Is it worth paying for prep school?

[MrsJAlfredPrufrock]

I paid/pay for my teens to go to a selective boys' day Snr school. Prior to that they went to our nearest state primary school and passed their entrance exams without coaching. My younger two (6 and4) are at a state primary (a different one to their brothers as we've moved, on paper it is massively better, in reality it's not) and I'm wondering if people think it's worthwhile paying for prep school. I used to think it wasn't but I'm beginning to wonder, especially for things like music and languages.

What are other people's experiences?

Ah but Win Coll is very generous with its bursaries to all not just scholars.

Good interesting thread.

I have been wondering the same and dwelling on this a lot.

IF a child was lucky enough to have amazing out of school opportunities (music, languages, etc) as mine do (out of pure luck!), then would it still be worth paying the money for a good prep? I guess the jury is out?

At prep level the jury is definitely out. I'm no longer convinced it is. At senior is a different ball game.

Not if the prep impedes doing some of these activities. In your instance it would be a question of whether you were happy with the academics.

Thanks Colleger and HappyG. Mmmm no I am not that happy with the academics, and conscious that when the time comes they would have to get some tutoring for academic senior independents. Difficult to predict the outcome of course in that respect!

Also my eldest daughter, who is a whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm, finds her small village primary exceptionally dull and year on year has become increasingly unhappy despite the high level of extra curricular activities and stimulation at home we provide!

My eldest son in total contrast, despite being exceptionally bright, is quite happy there, as he loves being completely ignored and choosing to do as he pleases most of the time (he is the same at home!).

Many people site lack of stimulation/dull lessons as a reason to moving to a prep. This was why we moved my DS2 when he was in yr 3. In the beginning it certainly made a big difference specialist teachers/classrooms more games more activities on site, smaller classes and less obsession with numeracy and literary. Maths in particular was definitely more interestin/challenging but if onceinawhile you read my rather long winded posting earlier you will see that things changed. It's all fine until need something a little more than the school normally offers.

Interesting thread!

HappyGardening/Colleger: do you know if a IAPS prep is a sign of "better quality"? I heard they were supposed to have stricter membership requirements therefore I guess a little more controlled in terms of standards, but I am not sure if anyone has experience of this...

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I don't think any of these things are a sign of quality. I know for a fact that the ISI reports are not always completely truthful. My advise? Decide where you want you child to go to when he leaves, if your proposed senior school point of entry is yr 7 seriously look at state ed. combined with extra curricular activities if you've got the time and motivation, maybe a tutor. If your state schools are not what your lo

I hate this lap top kids on the Mac. If your state schools are not what your looking for I personally would avoid preps attached to senior schools unless you want/need a scholarship into that senior school find a large mixed prep with specialist teachers classrooms from at least yr3 with a well established history of sending children to the senior schools you are thinking of. I now am unconvinced about full boarding as it means that you do not know what is going on most of the time and is particularly relevant if your next school is very selective. Don't worry if u

Why again don't worry if you think the other Parents are ghastly who cares your sending your DC there for a reason. Remember certainly outside of London in most cases the waiting list is fictitious and that the vast majority are struggling to fill all their vacancies what ever their website say they want and most likely need your money ofhers are now clever sales men as much as teacher remember the phrase caveat emptor.

Meant to say heads are clever sales men now not just teachers.

Also choose a school that finishes at the time your child changes schools it's wont work if you want Freddy to leave at yr 6 but most leave at yr 8 the school will organise its curriculum for final exams in yr 8 and vice versa.

I wouldn't consider Oundle. DH went there with a friend of ours who teaches (part time) there. They both says it's not worth it.

Quite chuffed to find out through this thread that ds1's prep is on the Oxford list.
Having been there only a term then after two unsuccessful primaries he's blooming. No longer the naughty kid he even got a mention in the heads letter for getting an academic award. I could cry every time I think of it.
So yes in my eyes it is well worth paying for if you can, though I guess it has to be the right school.

It's odd I have never considered Aldwickbury to be a top prep. I went to the primary next door and my contemporaries who went there never seemed to do much better than we did. We were jealous of their swimming pool though.

My son attended a prep from age 4 and is now at St Paul's. Had a lovely time, was well prepared for senior school and would recommend the prep route. The infant bit, although lovely was unnecessary though in my opinion and if we were doing it again I would start him in year 3.

Yes I think the infant bit definitely unnecessary thats why so many old preps start at yr 3. FIFIBEBE I'm assuming your prep was a day school and in London I think it's a slightly different ball game compared to small country boarding Preps.

I do feel that a good prep school is worth the money. It's not just the academics, which tend to be significantly better, it's the sport and the music

True, I remember hearing that very nearly 50% of the England Rugby team were educated privately.

There are so many things, for me a big factor was confidence and poise. Everybody I know who went to a decent private school is confident (and not neccisarily cocky) and comfotable in many social situations.

I think if you live in London it's easier to get your child in at age 4 than at age 7 or 11, and there is virtually no tutoring at that age too!

Very good advice HappyGardening, it is very kind of you to share your own experiences and I am finding it all very useful!

Why would you not consider a prep that feeds into a senior? Is it because you might change your mind about the senior down the line? Or are there any other downsides one should be aware of? I am asking as I am also considering a prep-through-to-senior for my children, (for KS2, not KS1) and it is a bit of a minefield!!!

Yes let's say your send your your at 4 or 7 to prep school attached to a senior school do you really know that school will suit your child at 13 or even you? You could look round it before sending your child there but things could change over the years a new head being the most obvious also you will be looking at the school thinking about your child now it very difficult to look at a school imagining how you child will be in 6 years time. Independent preps often feed into a variety of schools and heads hopefully know what suits your child best. The other problem is that if the senior is quite selective you may be told that you DC will not get in this has happened to two or three friends at junior Kings the parents were advised to find another prep for yr 7 very disruptive when you've been there since reception.

I worry I would have would be that they would do things with it in mind that the pupils will be there for the next few years when in fact some may not move up in the senior years

All through schools are not good. It's not good preparation for life having the same peers and same ethos from 3-18. Children change and I know so many parents who send their girls to a school at 11 and five years on the daughters want a change. Often the say that they had wished they'd sent them at 13 instead as five years seems to be the optimum period at a school. Interesting that pre-preps, preps and many senior schools originally only had a length of five years and the top ones still do.

Yes I agree with that that my DS has enjoyed the change at yr 9 new friends buildings teachers etc. He too has had enough of his prep and many friends etc after about 4 years. Its also a new start one of his friends an avid fencer has given it up he'd had enough another we know cheerfully dropped the instrument he was playing its like having a clean slate.
The new school has done my DS good in every way.

After a good part of last week spent researching prep schools local to me, I've gathered the following: