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Original poster

Would you send your kids to private school if money were no option?

277 replies

Beetroot · 04/02/2006 20:04

and if so why? or why not?

Mine go to a private school. I justyfy it tom myslef becase they are specialist musicanans, they have 'special needs' which would not be fufilled in the state sector (round 'ere anyway)

Was totally against it though, until I fell into it by mistake!

OP posts:
thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 04/02/2006 20:32

a teacher friend of mine would agree with Cod - she went to private school herself and then taught at one of the worst schools in Hackney. She swears that the quality of teachers and teaching was better in Hackney - they had to be good becuase of the scale of the problems they were dealing with

NannyL · 04/02/2006 20:32

For sure, without a doubt!

infact i dont intend to have any kids until i can afford to educate them "properly"

seen the ins and outs of many independant schools as well as a fair few state schools (most of which are known as the "good" state schools)

i would not hesitate to send kids to private schools given half the chance (if for no other reason than classes of 16 kids must be better than 30 odd children!)

hercules · 04/02/2006 20:33

no but it is RC!

LadySherlockofLGJ · 04/02/2006 20:33
Grin
cod · 04/02/2006 20:34

Message withdrawn

hercules · 04/02/2006 20:34

for me it's not about better teachers but would be about small class sizes and hopefully mixing with kids where most of the parents are very supportive of education.

ScummyMummy · 04/02/2006 20:36

Like your post, twwtswah. This topic always makes me feel anxious because so many mumsnetters I like go private yet I feel so strongly that I can't imagine ever doing so. And yet different strokes for different folks doesn't quite cover it for me as a wider issue, even though I want to say that to those I like and genuinely feel it to be the case with them. So there's kind of a clash between personal loyalty to friends and my beliefs, which I can't really articulate that well anyway. I would be a crap communist revolutionary.

Enid · 04/02/2006 20:36

there are 'nicer' parents at my dd1s state primary - by which I mean more on my wavelength

dd2 goes to the nursery of a private prep and the parents always look vaguely terrifying (uber thin, Porsche cayennes). Some of them are quite nice though.

So I think that would come into my choice. Lucky round here though as the state schools are pretty good.

cod · 04/02/2006 20:37

Message withdrawn

WideWebWitch · 04/02/2006 20:37

I thought I was a socialist until confronted with the reality of shite Bristol schools. Now I feel the alternatives are moving or paying and we're probably moving but I was gearing up to finding the money to pay for secondary education. I will accept private health care with my next job too and will make sure my family are covered and I never thought I'd see that day either, I have turned it down as part of a benefits package before.

drosophila · 04/02/2006 20:38

My sister told me that statistically privte school kids perform worse at Uni than Comp kids. The theory is that they are so cosseted in private school they find it hard in the more isolated world of Uni. Not sure where she got this info but she works for CRE and monitors eduaction stats for them.

hercules · 04/02/2006 20:38

although I'd never teach in a private school.

Blossomhill · 04/02/2006 20:39

It was a possibility with ds but after weighing it all up decided that state school was the better option.

1 because we would struggle like s**t
2 I wanted him to mix with all types of people

It's funny as dd's unit has a couple of children that have transferred from private schools to this bottom of the league table school with language unit. The private school just couldn't deliver what the unit could!

WideWebWitch · 04/02/2006 20:39

As you know Scums, I have argued long and hard on this before, I used to feel as you do, it wass a parp subject for me

Enid · 04/02/2006 20:40

no cod they are all quite nice and prob middle class

although there is one with a toyboy who breeds dogs and wears clothes miles too young for her. she exerts strange fascination.

LIZS · 04/02/2006 20:40

Ours do go to private school already, although we will probably have to make some compromises to keep them there long term. Primary reasons being that we felt it had a more conducive size and ethos to help ds - who has some confidence and learning issues and had hitherto been educated in an international school abroad - to adjust to UK schooling and both children would be on the same site. We do count ourselves fortunate that financially we had this option and, of course, if money were no option we might have fretted about our decision a little less.

The state primary schools are ok round here but local secondary is not and has no 6th form, and the others which are about 5 miles away, variable. We like the small(er) class sizes, varied curriculum and opportunities, dedicated facilities and specialist staff. I do think it is sad that you sometimes have to "buy" this sort of education although it is great to hear that some state schools can offer it too, if sadly not in this area.

Aloha · 04/02/2006 20:40

Not sure. Would have to see how the local private schools would deal with ds's dyspraxia first. Not all private schools are geared up for this. But I admit I'd certainly have a look. Esp for secondary.

cod · 04/02/2006 20:41

Message withdrawn

thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 04/02/2006 20:41

I think there is an element from private schools who get coaching for their A levels and do then find it difficult to produce the goods when they are pretty much left to their own devices it Uni. Never known anyone from private school find it difficult socially but a handful academaically. There was a kid in the year below me who turned up with 6 a's at a levels (back in the days when you were considered pd freaky if you did more than 3) - he failed his first year ann not becusae he was drinking too much beer

Socci · 04/02/2006 20:44

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 04/02/2006 20:45

one does try Cod ....

cod · 04/02/2006 20:45

Message withdrawn

Spidermama · 04/02/2006 20:48

Mine will probably all go through the state system as I don't have anything like enough money to privately educate them. If I had though, I would. Definitely. I'd be crazy not to given the limitations of state schools and the teacher pupil ratio.

When I discovered that over 70% of labour MPs were privately educated the penny droppedand I realised, too late, that it really does matter where you go to school or university when it comes to getting on in your chosen career. Time and time again it has been proved to me that networking and connections are more important than actual talent.

That's not to deny that people who've been to state schools can make it, but against much bigger odds. It's not because they're/we're less talented, but we don't know the right people.

It's a pity because I can see the value in being educated along with the others your age in your neighbourhood.

Anyway I don't have the money so that's that. (Though there's always home education.)

Skribble · 04/02/2006 20:49

Yes I probably would, but wouldn't want to keep them away from their friends, perhaps a private High school as where we are they will have to travel anyway.

We are lucky where we are that the village school as small classes DS has 23 in his. DD has kids from the private school at her dancing and it seems pretty similar for primary level. It is perhaps at high school that there are more differences and more clubs and extra classes.

A big part of it seems to be the parental involvement and expectations, its perhaps the fact they pay so much they try to get as much as possible out of it. Teachers seem more comitted too.

My experience is limited to attending Christmas fairs at a few local schools, but the fairs reflected very much the schools accademic successes. The private schools has the best exam results and at their fair it was the senior pupils that orgainised it, very good turn out of parents and teachers, very good staff moral and interaction with the pupils etc.

The highest ranking non-private school which isn't far behing the private one had a similar atmosphere and involvement, the lowest ranking school's fair was shocking and had a very bad turnout, the only pupils that helped out or indeed turned up were the special needs class, it was all very badly orgainised and no publicity and was a sad but true reflection of the school.

I have yet to do a fair at the high school my children are due to attend, but when I do I will be taking notes and may change my mind .

northerner · 04/02/2006 20:51

No, I wouldn't send my kids to a private school either. However, I live in Harrogate and we have excellent state schools.

My nephew goes to a private school and I sometimes drop him off or collect him so I know what Enid means about Cayennes and glam mums! School isn't just about maths/reading etc, the social part of it is just as important IMO, and you do not get a broad social mix in a private school. Doesn't equip them for the big wide world IMO.