Advantages of state over private?

[CakeLoving]

Our girl starts reception next year. Her grandparents have offered to help with the cost of private school, and there are a couple of pretty good prep/4-16 private schools close by.

But part of me thinks (having seen step siblings go through the state school system- I went private) that there are distinct advantages to going to the local community school.

I'm interested in what others feel these are. We are in London and some of the threads on here make me feel like an awful mother for even considering state...which seems completely skewed!

Oh of course Scab I just meant people who specifically move to my roads just for the school, to live in a smaller house with a 500

(posted too soon) a 500k premium. There are plenty of great schools in the area (all nice parts) but the schools I'm near seem to have a particular popularity.

I would certainly move but it suits me at the moment with small children to have my mum 15 min walk away.

Londonmum I do think it's weird that people pay £££ for house when they could use the fees for private. Luckily for me I was born & raised here.

Well, apart from anything else, a property in the UK is an investment which you can use to fund old age care and/or pass wealth down to your children and grandchildren, whereas with school fees you will never see them again.

I'm not dismissing the idea of paying for private schools--I would do it if I had only a rubbish state school place offered me and moving house was not an immediate option. Just explaining why most people don't do it this way.

kokeshi Did you read my previous post? Of course London property is an investment long term. I am talking specifically the place where I live that people are desperate to get their kids into a specific school. They could send their kids to other outstanding schools in the area & get more property for their money. For some reasons these schools are particular desirable. Of course I understand that any great school will have higher property prices & likewise why people want to live there.

Just to clarify the rationale: given 2 properties, one next to an outstanding school which is frankly not remotely comparable to a selective indy nearby, why would I not pick a similar or even nicer property 1/2 mile away for a few hundred k less, and fund the superior education for my DC using the proceedings. Both areas are equally nice and the cheaper property would be less vulnerable during the now all but inevitable post-Brexit slump.

Diversity is not always an advantage. Private schools are not always better. Don't be seduced by the shiny and new; school in essence is children working hard, and a teacher giving chalk and talk. Most of my unqualified teachers were more competent than those who had educational degrees at my private.