Just wondering... how do you think the financial turmoil will affect private school applications this year?

[PrincessPeaHead]

It was difficult enough to see who the hell could afford boarding fees of £8800 per term in a boom economy... now? Do you think there will be a big move from boarding to private day options (cheaper) or in fact also a big fall in private day applications as people try for grammars/use the good local comp ?

Just musing really.

how could talking to you be a waste of time Dot?

I took my son out of the local state school because he was the only white boy in his class (there was one white girl and the remainder were Bengali Muslims). It was a good school in many ways but he was never invited to any birthday parties / play dates and all our attempts at similar were pretty much ingnored. He gradually became very unhappy as he clearly felt left out.

The food was halal and whilst notionally open, of course it was effectively closed at Eid and so on. As I say, in terns of teaching, it was a very good school but it just didn't offer the mix I was looking for.

Most people don't want to be in small minorities wherever they go as it can be awkward, the only woman in 40 men on the trading floor or around the board room table, the only black child in the school or white child or working class or middle class child, the only clever children, the only low IQ child. Children want to fit in.

I do remember Asian parents wanting a classical English private school education and wanting to ensure however that most of the school was white British and good at cricket because they were choosing that education in particular and thus if 75% of the intake became Asians they would object so sometimes the issues are quite complex.

I remember interviewing a new sixth former (some careers thing) and she had moved to daughter 2's school because she was sick of having to wear Orthodox Jewish clothes at her school and wanted a more religiously mixed environment but still 100% amongst only girls.

But it's still only 7% of people attending private schools. Okay, it'll be a bit more or a bit less in some parts of the country. Of course it will. That's what "average" means. But it can't be the case that 93% are cast into a pit of ASBO-knife-hoodie-ringtones-no-GCSEs oblivion, from whence they shall never return.

Still say it's a luxury.

Luxury luxury luxury.

Can't stop me.

Yah boo sucks

The point you are missing UQD is that it is a luxury to you but it might be a necessity to those in the 7 percent.

Just as living in your own house is a necessity to you because you are not in the 14 percent who live in social housing.

There's no such thing as an objective luxury. Luxury by the nature of it is subjective.

Take watches. Now a watch is not an essential item. But I like watches so a nice watch has now become an essential. Ditto perfume.

I love a well reasoned argument

As I said before, people are confusing the value of it to them with the objective value. Arguments about the inadequacy of the local state provision are specious - some people, MOST people, have to make the best of them as they have no other option.

UQD - finally you are making sense!!!!

Of course I mean your last sentence

should add that I mean the 22.44 post not the one immediately above mine.

UQD, can we agree that the necessities of life are

Food
Warmth
Clothing
Housing

Above and beyond that, surely everyting is a luxury? Your definition of luxury seems to be something you yourself cannot afford. That's a strange definition.

Of course it's a luxury! Anyone who thinks otherwise is stupid or spoiled or possibly both. Good grief- how can anyone argue that private school is an objective necessity? What bollocks!

I think that depends on where you live tbh.

Have nothing to add to this thread but I do lol every time I see the title pop up in Active Convos. Only on mn.

No, the definition is not something I myself cannot afford. It's more along the lines of something most people in this country cannot afford, and cannot even contemplate affording.

Completey agree with UQD, have all along but can't be bothered to waste my time to argue the case yet again (sorry UQD), other to say that SOME state schools are actually better (academically) than SOME private schools, even the Telegraph says so!

I have to agree that private education is of course a luxury for the vast majority.

Having said that, if I was compelled to send my child to our nearest state secondary schools, I would most certainly move house to avoid it and would even consider emigrating. I could never put my children into that environment - for years I have ensured I am not out and about when the school day ends because of the hideous violence, shouting and foul language.

If I lived somewhere like that I'd move anyway chocolatedot. Sounds bloody awful, feeling you can't leave your home during certain hours!

Dunno who Mrs Bucket is? FTR, it is bloody awful. Am feeling particularly shattered today becuase of the police helicopter hovering above our house between 11.30 pm and 1.30 am closely followed by a group of drunken shouty men weeing on our front door at 2.00am. I'm desperate to leave.

There are quite a few middle class types who live nearby but of course they manage to wangle their kids places at the two good state secondaries, despite not living especially close. Quite frankly, I think depriving kids who live closer but don't have pushy parents is morally worse than going private.

How are these parents wangling places chocolate? State school have to have a clear admissions policy, so it shouldnt be the case that 'middle class' parents are depriving others.

Being School Governors, being close friends with the heads, getting involved with fundraising, daily harassment for a place.

You're joking???

Seriously, if a school is breaching their own admissions policy, then why isn't this being challenged? I have never heard of people getting a place at a school through getting chummy with the Head or whatever. Private schools are a different matter, they can more or less do their own thing, provided they comply with things like disability legislation, though even then there are some that get around things in a dubious way.

But this really should not be happening in a state school.

That happened at our local school for this intake. The LEA are currently investigating.

You can't do that where we live either (Hackney).