Outstanding State Primary or Outstanding Private from Reception?

[qiuyifan2000]

Hi! I have difficulty in choosing between an outstanding state primary and an outstanding private all through for DD into Reception! If money is not an issue, which one would you pick?

Academically, the state primary was ranked the 26th of all schools in England last year, achived 67% Level 5 in combined English and Maths, 30% Level 6 in Maths. The private school (4-18) has an even better result, ranked top 10 of all schools by SATs results (though many private schools don't do SATs), with 90% achived level 5, 20% achived level 6 English or Math; and GCSE ranked 50 out of 4000 schools.

The state school has 30 children per class (60 in a year), laptops on trolley, no music room, 1 PE lesson per week, only spanish from year 2, etc; whilst the private school has only 12 pupil per class (23 in a year), music room, PC room, sports hall, 3 PE lessons per week, Spanish/French from Reception, range of enrichment clubs. According to her nursery teacher's comment, DD is a bit quite in a large group, but quite active if in a small group. So a smaller class may be very beneficial to her?

BUT, the state school is only 5 minute drive from home, in a wealthy town, with a large outdoor playground. The private school is in the city centre, 20-30mins drive each way depending on traffic, has smaller outdoor area, and is GIRLS only. DD prefers state because of a bigger play field and a bigger slide (-_-).

Overall, I slightly prefer the private just for a piece of mind as I am afraid of regretting if anything goes wrong with the state later. But What worries me a lot is that I am not sure if it is a good idea to send her straight to a girls-only school at 4, and spend all her rest of school life in a single-sex environment? Or would it be better to stay in a mixed state school until 7+ or 11+, to gain some experience of socializing with boys??

In terms of academic performance, both school are doing well enough to me. Private school provides more enrichment programmes but I doubt how much DD will benefit from it in early years, and many enrichment classes can also availabe in my town too. SO is it worth of sending DD to girls-only school now, depriving her opportunity to explore the opposite sex?

BUT I also worried if it will become more difficult for her to gain a place at the private school at a later stage, as there will be more competetions and fewer places, especially at 11+. Would it be better to secure the place at Reception now to avoid not getting a place later? Another way to avoid 11+ exams is to start DD's private education at 7+, which means she will be in state school for only 3 years, and then comes the question if it is worth the hassle of moving DD around, or better just settle her into the private sector from Reception and all through to 6th form??

Ps: we are not in the highly competitive London area, but are thinking of moving into in a few years. If we move, we are keen to send DD to one of the highly selective privates there. If this counts another factor, would private Reception a better choice for now?

A large influence will be the private schools available locally and the wealth of the parents. Private school is out of the reach of most.

Private, private, private.

Of course if your DH is based in Reading and you decide to live in that area then you do have the option of Kendrick at 11+. It's a girls only state secondary. Very very high achieving and very competitive entry. There are quite a few preps but I lived in Wokingham and quite a few bright girls went from good state schools too.

It will likely be so much more nurturing, simply because the teachers will have more of a chance to be.

Very similar dilemma for us, although money was important.

We went state. It truly is outstanding BUT thirty children in a class. THIRTY! There are limits to what a human being is capable of, and providing one on one in that scenario is all but impossible. For me, it wasn't the fancy facilities of the ro image, it was the small class sizes.

Hang on. Are you definitely moving to London soon or possibly.

If you are definitely moving and want a super selective your only question is what will facilitate that, surely? All the stuff about single sex long term and siblings is basically irrelevant?

ItsNotAsPerfectAsItSeems, if taking Moving to Reading into account, do you still suggest state or private? I just feel we have too many things to consider and may over look the most important bit.

Yes we will move to London sooner or later, as there is no good job opportunity locally. I start to look at the possible areas around London, taking consideration of those with both excellent girls and boys schools or co-ed, in case the second child is an opposite sex, and reasonable commute time for DH into London.

We plan to apply for those ideal schools from September this year. We will locate to where she gets a place. If unfortunately no place raises, we will have to wait until 7+ which is a more standard year of intake. But the longer she stays locally, the more important her current education status becomes. It is why we are keen to know if early years in private school will contribute to our ultimate goal or not? As we don't want to see DD go to a less able school than the current private at least.

But of course, if DD turns out to be not an academic type girl, we can take this relocating opportunity to get a more appropriate school for her.

If there is not much difference in terms of academic performance or the chance of getting into a more selective London school later, state school is a much better choice, isn't it?

My view towards sex orientated education:

1. I prefer my girl to be in a girls school from 11+ and ideally mixed primary provided there are equally good mixed and girls school available.
2. I prefer my boy, if I have one, to be in a co-ed school from 11+ or 13+ depending availability. Primary stage, either co-ed or boys only?

