private schools

[sjw86]

i have decided to send ds to private school, i live in sale but very willing to relocate anywhere to be honest to assure he has a good education. though staying where i am with ds at a good school would be better. i am struggling to find any details on private schools, can anyone help?

Good Schools Guide

thank you :)

www.locrating.com/schoolsmap.aspx

I found this to be a useful map type starting point plus the GSG.

Before you do anything why don't you check out your local primary schools. I thought private was best and sent our twins, we left the 1st school after 3 years, because of unruly children, the school would not do anything about the behavior of certain children as did not want to upset parents & loose fees. The 2nd school was very similar after a while. They have had the best education at our local school by far, my dd's results have improved no end and they have actually pushed my ds, where as in the private sector they didn't. I went to a private school and thought this was the way to go, it isn't always the way. Best of luck in finding the right school, it is hard. The glossy brochures and fantastic facilities, don't always show the whole picture.

Thanks MarriedDad, that's a great website

thanks my biggest fear is that my ds as far as i am concerned in a state school will always be a year behind as ds's birthday is at the end of aug. state schools work on a yearly basis leaving a one year gap between ds and oldest child and also the rate he is working at. i have heard that private work more on a weekly level.

mybearhug what area/schools did you try

For what its worth, we sent our kids to local state primary (inner city London). The school has no links with private schools and no preping for 11+, just straight national curriculum well delivered by good teachers. The do have mechanisms to help brighter kids and try to keep challenging them in maths and English.

This, plus a little exam technique and practise, was enough to get my son a place at City of London Boys and Colet Court/St Pauls.

I saved my money for secondary school, where I think, if there is any difference at all, independent schools really shine. I have met plenty of kids, many on our street, who are at expensive prep schools and I'm not convinced they really benefit at all.

We live north of Leeds

my biggest fear is that my ds as far as i am concerned in a state school will always be a year behind as ds's birthday is at the end of aug. state schools work on a yearly basis leaving a one year gap between ds and oldest child and also the rate he is working at. i have heard that private work more on a weekly level. Perhaps you need to visit some in each sector, ask about this and judge for yourself. dd is late Aug and it did her no harm at all to be one of the youngest. Performance does not necessarily correlate with age. A good teacher differentiates according to ability, wherever they are teaching. Private schools will not necessarily allow him to be taught with younger kids if that is what you are driving at.

If he is still little Ofsted inspect all Early Years settings and this is the independent sector's equivalent. You can also search for schools here

Willing to move anywhere? Really...

I would really advise you to visit schools in both sectors.
What you have described doesn't really describe either sector in my experience (including having worked in schools).

One of the highest performing boys at 18 in my son's cohort, State school, is one of the youngest (late August birthday) and has never struggled more than little boys of his age (I think there was a bit of silliness early on).

I'm another who having been to a very academic prep was very dubious about state education.

So far I've been really impressed - the staff can differentiate far better than they ever did at the private school I was at. They're teaching DD according to her development rather than pushing her to fit in a prescribed mould.

Small class sizes also mean small friendship pools - not always a good thing. I'm pleased that DD's school has 60 in each year, so classes can be re-jigged each year if it proves necessary.

Discipline can be bad in either - my prep school had some of the worst bullying I have ever seen and a blind eye was turned due to not wanting to upset the parents of the ring-leaders and a 'it's character forming' attitude.

If I was faced with a dreadful state option and private was affordable and good (not all private schools are good) then I would go for the private school, but if you have the option of a great state primary.

Plenty of state primaries offer as much in the way of extras, trips and experiences as private schools - certainly in London.

We've been impressed to the point that we would happily consider sending DD to a state secondary - something I would never have believed I would think two years ago.