Private Vs State school

[Ilikepinacoladass]

I know this is a controversial subject. But genuinely trying to decide if private is worth it.

I see loads of comments saying things like I didn't send mine to private because I went to a comp and was at the same uni as loads of privately educated people and got same results etc.

But surely the GCSE / A-level results speak for themselves? Lots from the comps won't have even made it to uni whereas maybe they would have if they'd gone to a private school?

A-level results from 2023
56.5% got A/A* - local private school
39% got A/A* - local grammar school
20% got A/A* - local state school

I don't want to waste money, but I do want the best for my child (as we all do!) and trying to decide if having more local friends / a free education / short walk to school etc (state school) would be worth the potential loss in opportunities a private school would offer.

As far as I know, the psychometric and aptitude tests do work surprisingly well. The interview is there to flush out any weak points further. Training these kids up costs a lot of time and effort and you want to get it right. Those that don’t cut it commitment wise during training are just not offered permanent jobs later on.

Araminta that’s very interesting and thank you for answering my questions in such detail. The psychometric and aptitude tests sound an excellent idea - and it must be a fascinating job developing such tests. (It reminds me of a scene in a Korean drama in which some North Korean soldiers are captured in S Korea and are told they’ve got to take a lie detector test. One of the soldiers says “You mean there’s a machine that can do that?”
I’m going to look some up online and see how I fare😂

It all depends where you live so is impossible to give any meaningful answer.

The private schools and the State sector do not even sit the same exam board normally, so grade comparison is also pointless. University is often not the end goal either, certainly outside of the pretentions of the South East, it is about their time at school being fulfilling and building some character to fall back on later in life when the shit hits the fan. Preparing a young adult for a career, those who think most state schools are just as good as private are completely deluded, you may as well compare a campsite to the Savoy. Get real. Go on some websites, compare facilities, trying to justify a state comp over a good private campus and saying they both offer the same opportunities is veering into deranged territory. Very clearly, they do not. That is how it is and whilst some kids still squander the opportunities, it doesn't change the facts.

@Devon12341 "The private schools and the State sector do not even sit the same exam board normally, so grade comparison is also pointless."

Actually, they usually do!

@Devon12341 "The private schools and the State sector do not even sit the same exam board normally, so grade comparison is also pointless."

Actually most of them do, granted they often use the iGCSE'S which have a slightly different circulum. But they are still using the same exam board providers the main choice for the international GCSE'S is they are more recognised abroad.

You can go on say AQA's website and look up the differences if you like it's all freely available. I would expect one of the main difference between state and private is that all kids in private would be sitting higher level papers and I would hope separate sciences.

If your child may have behavioural issues private school can kick them out more easily for the greater good. Which is marvellous until it’s your child that’s the problematic one.. Which my friends perfect Dd became almost overnight…

@Devon12341 "The private schools and the State sector do not even sit the same exam board normally, so grade comparison is also pointless."

What do you mean? I've taught at private schools and state schools. They used the same exam boards.

@Araminta1003 re cvs, this is an interesting article:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2023/10/07/why-more-business-leaders-are-saying-ditch-the-4-year-degree/?sh=53bb77972940

Not all private schools are created equally some are excellent some are average
Great results private school are v selective. Average private school entry ability to pay fees is enough
Compare City of London , to Aldenham both private both massively different regard results & selection .city is fiercely competitive, aldenham non selective

or QE in barnet was in the press they’re state with stellar results

QE is far more difficult to get into than private

Obviously QE hard to get into,yes of course. Free school with stellar results
A good private school is hard to get into if it delivers great grades

It’s a wonderful school but there are good reasons why it has the results it has (I taught there). Private schools have a completely different type of entrance test which is generally quite accessible to bright kids

The state system is on its knees. I work in it. It’s a shi* show and will only get worse. Behaviour is wrecking the room. This is for a number of reasons and no not just because of school. If you can afford, go private.

This isn’t entirely true. A sweeping statement

You've got to consider that universities also have limits on how many private school students they will admit per year.

With private school you are paying for your child to go to school with a similar culture of people. Granted you will have better facilities and smaller class sizes.

State schools are more a reflection of real society. But the quality of education shouldn't be any different.

If it's results you're after, have you considered hiring a tutor instead?

The comp my DS goes to gets very good results but there are quite a few differences from the independent I teach at.

• classes of 30 not 20
• bad behaviour and low expectations in bottom sets
• very harsh discipline
• poor and overcrowded buildings
• no playing fields
• no written reports, just a grade
• hard to interact with or get feedback from teachers

Sometimes I wonder if the comp gets such good results because it has quite a middle class intake and lots of parents employ tutors.

I think the comp works best for really hardworking self motivated students.

'With private school you are paying for your child to go to school with a similar culture of people'

Not an entirely bad thing imo.

'But the quality of education shouldn't be any different.'

Shouldn't be, but I think it is. Even if it's the same teachers teaching in both, the fact that they have smaller classes, more TAs, better facilities etc you would hope that the quality of education ends up being higher.

@safari111 Results not the only thing we're after. But I'd also be concerned about little one having to do a full day at school and then have a tutor at home too, would rather they just have a good education at school if at all poss.

@safari111 "You've got to consider that universities also have limits on how many private school students they will admit per year."

Pretty sure this isn't the case. Happy to be proved wrong, of course.

If you think your child needs the additional support provided by a selective private school then go for it. For A level I wouldn’t send them to school at all. Colleges have a wider range of A levels, better career and post 18 education advice and support, and better extra curricular opportunities (purely because of scale). They also treat the students like adults and so they’re a great stepping stone to uni.

I am usually pro state but agree the system is struggling. Ours are in single sex high performing state with best results in the county so seem fine and dd1 couldnt have got better gcses and has lovely friends

That said the primary they used to go to has deteriorated (according to the teachers not idle gossip). On our little cul de sac when our kids were primary age the 5ish families living here all sent their kids to the state primary at the end of the road. Can’t help but notice the 4 families with primary age kids now have all gone private.

Agree - lots of people say 'state plus tutor'. DS9 has a tutor to support him as he's struggling at state school. Starting private in August. He hates the fact he's having to do school outside of school, on top of football and swimming and cubs and all those things that are advised parents pay for on top of state school. It isn't an equivalent. He's tired and grouchy and fitting jn homework is a challenge. He loves his sports activities though so stopping them isn't on the table. When he moves school this year he'll get all of this at school and we won't be spending our evenings fitting it all in (with DD activities too)

If the main aim was highest results for cheapest cost then maybe state + tutors, could be a solution (and realise for many the only option) but also hoping for a happy child who has free time to do what they want / clubs / spend time with parents, rather than be doing school plus more school at home plus homework etc. I think tutors can be helpful at certain times like coming up to GCSE in certain subjects or 11+, but for any prolonged period of time and to make up for lack of education in school (if another school is available) is not the best.

It’s not that they limit private school applicants specifically but they have 3 benchmarks they have to legally adhere to which effectively results in private school applicants being limited. These benchmarks are being phased out, though, and a different system put in place.

@Moglet4 "It’s not that they limit private school applicants specifically but they have 3 benchmarks they have to legally adhere to which effectively results in private school applicants being limited"

What are the benchmarks?