Well you can always live in Berkshire whether your DH is Reading or London based.
Lots of kids go on to Kendrick (g) or Reading Grammar (b) from state schools. But lots also join from local preps. You have some private primaries in the area who sell themselves on getting children through the 11+ and into R and K.

Where are you living at the moment?You could look at living somewhere like St Albans. 30/40mins into London. StAlbans boys and girls are both highly academic private secondaries. The girls school has it's own prep and preprep.

Do you expect your children to have a say in their secondary school?

Reading seems a good area to live with a wide selection of excellent schools, both state and private, and the house price is comparatively lower than some other areas around London. Another place with many good schools is Oxford but the housing cost shoots up to the sky in recent years. Oxford high is part of GDST, don't know if will be easier to switch there?

I don't like Oxford as I found it horribly divided. Lots of affluence alongside lots of deprivation. And I find rural and semi rural deprivation worse than urban deprivation. At least in big cities there is opportunities. Oxford is full of working poor who work for the Oxford elite either as cleaners or in other domestic roles. It made me uneasy. (DH is an ox grad)

LibrariesGaveUsPower, yes I fully appreciate their choice when they get to senior school. What I said above is just my own preference based on experience and research. I know things usually go out our control...

in that case I'd try and be somewhere with a range of good secondaries (including if she is not academic ). I have seen people plan where they move very carefully only to be thrown a curve ball by the child!

I currently live in Nottingham and the private school I talked about is Nottingham Girls High. I actually hasn't met the Head Teacher as previous visits were guided by the deputy head or other senior heads. I just googled online, it seems the head teacher got some nasty reviews and someone said she is to retire by the end of this year but I haven't heard of anything from the school about this.

They did appoint a new deputy head from this September, who was the deputy head of the local catholic school, the one I turned the offer down. The school was academicly as good as the state school we talked about, but just too crowded.

It is so good that you give advice on where to relocate. As I spent most of my life in the UK in Nottingham and hardly know anywhere else.

My DS2 is extremely happy at his outstanding state primary and doing very well but I am concerned at the lack of depth in subjects other than literacy and numeracy. Lucky those of you who have specialist teachers of MFL/science/humanities/sports/art/music at primary, we don't!

OP, you could ask about specialist teachers at the state school you are considering. A friend moved her DDs from our school to a very good all girls private (lots of extra hassle like you would have) and she has no regrets whatsoever.

Even the best primaries have limited resources compared to private schools .

Have you thought about Cambridge?

Cambridge is a nice place and we would like to consider. I'd be glad of you have some information about it.

Our state school has close to non specialist teachers and all subjects are taught by the class teacher. But it may influence the older pupils as they need more in depth teaching.

To me, we may have moved to London by the end of KS1 or earlier, so many benefits of private education may not be relevant. This is why we think it state primary may do as good as to the private to us. But we are not entirely sure, so I post the thread with a hope to get opinions from others. People are so friendly and helpful here!

Which state school in Notts? What about Nottingham High School which is now co-ed? You could make history by being one of the first girls ever to attend!

The state school is Pirrepont Gamston Primary School. It was ranked Good in 2012 and has no more up to date inspection report. To me, it is superior than the outstanding west bridgford school in all aspects including results and space. I won't be surprised to see it become "outstanding" when next OFSTD inspection comes into place.

I went to see Nottingham High School in May, and by that time they only secured 5 girls in the whole reception year (over 20 pupils in total). I can't imagine how DD will be in school while boys dominate. It is their first year of going co-ed, and usually it should take more than a decade for a school to really adopt the change.

PS: people who makes the history are usually sacrificed. I'd prefer DD to be the one enjoys the success of the pioneers.

If DD is to enter the 6th form, I will pick Nottingham High to make the history!

Poor grammar... I should have said "if DD were into 6th form, I would pick Nottingham High to make the history!"

You don't seem to be putting any value on the point she will develop local friends and have local play dates in a state school. Parties and play dates will add to your 20 hour weekly commute

Secondly to see if both schools enable their children to reach their potential, you need to ask for each schools VALUE ADDED score. See link below.

Being ranked as a top performing school is meaningless really as the children at top schools are selected. Value added on the other hand gives a truer measure of a school and if it's specific children are under performing or over performing, considering their exact ability.

Value added scores will highlight top academic performing schools where children look to be doing well but in reality aren't reaching their potential. Value added will also highlight schools were academic results are low but the children are in fact achieving extremely well for their ability.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7545529.stm