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Original poster

Would you pay for private education when there is a very good state alternative?

660 replies

alfiesbabe · 12/01/2008 14:29

I know this is a contentious issue, but am really interested to hear other people's views. Our situation: have just moved DS (Yr 9)from private to local state school. (His choice). He had been on a scholarship as a chorister, and finished in the choir, but money wasn't an issue as DH teaches in the private school so we paid peanuts for fees. DS is really happy and likes the wider range of students. He is in top sets for most subjects and reports back that the work is more challenging and behaviour better than was the case in his previous class. He gets less homework, but to my mind what he does get is more relevant (eg in maths he might get set 5 questions to test that he has understood a teaching point, whereas at the private school he'd be set several pages of the same type of question). Results wise, the private school had 85% 5 A-C passes, the state school had 72%. Bearing in mind the state school has the full ability range, whereas the private school is selective, this smacks to me of better teaching in the state school. It seems like a very small difference considering parents are paying about 12K a year for the private school. A-level results are similar - statistically the private school is a little better, but not by much. The private school offers more in the way of music and sport; but DS has gone as far as he wants with music for the moment and isnt bothered about sport. I'm not looking for validation of our choice - we know we've made the right decision - but I'm left with this feeling of 'What were we actually paying school fees for?' The experience as a chorister was valuable, but I can't get my head round parents who pay the full whack, specially if their child isnt musical or sporty. I'm aware that our local state school is outstanding and we're very lucky in this respect. So.... why WOULD anyone pay for private in this situation?

OP posts:
evelynrose · 20/01/2008 16:04

well mine was run by an order of nuns so it did take the biscuit a bit! (let's hope the money was put to worthy causes).

Original poster
alfiesbabe · 20/01/2008 16:14

Re: being a law unto themselves - reminds me of that recent case where a matron at a well known top public school took them to tribunal because they'd been paying her below the minimum wage for about 20 years!!

OP posts:
MABS · 20/01/2008 17:01

(which initials cam? when are entry exams ? )good luck! ds doing taster day at dd school on tues)

april68 · 20/01/2008 17:31

Since when did MN become a means of sending chatty little messages to friends!! Ain't you lot heard of email or text lol

april68 · 20/01/2008 17:31

(or do you want us all to know your ds has a taster day.....!!)

MABS · 20/01/2008 18:21

clearly you are very new to MN April. Otherwise you would know it is done all the time by putting brackets around the post.

I really couldn't give a toss about others knowing ds has a taster day, only Cam as we have talked about this particular school.

ds is already at private school so I assure you I was neither showing off nor making a point!

Cam · 20/01/2008 18:29

Mabs, we're looking at entry for 2010 (Year 9) as dd finishes prep in Year 8. But the lists for this particular school (S, don't think you looked at it as too far away from you?) close in June 2008 for 2010 entry.

NKF · 20/01/2008 18:38

Some private schools have been around for a century or more. And of course there will be horror stories. But many many of them educate generations of children well and more than efficiently.

God, I wish I didn't spend so long thinking about this topic. I'm becoming obsessed.

Cam · 20/01/2008 18:56

The school I want dd to go to next was founded during Henry V111's reign

Judy1234 · 21/01/2008 18:11

Yes, some of the best schools in the world are in the private sector in the UK. It's one thing we really do do well. Apparently the Charity commission lady (Suzy Leather I think) has a child at private school.

But yes some are just set up badly and recently and might go under so you need to pick carefully.I have 3 nephews sitting for schools at the moment, so far two just got in to their first choice, which will end the 2 years of agonised emails I've been having from my sister or may be that is just the start. Very relieved all round.

