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.

Haven't read much of the post but I will wade in....

All three of my kids go to private school. I haven't been credit crunched yet (apart from fall in property values but I am not going to sell in this market so who cares). I have always been ambivalent about private schools especially as they are a few excellent state (grammar like) schools in my area. However, the credit crunch is making me re-evaluate whether to send 10yr old to state secondary. Some of the parents around here have ruled out the state options just to keep up with the Jones even though a couple of the state schools match the (excellent) performance of the private schools. If I assure myself that the state option will allow child to stretch himself if he wants to press ahead, then I will send him to state school. I DON'T care that he will not sound as posh as his friends at private school when he is 16. The world is changing. Most of my most strident/driven friends from Oxbridge were state educated. So if I find the right state school then I will keep my money.

I wish that the govt could abolish private schools and re-introduce some elements of selection and streaming. But then, you might say that I am slightly left of centre.