If you could afford to send your kids to a private school, would you?

[juicychops]

or would you choose for them to go to a 'normal' state school?

just curious what your responses will be

At DD's school there are parents there who chose the school as it offered the international beaclaureat (which I cannot spell!!!!) as it will enable their child "to go to Harvard" or "a top foreign university or conservatoire". So I can see why they are stumping up the cash, that's a very specific goal they have for their child.

I am stumping up the money because DD is a real live wire and the state school was struggling to engage her and she was coming home crying with boredom and frustration. Her school now pitches all work at her level so she is fine.
You could argue that I could have fought the local state school to get better provision for DD rather than move her but I don't have that level of time or energy to fight the inertia in our local schools and LEA.
Actually I am a bit pissed off that the state sector locally couldn't offer her what she needed, but then the system suits most, but not all, like all large systems and processes.

I think the IB suits families who move regularly too. Much easier to find schools that follow it abroad. A levels...not so much.

In my experience the minor/major aristo are the scruffiest bunch going old M and S clothes battered shoes/cheap wellies and of course not forgetting battered cars maybe they feel they have nothing to prove!

"I prefer the idea of selecting by ability rather than money."

In which way is the extremely competitive entrance process for schools in the league of Westminster/St. Pauls/Eton/Winchester NOT a selection by ability ?

Well it's both, isn't it?

Mine are all out of school now, but if we'd had the money, yes we would have. They did go to a very good school, one that meant I'd to drive them ten miles there and back every day, and every penny on petrol was worth it, but given the choice it'd have been private. But not boarding school, I'd have missed them too much.

Am hoping the grandchildren will get into the same school as my children.

"There is research to show that humans are generally happier being among peers of equalish status. We don't like being with those consderably richer than us, as a general rule!"

And how does this fit with the argument by many here that state is better because their children will be friends with people from the whole socio-economic spectrum? Doesn't really if their kids are going to be friends with those who are at the same level as themselves.

Dunno, that's not an argument I necessarily support.

Winchester/Eton/St Pauls are selecting by ability and are much more selective than any state school but for those who achieve the standards required generous bursaries are available and this is increasing year on year.

what I like about private schools is that they seem to manage to condense the core curriculum into a much shorter amount of teaching time, leaving more time to do other things be it sport, music, trips, more esoteric study beyond the curriculum or just extra vegging out at home (or at best some of all of this). Children are only young once and those at private schools have more time for other things but at the same time achieving as high or higher school results.

Ahh, so you don't disagree with happygardening....then why are you trying to shoot down her son's experience?

To me that ^^ suggests that our 'comfort zone' might be to hang out with people of similar income and background, but that doesn't necessarily make it the right thing to do.

Gelatinous, that's interesting because generally it's the opposite which gets argued on here - that they spend more time on the core curriculum? Do people really pay for 'extra vegging out at home'?

sofaqueen again, about selecting by ability/wealth - those schools have a self-selecting group of wealthy students whom they then go on to whittle down before entrance by academic selection, surely? With a couple of bursaries, obviously.

ElaineReese W you need to stop talking about something you know nothing about. I can only talk with any real knowledge about Winchester and St Pauls but both have more than a "couple" of children on bursaries and both are committed to extending their bursary fund to get even more.

'So I can see why they are stumping up the cash, that's a very specific goal they have for their child.'

But it should be up to the child. I have a relative who has a simelar mindset and now his DD has problems and so stressed from all the pressure.

How very rude of you!

But ok, humour me, educate me - tell me the proportion of children at Winchester and St Pauls on full bursaries?

Ah, a quick search on google tells me Winchester offers full bursaries to 10%. I don't know what the technical definition of a minority would be, but that sounds like one to me.

oops, no, that's their long-term aim, not where they are now.

I'm sorry if I appeared rude but it just frustrates me when people lump all independent schools into the same category. I accept that many schools are not offering generous bursaries or only to a couple of lucky children despite what their web sites say. But both Win. Coll and St Pauls are genuinely committed to the bursary scheme. Winchester currently has about 11% of its children on bursaries and number of children on bursaries increased by approximately 30 from last year to this year with the average bursary coming in at just under 60% (fees £31000 per annum). They are planning on increasing this number year on year. More importantly they are prepared to let a boy not sit some of their notoriously difficult entrance papers e.g. Latin if he has come from a state school. They are justifiably proud of the fact that they are opening up a wonderful school to those who ten years ago wouldn't have had a hope in hell of getting in. Rome is not built in a day and its costing the school over a million pound per annum to do it and I'm sure they would like more children on bursaries but the point is its definitely more than a couple.

"sofaqueen again, about selecting by ability/wealth - those schools have a self-selecting group of wealthy students whom they then go on to whittle down before entrance by academic selection, surely? With a couple of bursaries, obviously."

And how large do you think that self-selecting group of wealthy student body is? I can tell you that at 7+/8+ entry for St. Paul's (Colet Court) and Westminster, they have about 10 boys applying for each place (not familar with Senior School numbers as that is many years ahead). These boys are by any standard, exceptionally bright. Trust me, there are many parents who would LOVE it if just money got their children into these schools.

In terms of bursaries, I don't know the exact figures, but you are just looking at 100% bursaries; there are a far greater percentage who get partial bursaries. Schools like St. Paul's are aiming to eventually reach a system like the US needs-blind admission and are actively fundraising to reach this goal.

In answer to the OP, yes, definitely, in fact I took the top two away from an Ofsted outstanding (yawn) state primary to do so.

Millfield have a huge number of children on full bursaries. In fact I would say it has the widest social mix of any private school I know. But children are selected on sporting ability.

Lovehtheharp you make a good point about peer pressure, this is something that concerns me for the future.

A friend of mine has got her DD in a private school that usually achieves around 86% A& A at A level and 94% A or A at GCSE. This is one where the girls are down to earth, driven and academic. Only a few grammar schools can complete with these sort of top tier independent schools in terms of results. If you want to do all you can to ensure your child gets top grades and is amongst highly motivated peers then this sort of school is surely more likely to deliver than the local grammar or good comp.

I think if my son was at a school with a laid back, liberal ethos early signs are he wouldn't be motivated to do as well academically as he might. People say that the % of A*s etc won't influence a DC's individual performance in exams but I am not so sure.

As for the cords I was thinking more of the Dads than the sons. Is there a definable clothes/difference between the upper-middles and the uppers I wonder? Whilst I agree that minor aristos can be a scruffy bunch they usually dress up appropriately smartly when the situation warrants it. Julian Fellowes writes about this sort of thing well and is a great observer.

Elaine

From St Paul's annual accounts filed with the Charity Commission YE Aug 2010

1290 pupils (432 at Colet Court and 858 at St Pauls) of which 111 recieved bursaries or non honarary scholarships. Bursaries, Grants and Allowances totalled just over £1.13m for the year.

St Paul's is one of the Senior Schools we are considering for our DS's so I have been checking the accounts (amongst other things) so I had the figures to hand.

The information is freely available if you look.

For me, the ideal primary school situation is a nice village school, and I would NEVER have chosen private over OUR village school. I think it's a healthy thing for a child to be part of a local community growing up. On the other hand, I am not too keen on the secondary options in this area, and might want to look further afield, to be honest.