CotswoldTigger · 21/01/2008 18:21

If my local state school was as good, then I'd definitely choose to send my kids there.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 21/01/2008 18:46

Like most people, I would rather not pay for something which is available 'free of charge' - bottled water v tap, anyone? and havng already paid vast amounts of tax for education, I'd rather not pay twice.
However, what is available 'free' here in this borough - ie state secondary education is not as good as what is available at extra charge - ie independent - so... it means paying.
So to the OP - no, as you found, as there is no 'free' equivalent, I will pay for what my child needs. If there were a 'free' equivalent then would not pay - no-brainer!

evelynrose · 21/01/2008 18:52

I think there are probably very few people who would choose state over private if money were no object at all. The only one I can think of is Paul McCartney who chose to send his eldest children to a state school. I read once in an interview that he didn't want them coming home talking down to him in a "la di la" accent. It would be interesting to see where he is sending his youngest Beatrice, especially as Heather seems quite left wing. My guess is a private school.

evelynrose · 21/01/2008 18:56

The real dilemma (not the wider fairness debate which is a different matter) is for those middle income families for whom private is just about affordable but which would involve huge sacrifices and cause a drop in standard of living in other areas.

Judy1234 · 21/01/2008 19:00

Yes, people remortgage or don't save for a pension or downsize sometimes. Certainly we would have been a lot better off if we hadn't paid for 5 children and so would my father who paid for three of us. It has never been there was loads of spare money let's throw it at education. I am sure that's the case for most people.

I know a whole load of people who are left wing, very rich and use the state system. I don't think that's uncommon at all. Often they went to state schools and then Oxbridge and did fine and sometimes they don't want their child becoming in a sense a different class from them (class is not the same as how much money you have), not that all private schools are posh of course.

Original poster
alfiesbabe · 21/01/2008 19:17

Yes Xenia, I know of a few wealthy people like that, and very many more who, like dh and I, could afford private education, but choose state. I agree that as a general rule people tend to stick with what they know. Some of my friends have admitted to me that the main driving factor in their choice of private was that they went to private school themselves and they don't really know anything about the private sector. Equally, many people who were state educated themsleves and achieved highly and have successful careers are confident that their children will also be able to achieve in the state sector. There are exceptions of course - sometimes people who didn't do well academically opt for private because they want their children to do better than they did and believe this is the safest option.

OP posts:
Original poster
alfiesbabe · 21/01/2008 19:19

just realised that middle sentence doesn't make sense! Had a long day at school!! I meant 'don't know anything about state sector'

OP posts:
Judy1234 · 21/01/2008 19:29

Yes, I am sure my siblings and I have all picked private schools because we did pretty well ourselves there and all picked careers which mean we just about can afford it. My parents went to state grammar schools having passed the 11+ and on to university from there but they chose to pay may be because there were no grammar schools where I am from by the late 1960s even and because they were definitely going up in a sense, certainly my mother, moving out of her working class roots very successfully and she had taught in very poor state schools for years so knew more than most people about the state system in those days (classes of 40+ children after WWII etc)

Cam · 21/01/2008 19:57

evelynrose, I happen to know exactly where Paul McCartney is sending his daughter and it isn't state

evelynrose · 21/01/2008 20:07

I did think that would be the case Cam. It makes me a bit sad, in a way, but good to hear that people like xenia and alfie know of people who do choose differently.
Are you hoping that your lo might pal up with junior McCartney?? (will now be busy thinking of schools founded in Henry VIII's time in Brighton/Hove area or possibly London I guess...)

Cam · 21/01/2008 20:12

As my dd is 7 years older than her, no

And the school I'm talking about for dd is for age 13+

Cam · 21/01/2008 20:16

Lots of schools were founded during the 1500's starting as boys church or grammar schools

MABS · 21/01/2008 20:19

yep, I know where you mean Cam, certainly not state.

Good luck to all those whose kids are sitting entrance exams immimently. My dd already has a place conf for yr 9 in sept, but am really hoping she will get scholarship to help us too!

Cam · 21/01/2008 20:20

Oh good luck to your dd Mabs

suedonim · 22/01/2008 20:54

Evelynrose, at my 20yo dd's former school, there were plenty of pupils whose parents could have afforded private but chose not to. I doubt the ex-chair of a major blue chip company couldn't afford fees, nor MP's, dr's, lawyers and so on! I wish my dd2 was there as the two experiences I've had of my dds being privately educated have been disappointing, to say the least.