Reception and Y2) having a 7:45-4:30 day every day.

Or would you work part time, send them to a 'good' state school and be at home 2 or 3 days a week, doing the vast majority of drop offs/pick ups etc.

In a nut shell, I know it's more complex than that, but WWYD?

i dont think its necessary to send them to private until secondary tbh

I possibly will be doing this when we move next year. DD1 will be yr2 and dd2 will be in YR. Much depends on where we move to and what the schools in the catchment/ those with available places are like tbh. I planned to go back F/T once dd2 went to school full time anyway.
At the moment we are close to a lovely school, who have great pastoral care and high standards, so we are happy with what we have.

It's the wrong question.

The question is: do I want to bring my children up to believe that women's jobs aren't as important as men's jobs; that they can be side-lined.

i definitely wouldn't opt for private primary school (having been to one myself, my children are at state primary). when it comes to secondary, see what your options are, and if you need to work to pay for private then, the kids won't be so reliant on you being around.

I work full time to send my son to a boarding school if he went to a state school I wouldn't have to go to work. I don't even like my job in fact I hate it ditto my DH. We take the view that he's 13 and we've only got five more years to go (we already done 8) so there is a light at the end of the tunnel! We've debated long and hard; are doing the right thing, we live in a very middle class area with an outstanding local comp, and we've have obviously decided that we are.

I would wait until P4, and then move. I would move earlier though if I felt my child may struggle to get in at P4.

more important when they are in secondary . I worked shorter hours when son(s) in primary. 13 year old just started boarding school, 10 year old ln year 6. Next year I will work full time so second son can start private school .We were lucky and have lived in 2 areas (have moved due to husbands job) with fantastic primaries. I liked being at home after school when they were little but it depends on your sons and what makes you happy.And what local schools are like!

There are private schools worth the sacrifice IMO and others that are not. Most of the mothers at my DCs private schools work at least part time if not full time. At least half the class has nannies pick them up and/or use after school clubs/care.

Do the maths carefully and compare the options carefully. How sure are you that you are in the catchment area of the good state primary school. We got none of our 6 choices of state schools despite being close to 3 of them.

happygarden I think that you are actually me!

I don't like the national curriculum and I don't have much time for OFSTED or SATS. I will do whatever it takes to have my son educated in a manner for which I have some respect. This includes working at a punishing job which I dislike

I would maybe consider it except I am not particularly keen on the private schools near us.

However this all hypothetical for us because even if I worked full time the figures wouldn't add up!

Finishing at 4.30 is not that late.

OTOH if the state school they would be going to is "good" then what's the point in the private school?

The question is really: do you want to work full time? This is about you as well as them. More so, IMO.

Okay what will the private school provide? Will it hand me back kids with piles of prep? Will it provide Brownies, Ballet, Swimming etc.? What will it expect me to do with the kids? What if my child has an SEN, is struggling?
Actually I wish I could find a job that paid well and with travelling I would only be working within 7:45 to 4:30.
What are the State schools like? What child care could you get with those?

State school would even free up money for tutors if you need them etc.

But are you just going back to work to fund private education? Will your wages increase in line with a) increased costs as children get older AND b) the increase in school fees, often 5-10% pa.

Can you still be pt if you just send one next year in yr 3 which is often the beginning of prep school/ junior section of independent schools and then become full time when you start your second child at the same school in yr 3?

fivecandles yes just about. It's more the class size that worries me, the fact he is a boy and needs to be outside and the lack of time to really care about them as children. I also think that if they can get the basics under their belt early and gain confidence it really sets them up. BUT we would go without nice family holidays and yes, the thought of working full time (although I do get school holidays) worries me :(
Am I right in thinking the Early Years Grant includes the first term in Reception?

You're right of course that it's more complex than that. But on the information available, I'd take the second option.

The 1:1 interaction and support that a child gets from a dedicated, effectively full time parent is priceless and by far the most important factor in their development at that age. It might be different if they were older or the state school were really awful. But if it's good, then whatever extra a private school can provide won't be worth 10K a year or whatever it is of your time.

thanks confidence. This option would allow us to save for private secondary too.......I guess if we tried the state school and he was unhappy we just take him out. I just feel sick over the whole thing. :@

Yes. Simple answer. I don't get the argument that it's okay to send children to any old primary and then fork out for secondary in the private sector. To me it makes more sense to pay for primary to give them a sound knowledge of the basics plus the skills to excel anywhere and then send them to a good state secondary.

I home ed, But if DD wanted to go to school, i would work full time to send her to a private school.

What's the saying, "show me the child at 7......."

I think pre-prep can really help build confidence and the environment is lovely, they are out and about in the woods etc...being children!

No I wouldn't.

Having looked around our primary schools, the Reception classes almost seem a step backwards from pre-prep nursery etc. Less to do......less challenging, I worry active little boys will get bored and naughty :(

Ok am going to revise my previous statement.
I am lucky that my DC go to good schools, if they didn't and I was able to send them to private school then I am not sure. If it was an issue with their progress I think I might look into private tutoring.
I'm afraid I will have to accept splinters in my arse from sitting on the fence. Whilst deep down I disagree with private school, if I was faced with that decision because of poor school then well....god I don't know.
Sorry, that was no help whatsoever was it!

But I work that pretty much anyway and can't afford for my DC's to go to private school.

In answer to your op: no, absolutely not.

I would work full time if my family needed the money for necessities, or maybe if I were motivated by having money to spend on luxuries. But not for a private school education, no.