Am I crazy to consider a private school I’ve never seen?

[welshweasel]

DS1 is 4, due to start reception in September, at our local primary school. Plan was for him to go to breakfast club then to after school club at the nursery that DS2 will still be at. I’d pick them both up from there at around 5pm.

Obviously covid has changed things...school currently planning to have kids in one day a week. The latest plans suggest this may continue well into the new term, although obviously this may change. We are in wales, where changes do seem to be happening more slowly. At the moment there will be no breakfast club and nursery are unable to run ASC as they need the space for increased social distancing with the nursery children.

We are both keyworkers and had figured we would get keyworker school, but this has been cut to 8.30-4pm as of this week (previously 8-6) so can’t count on that.

One option would be to get a nanny, but this would mean pulling DS2 out of nursery too.

Other option is to take a place at our local private school. It’s a well regarded school, day/boarding through to 18. We had always hoped to send the boys from age 7/11 depending on finances, academic ability etc, but never planned to do so from reception.

They have space, and plan to have all children back in September, with wraparound care 8-6. It’s on the way to DH’s work so doable without too much issue.

But I really wanted DS to have local friends and it’s a massive risk - we’ve not looked round the school...and obviously can’t at the moment. If we give up our state school place we are unlikely to get another as school oversubscribed.

Aside from the childcare, DS is really keen to learn at the moment. He seems bright enough, is reading reasonably well, can do basic maths etc. We both work full time so if he ends up doing 1 or 2 days in school from September with some sort of cobbled together childcare the other days, when is he going to learn? We can’t do home schooling as well as working full time.

Anyone got any thoughts?

I’ve just had a zoom meeting today where they shown us around the school. We’ve just changed private schools.

They should be able to offer this too. My youngest is nearby four so we had a good look inside her class room and her outside playing area. Dane fit my older one.

I was really happy with it and am going ahead. The schools grades speak for themselves so I was interested to know about pastoral care ect..

Just be careful about what they actually said though. I need to be back in work by September so was quite keen to have some caste iron guarantees but all they could say is ‘I’m fairly sure we will be back full time and wrap around care will be limited numbers so first come first served ect..’

Uniform cost is eye watering

Weird typos there sorry!

Thanks - with it being a boarding school I feel more reassured by the plans for September but obviously nothing is cast iron.

Good point. If you can afford it - go for it.

We are moving private schools for DS and once they reopened to a few year groups, the school made provision for us to visit after hours (5pm) wearing masks. It’s not the best time to see a school as you can’t see the kids and how happy/sad they are but it gave us a good chance for a speedy tour of facilities etc. It’s worth asking if you can do the same. Another option is to ask to go in the holidays which is an option another school was offering us . Most schools would like you to see before you commit so it’s definitely worth an ask

Also, both our present and future school are predicting that not all children will be back day 1 but it will be a phased return with all kids and year groups back by the end of September

I would OP. If you can afford it and are planning to send them there in Yr 3 anyway. Do as much as you can virtually. Also ask them when you can get in to see the school. They may well let you look round soon.

Are you sure you can’t go for a look? I work at a private school (also in Wales, but girls only, so not that one) and I showed a new family around yesterday. There will be staff working, it’s not the same as seeing it on a school day, but it should still be possible.

No, you're not crazy OP. If you and your DP need to work you need a school that is going to provide the kind of wraparound care to allow that to happen and if the state school your DS is due to go to cannot provide that you must do what is right for your family.

Yes, ideally you would be able to go and look around the school when there are DC there and you can get a proper feel for it, but right now that's not possible. The bottom line though is that private schools are much more likely to be up and running FT in September, due to their smaller class sizes and this is particularly true in Reception, which is often under-subscribed. With parents paying for their DC's education they will be more motivated too to make the necessary adjustments in order to get the doors open. If you can afford it, go for it.

Thanks everyone. I’ve got a call scheduled with them today so will ask whether a visit would be possible. We are only 20 minutes up there road so could go anytime.

Any particular questions I should be asking, that I won’t have found on the website?

I was particularly impressed with the provision they made for keyworker children during covid - including for boarders. This gives me some reassurance that if the school were to close again due to a second wave/future similar pandemics, that we would be provided for. Or am I being too optimistic?!

My experience is that private schools are pretty ingenious and flexible, and will find a way to solve most problems, unless prohibited by law. The biggest issue where we are is the parents. The international ones are more - er - cautious perhaps because they are more isolated, hear alarming tales from their home countries, and because many of the expat mothers don’t work and don’t have pressing childcare concerns. The British ones are generally less terrified about virus risk but are so well ensconced for the summer in their second homes in the country (or abroad) they are in NO hurry to come back for school. I think the Brits are likely to send kids back in September, when fee discounts end and when employers start looking for white collar workers to return to offices. The question is whether the international contingent does too. If enough international students fail to return, some schools may fold before Christmas.