private or state: how did you decide?

[marialuisa]

We're in the fortunate position of being able to pay for DD to go private, but we're really unsure whether we should.
Our local primary is dire but there is a strong possibility that DD would get into the neighbouring parish school (we're R.C.) At the moment this school has class sizes of 22, nice "feel", good academically etc. However a new housing estate on the way which will push up class numbers and reduce the chance of DD getting a place.

We have looked around and found that if we want DD to go private we should put her name down now for nursery class in January. Thing is I've not thought that any of the schools were particularly fantastic, indeed been quite horrified in some...

So, do we risk it and stick with the state system or put in the private nursery and perhaps move her if the state school is still ok when it's time for her to go there? An added pressure is that we live in a county with the 11+ and people tend to pay to make sure kids get into the grammars as the alternatives are not great!

So, sorry this is so long, but would like to know how other people decided....

The need for a good supportive head is also another plea I hear from the teachers I know, jimjams, so I take your point. I feel the good working atmosphere at my son's school is helped hugely by the hard working and ever-present head.

custardo - also agree with everything you said. Just to pick up on your labelling point though - just in case it wasn't clear - when I said "poor parenting/parents" I meant "not very good" as opposed to "not wealthy"

bozza - I don't think you meant to respond to me re when to look at schools for your ds - I don't recall posting anything about it

tigermoth - best solution for disruptive pupils - sanctions which "hurt" them (almost always need parental support to do this) - removal from the classroom - not necessarily from the school - often separate units within the school.

trying to be brief!

Jude I agree with you on the sanctions. I also think that for the most difficult children special units within the school are the only answer that allows all of the childrn to get an education. Having a unit within the school would help to stop marginalising these kids and would make entry back into the normal school if their behaviour improved. Sad as it is they have to be removed from the class because they prevent the other 29 kids inthe class from getting and education.

message withdrawn

That's a bit harsh on teachers robinw - I think the majority put in a lot of out of hours work, and do extra-curricular activities. And most of them don't whinge about it. I do get really annoyed when people go on about how teachers have an easy deal, because they have short days and long holidays. The extra time is all used for planning and preparation, and it seems to me that the people criticising them tend to be accountants etc. - Well look at the difference in salaries! For a profession that requires two postgraduate qualifications (i.e. degree and PGCE) teachers are still massively underpaid imo. Sorry this is a bit off the topic (and only the 1st bit was in response to you robinw!).

I've been thinking about this and I think the problem with inequality within both the education health systems is increased by the funding.

One thing I have ntoiced is that special needs units are always attached to schools in the ropiest areas of town! Now I suspect that's becuase the LEA fear that if they tried to attach an SEN unit to a school in a middle class area there would be enough vile parents to kick up a stink. The reason I worry about placing units where they are is that those schools already have a lot to cope with. Poverty brings problems - some of whcih can be relieved by an injection of cash- but if you're having to accomadate an SEN unit as well resources will be stretched.

Likewise - "good" schools gain specialist status and attract extra funding. Struggling schools get a slap on the wrist, no extra funding and told to pull their socks up.

Health. Obviously NHS resources are limited and stretched. Shouldn't resources therefore be directed at the most needy? They're not. If your child has dysfluency (a stutter) they recieve a course of speech therapy with a speech therapist. if your child can't speak at all becuase of verbal dyspraxia they receive nothing. How can that be right? Especially when verbal dyspraxia doesn't get better wthout speech therapy. The NHS seems to have decided to fix simple cases whilst totally ignoring complex ones. That's not a health service!

At the moment services are not being provided according to medical need. You read all the time about people with non-urgent operations being operated on before urgent life and death cases because the non-urgent one will be going over the 12 month limit. I don't know what the answer is. The state system isnt fair, having a two tier system isn't fair. Scrap it all and start again?

I've said my piece on this subject but ks, thanks for that, interesting article.

Just had a quick look at that article. you're right ks, it does echo this thread.

Badmamma, are you the Janice in disguise?

jimjams, in a rush, but a quick reply to your message about funding increasing inequality in schools. Well at least extra funds would increase choices, and make a complete overhaul of the system possible.

peeps from behind Mac nervously

Yes, tis I. Coincidence that, just as this thread raged, several news items emerged about same subject which is why i decided to write about it. Now i expect i'll have to find a new nickname.

Disappears in puff of smoke

yeah but tigermoth the funds would probably go to the "good" schools which would get better whilst the bad schools would get worse.

Anyway I'm off to read badmammas artcile with a cup of coffee- ds2 has fallen asleep and my arm is going dead.

waves yes, fraid so.

You look different than I thought you would. I imagined dark curly hair for some reason. Well spotted ks.

thank goodness for that, badmamma, i was wondering if i should be aghast at the prospect of unscrupulous journalists plagiarising threads on this board.

I lust over the swanky gym. Can't afford it though- too busy paying for private health care

A swanky gin at the swanky gym with fluffy towels.... heaven. Unfortunately I should be unloading the dishwasher whilst ds2 is asleep. Reality alert!

Thanks for the link, ks. Glad I'm not the only one who remembered the Junior connection with interest!

I don't really want to wade into this one for risk of a massive backlash, but here goes:

Come on guys, let's give badmamma a break - she's just earning a living. She didn't start this thread, and from what she's saying her interest in the subject was just stirred up by the debate. As far as I can see, her article just expresses her views - as expressed here too - which apparently were fully formed before this debate started.

Now, I'm not saying that I agree with those views, but let's not pounce on each other for holding opposing views, and doing our jobs. We should all be inside the tent p*ing out, I think, not carving each other up like this.