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Original poster

First post: what is wrong with considering private schools?

999 replies

dietcokeisgreat · 07/10/2014 14:12

Dear all,

I just starting looking at mumsnet last week and joined today. Some of my work colleagues talk about it and i am thinking about options for education for my son, who is just 3 and thought i would take a look. Well, i just starting the thinking, so it is early days.
We could pay for school, or maybe not, we don't know yet. He is our first child, we are having problems getting pregnant again, so unsure if there will be more yet.

I was surprised at some really negative comments on lots of threads towards people posting for advice/ whatever about private schools. Why are they doing that? What is wrong with people thinking about different options? Or asking about a school they know that is private? Twice i read something 'well i can't pay for school' as a response. For me, its no different to whether or not people have cash for other stuff. I can't afford to live in the smarter part of town, or pay for a boarding school but that doesn't mean no one should be allowed too!

Just wondering...don't want to post something that will enrage others or be and be upset by responses ....

Thank you.

OP posts:
happygardening · 09/10/2014 19:53

TOSN no NC levels on report as his prep and current school don't follow the national curriculum. I have no idea what NC level he is, but it makes no difference to me, the school think he's doing ok, his IGCSE results were ok and he talks with passion and enthusiasm about art, music, poetry, literature etc, art aside non were subjects he was naturally drawn too before he went to a Win Coll.
mum can't cut and paste my computing skills are only marginally better than the dogs.
I'll try and find it and it and tell you what time ect. It might not have been you that said it of course lots of similar names on here and I haven't got my glasses on!

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 19:54

Hakluyt, my point being that I want my kids to be able to chose either of those or neither if they prefer. I do not want them pushed one way or the other simply because it would help the schools results table. I know, I have bend in the staff room. I have been party to discussions about child A will be a goodie as they are so bright do will take 4 academic Alevels and go to Oxbridge and how well that will reflect upon the school. I have also heard it talked about encouraging child B to do Textiles or whatever as they're unlikely to get a C in history and we need to make sure they get 5 Cs.

Hakluyt · 09/10/2014 19:57

"nd Aga, is correct to point out the ridiculous amount of resources thrown behind ensuring Cs as that is what is being demanded by government. Far more time and effort than is put in helping the B kid make an A or the A kid make an A*."

That may once have be correct. But schools are now judged on the progress made by all children. Yes, Cs are important- they are the keys to the future for many children (not all are Mumsnetter's children predicted all As) but if a child is capable of an A the school will be marked down if they don't get it. Don't believe verything the tabloid press tell you!

AgaPanthers · 09/10/2014 19:59

"Personally, I still fail to grasp why 7% of our population, merely by dint of a an exclusive (as in 'excludes others') education, get to make the rules, and pocket the money."

It is not 7%. That's the percentage of all school-aged pupils at any one time at private school. As children get older, more move into the independent sector.
It is 18% at 16-18 level.

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:00

And I know that some private schools would be exactly the same. But we are free to choose one that isn't and we have done. I really don't know many state schools with this approach. I've certainly never taught in one. Btw, our school does get excellent gcses and igcses and also excellent Alevels. But there is as much emphasis placed on enjoyment as there is on attainment.

Hakluyt · 09/10/2014 20:03

"It is 18% at 16-18 level."

That's all right then. Practically a majority! Fine for them to be in charge.

AgaPanthers · 09/10/2014 20:06

"That may once have be correct. But schools are now judged on the progress made by all children. Yes, Cs are important- they are the keys to the future for many children (not all are Mumsnetter's children predicted all As) but if a child is capable of an A the school will be marked down if they don't get it. Don't believe verything the tabloid press tell you!"

Schools still live and die on their 5 A*-C including English and Maths, at least in terms of attracting an intake.

The intention going forward is for the DFE to judge on value-added (best 8). And they've taken steps to try and stop schools gaming these. But gaming is inevitable, because the school wants to improve its results, and the government is not moving away from statistical benchmarking of schools. When you create a target, people will work for the target above all else.

happygardening · 09/10/2014 20:07

Tansie I pay for a renaissance education because although I know that my DS is likely to achieve the same (I)GCSE results in our outstanding state school, just over 70% achieved A-B's at A level, he just won't get the other stuff. I'm not concerned about GCSE's I'm assuming success for him at GCSS is a given wherever he goes locally.

