IF money was no object would you chose a state school or private?

[SlightlyMadSCAREYthing]

And I reiterate that this is a philosophical IF money was no object.

I have always felt strongly about sending my children to state school, support you local schools and all, but now DTDs are at school I am faltering about secondary (which is still a long way off). So just wondered on a philosophical level - where do you stand?

You see statistics where the majority of high flying uni grads are private but private pupils are a small proportion of all those educated. I can't help wanting to do my best for my DDs...not that I am ever likely to afford to send them all to private if I really did decide that I wanted to.

I take it you haven't been around here for long then.

whocares

wotcha codster - have you been on hols

If money were no object I'd hire tutors to come in and home educate my children so that way we could holiday whenever we wanted and get up and start 'school' whenever it suited.

home educate for a while (until seven maybe) with some professional support, then state

yy god NO NO NOt o home ed

i hom eed wiht professional support
btu they do ti at school

arf

I'd love to home ed. It's banned over here, though. There aren't really all that many private schools, either.

blimey your typing gets no better

I would have private tutors, so my children could learn about all kinds of things eg long walks in the country side on warm sunny days, learn mths outside, build snowmen and sledge on snowy days
and I could be more involved in their education

yes but in reality itd be a right pita

fuck that school shit. always having to get up at the same time and take holidays at the same time. i mean, since money is no object, why bother doing that?

we're not 'morning' people. it always sucks. far better to have tutors and such and just get up when you feel like it.

ditto being able to jet off at a moment's notice.

school sucks.

yeah I agree with expat.
I would love to be able to stay at home for a few more years.

when we had a snowy day the kids who made it into school did have sledge rides and build snowmen and had a ball WE have a great infants school

(silly me I kept my DS home because his siblings were off)

state.

But maybe i'd open my own school. oh damn, then it'd be private wouldn't it?

DS1- a local private school that ahs a good rep with his SN (a non Sn school)

DS2- same school he attends (state), he's suted to it and happy there

DS3- full time specialist home tutor

can you tell we discuss this often, in a lottery winning kida way

State school absolutely no question.

If money were no object I'd use it to buy a house v close to a really good state school to make sure DS got in, would not send him private.

State at primary level, then private from 11 plus.
We could easily afford private at primary, but I do believe in State Education,and as we are fortunate enough to live in a village with an excellent primary I support it. I also want my children to have the experience of growing up within a village community, and mixing with people from all income levels. It is very important to me, having seen some of my dh's privately educated and highly priveledged friends and family turn out to be snobbish arses, that my kids realise how lucky they are and are grateful for it.
But when it comes to Secondary I will put my childrens education before my liberal beliefs and will not apologise for it. I vote for the politicians I think are more likely to deliver a universally good education (well I would do if I could find anyone) I have in the past volunteered at my local secondary and intend to do so again in the future, but I will not hesitate to use my money to buy my kids out of having to suffer the crap education and discipline that too many secondary schools offer.

Private

Paul MacCartney chose state didn't he?
But I can understand famous people choosing private, just because they are famous.
Depends on the state school available. If rich, you can afford to live in any catchment area. I'm just grateful not to be rich enough to have to consider it.

would depend on the child in question tbh - it my children turn out to be all rounders then the secondary school they're currently most likely to go to would serve them brilliantly - has very good sports, arts and academic success - with a huge emphasis on the latter. If they were talented in just one particular area, but not greatly academic I may look at private options,

expat - did you see my post on the bumbo thread?? Is yours still avaiable??

FloweryBeaBag - do you know what - I think that is probably the best answer I have seen.

Will keep an eye out for a good house near an excellent school ready for when we win the lottery

I guess thats the thing hte state schools in my area vary from crap of the crap to just about average. There are quite a number of privates, proportionately speaking (more than where I grew up) many of which seem v v v good.

I do wonder if the states locally suffer because of the large number of private places , coming back to my original argument of wanting to support local state schools.

"I do wonder if the states locally suffer because of the large number of private places"

well we have 3 state secondary schools in our town, plus 2 others in 2 adjacent towns take quite a lot of pupils from our area too (not enough places at those 3 schools for all the primary aged children) - and only one (pretty average) private school...............and all 3 local ones are positively cr*p.......