If your child goes to private school, what job do you do?

[scrambledeggy]

Just curious really- I don't know anyone who has kids at private school, but I always pass a massive one on my way to work and wonder what kind of jobs people do to afford it?

2 solicitors here.

Lots of other solicitor parents at the school. As well as accountants, GPs, dentists, small business owners, finance/bank people, marketing people, tech people, psychologists. Quite a few parents are teachers at the school

When we had our DS at an independent school most parents were hospital doctors, own businesses, research and development or academics plus those fakey money moving jobs like hedge funders, management consultants and independent financial advisors, property developers.

Some were there for the academics and many of those left as soon as Yr3. Lots were there for the sports and extra curricular and found themselves a bit concerned when excelling in sport wasn't enough to gain admission to the minor public school for which the prep school was a feeder. As the top of the prep school was Yr8 options could feel a bit limited for some not chosen for the feeder school.

Mine were both privately educated.. my inlaws paid even after I divorced. I can’t see my kids being able to afford it for theirs though.

I don’t think it’s necessary to pay for Prep. Unless the primary schools are a hell hole it makes more sense to send them to state primary first. Mine went state primary and they both came top of their year 7 tests in the private, ahead of their previously prep classmates. They’ve said they were glad they went to state primary over the prep, but glad they went to private seniors. Both also went to state 6th form colleges and were more than ready to have the freedom that gave them (sixth form at the school was too structured, having to be in school all day even if only one lesson in the afternoon). State 6th form college was more like a taster of uni. This could at least be a good compromise if you’re not rolling in money.

Our daughter’s school is very very heavily weighted towards medical parents. Son’s was more business owners and a broader mix. The difference is a lot to do with daughter’s being highly academically selective and 2 x doctor parents being very likely to produce academic children. It’s also close to a hospital.

We work in energy and finance.

I'm in West Yorkshire. Not an affluent area.

The private prep school my daughter went to used to cost c£5000 a year when we first put her name down, in 2017ish. It's now skyrocketed to £12000 a year.

This has changed the make up of the school/parents a lot. As mentioned, its probably 1/3 professionals, 2/3 generational wealth - possibly that is a cautious estimate, it is definitely more than 2/3 if we take into account the number of people who have inherited family companies.

My son’s school is straight through so there was a significant advantage to getting him in at Reception, he’s now in till Sixth form, with no 7+ or 11+. It’s academically selective but at age 4 they don’t really test them and we definitely didn’t send him to a “feeder nursery” or prepare him in any way. Was pure luck tbh and it would have been state primary otherwise. He’s an only so it’s been affordable.

This one wasn’t selective but my elder one was awarded an Academic scholarship. Only 10% off but it all helps.

I’m in the North East. 2 kids in private primary and I’m a SAHM, DH works is a fundraising manager for a national company.
we both went to the school our kids go to (DH went to private school from nursery, I got a government bursary back in the day!)

The kids’ friend’s parents are GPs, other medics, teachers (not in the private school), project managers, psychologists, other SAHMs, finance guys, dentists, HR staff.

I’m in the north of England. I’m a consultant and DH is a mid level manager. We are older parents and have only one child. I’m quite proud of myself as I’m the first in my family to not only finish high school but to finish university. I had more opportunities than my parents, and my child will have more than me again.
Most importantly though, DC thrives at his school and is very happy.

edit to add: no generational wealth and no help from grandparents

Not me, but someone I know. They were a civil servant so absolutely couldn’t afford private school for 2 kids in the SE. 30k+ a year for the two, as they got a small bursary based on mum’s income (parents divorced)

grandparents paid for private school all the way through to university.

what gobsmacked me is the younger sibling also had children, but they were in average state schools. The grandparents couldn’t afford to send those grandchildren as well 😲

Kids just left, but DH is in finance. Peers parents were a tech billionaire and a few millionaires, one Lord, accountants, doctors, city types, an Oscar winning film director, A list actors, B list TV celebs/comedians, diplomats and a self employed plumber, a board game inventor, and major league US basketball ball player of all things. We felt a bit boring next to them, really.

How much are school fees? You’d need to earn at least £65k gross to be able to afford just the fees for the schools near us.

And that the difference. You can do senior school here for less than £30k a year. My DD’s old school will be £31,200 from September. Even if you do very few extras you’re lucky to get away with less than £1500 a term for extras plus it’s not on a bus route so if you can’t drop them off then the school bus is about £750 a term. All in, you’re then looking at about £36k per child per year. We were lucky to get out just before VAT so it was only about £24k a year plus extras

Those “fakey money moving jobs” - ok

do you have any idea what those jobs involve and how many of them actively impact your day to day life and your future pension etc?

What do you do for work?

My son has a means-tested bursary and scholarship. I work in a “higher manager” position and my husband is a labourer. We make lots of sacrifices to afford it. No meals out ever etc, no holiday last year

my nephews are at independent school. My SIL is a GP (partner in practice). My brothers salary (higher management) after tax all goes straight to paying 2 sets of full school fees. My SiL salary pays mortgage, bills etc etc

i know a lot of grandparents who pay fees, especially upfront. Or many families have multiple passive incomes (eg landlords with many properties , multiple business running themselves)

Senior leadership in tech, husband runs his own small plumbing business. We earn the same amount. 3x children in private. We don’t live a lavish lifestyle but have a nice life.

Teacher and architect.

In the north-west private school fees currently circa £18K for one child. That is do-able as a single parent on a slightly above average wage. Don't go on holiday, buy clothes, eat out, drink alcohol, go to salon etc... Have a runaround car, bought outright and kept for 10 years+
It is easy to afford private school if you don't spend money on anything else and prioritise education instead.

From my kids friends who go to or went to private school the parents are,
CEO of big company and SAHM,
owners of loads of corner shops and rental properties,
teacher
two dentists,
chicken farmer and SAHM,
convenience store/ appliance store owner,
two accountants,
cashier in a supermarket,
restaurant owner and solicitor,
something techy and cabin crew

I work there. We have all types of families: plumbers, teachers, military, doctors, some media types, some own local businesses, vets - all sorts. A few families are wealthy, most just work really hard and sacrifice stuff to give their kids a leg up. Most state schools near us are not great.

One DC who was in an independent school from age 3 to 16.... now in college..
I was on a low teachers salary and DH was on similar

My friend won the lottery!

I work in the same school so get a good discount. DH is a chief engineer - we could afford full fees if we really had to but that would be super tight.

The parents at the school range from business owners to bar managers to computer game designers to farmers.

My friend at a different private school says the wealth there is off to scale compared to my school (where they also worked) despite fees being similar.

A number of the pupils at my school have relatives other than parents who pay/help pay the fees. Some children also come with funding because of their SEND, so parents don’t pay a lot in fees.

Lots of farmers or farming related industries at our 2 local private schools.