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:08

Hakluyt, I am a teacher. I know all about pay linked to results and children coming up with level 5s then bring expected to attain As and A*s. This especially effects teachers of maths and English. The system is crap. But there is still far more resources being channelled towards the magic C because that is what they are judged in as a whole. A school with a low attaining cohort will put everything into getting those kids facing a D/E up to a C. Far more than pushing a C/D up to a B.

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:10

Steps have been taken. No more can you put children in for GCSEs repeatedly and too early just to increase chances of padding.

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:10

passing

AmberTheCat · 09/10/2014 20:13

Mustchoose - no, my youngest is at our village primary and my eldest is at our local comp. And my eldest got Level 6 SATs without any tutoring. Her school (good, not outstanding) was more than capable of teaching her the knowledge and skills she needed.

Summerends - 'demanding MC parents can also be a sap on teacher time so again diluting resource for others'. Come on, you don't really believe that the presence of parents who care about their kids' education and are prepared to ensure it's high quality make a school worse, do you?

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:14

Happygardening, that's exactly his I see it. She's super duper bright. One sibling is very bright, the other bright enough. They would, I'm sure achieve well wherever they go to school. I am paying for their overall experience.

MumTryingHerBest · 09/10/2014 20:18

NancyJones Steps have been taken. No more can you put children in for GCSEs repeatedly and too early just to increase chances of padding. Is that the same for most private schools? Genuine question BTW

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:26

I can't answer for all private schools but ours never put kids in early. Nor do they do more than 9 or 10 if they take further maths. Most state schools take 11 or even 12. Our school doesn't see the point although children are expected to do other stuff alongside their (i)gcses. Most do take 4 subjects at A2. Some also take stuff such as Camb preU.

rabbitstew · 09/10/2014 20:34

Well, I do know someone who tutors in English, who told me that she tutors as many privately educated students as state school educated. Maybe with all that extra sport and textiles they're doing, their parents just don't trust the schools to be up to the academic job. Grin Or maybe they feel the need to hothouse in order to keep up with the apparent standards expected by their private school, for fear of losing their child's place, little realising that so many of their peers are doing the same thing, that the standards are not actually the school's in the first place, but all in their own fevered imaginations.

MumTryingHerBest · 09/10/2014 20:34

NancyJones not sure how making children do more GCSEs and making them do some of them too early could ever have increased their chances of passing. Surely that would have reduced their chances of passing or am I missing something?

MsHerodotus · 09/10/2014 20:42

They would, I'm sure achieve well wherever they go to school. I am paying for their overall experience

Us too! Not just about getting a clutch of exam results - its about genuine choice of a school suitable for the child. they only have a few short years as children, we want to make sure they are in a place when they can love learning and not just be target fodder.

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 20:57

Taking it 2 or 3 times gives you more chances to scrape a C. And I can tell you that as a rule, those that did scrape a C first time around we're certainly not given lots of extra time and support to take it again and get an A or B.

MumTryingHerBest · 09/10/2014 21:00

NancyJones Taking it 2 or 3 times gives you more chances to scrape a C. And I can tell you that as a rule, those that did scrape a C first time around we're certainly not given lots of extra time and support to take it again and get an A or B. so how does this compare to private schools in your experience?

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 21:06

Well mine aren't at that age yet but our school is academically selective and the overwhelming majority get at least a C in everything. Most get A-B in every subject with a large proportion with all A or A grades. All taken at the correct time although I do remember one student, gifted at maths, who took it and further maths a year early.

I can't speak for other private schools as my only direct experience is of this one.

rabbitstew · 09/10/2014 21:09

How much does a parent really know what a school is like for any child other than their own, anyway?

MumTryingHerBest · 09/10/2014 21:10

NancyJones Well mine aren't at that age yet' fair enough, I though you might have had a DC at or past that stage. Mine are a few years off that stage too. It's changed so much since I was at school that it all new ground for me.

NancyJones · 09/10/2014 21:16

No, I have taught primary and also my subject at secondary up to Alevel plus another two up to the end of ks3 due to various staffing problems. Grin I couldn't have taken them further when some of my subject knowledge was being picked up the Saturday before my lesson.

MustChooseASecondary · 09/10/2014 21:41

This debate just goes round and round.

Bottom line. There are good and bad schools in both sectors. The crucial difference is no parent is forced to put their child in a low quality private school. They choose to do it. In the state sector some parents are forced to do so.

That's the tragedy.