East Sussex primaries: VInehall - worth the money?

[goddessofplenty]

Being totally terrified that the government isn't moving quickly enough to change the way kids are educated, DH and I have decided to starve and never go out and put ds into a private school - our local area has a crap choice of schools and this last year was really bleak. We've just spent half a day looking at Vinehall and Battle Abbey. For me Vinehall is streets ahead (but maybe I'm blinded by all those fields and wholesome well-mannered faces) in everything including fees. Any thoughts on if it's worth the money - an extra £2k per term? Even if you don't know them, feel free to stick your oar in - pros and cons below:

Battle Abbey - great rep for pastoral care, early child-centred and they are all thriving, it's a bit knackered facilities-wise though and clearly ds will be 'expected' to go through to the secondary school.
Vinehall - gets kids into all kinds of secondaries, several on scholarship, and has a young head and deputy who are focused on new teaching approaches that make me calmer about whether ds will be able to find work after the computers take over the world. I'll need to sell a kidney to cover the fees, but in a couple of years' time it may get easier.

I wouldn't bother unless I was filthy rich. Plenty of well educated and successful people went to normal primary schools. It's not really worth the money deprivation for your family imo.

If you are going to stretch yourselves financially I would be reluctant to do this assuming your dc has no special needs. I say this is a parent of children in state and a teacher in private (in East Sussex actually).

At reception and ks1 there is very little difference other than class size. The activities that my dd does at a large state infants and the things that they are doing at my work place are identical. Playing, phonics, singing assemblies, maths. Class size is the only difference and the teachers are talented in both places. If you are going to be stretching yourself Financially then wait till year 3 where it starts to make more difference imo.

My advice would be: don't put your child in to any school for which you would need to sell a kidney. It isn't worth it!

If fees are that much of a stretch, what would happen if redundancy came along? If one of you were taken ill and unable to work? Or some other unforeseen situation arose that affected finances. Fees usually increase as they rise through the school (even just within Prep). Uniforms, trips etc etc all add to the cost.

Think what you could do with that money which would enrich your child's education without paying school fees that you can barely afford. If you send them to a state school even half the cost of the private school goes a long way in extra-curricular activities, tutoring, holidays abroad and days out - which are massive learning opportunities as well as great ways to bond as a family (and things you might miss out on if you are scrimping to pay the school).

Private education is not worth putting yourself in to potential financial difficulty for. Remember too that private schools are businesses and they are very good at marketing and spin - which your comments about being blinded by "wholesome faces" and "new teaching approaches" makes me think you may have fallen hook, line and sinker for.

(N.B no doubt they are good schools, but not so good that they are worth if if you can't truly afford it. After all, a car costing 60K is almost certainly a great car, but it isn't any good if driving it will take the food off your table and there is a much cheaper alternative - albeit without the fancy self-driving gadgets - available.)

Thanks and really good insight. Ds is about to go in Year 3 and the reason for moving him is because the schools here (with places) really are narrow and poor. This isn't just my opinion- my area has never had a good reputation for schools, primary or secondary. There are the odd ones that stand out but we've missed the boat/refuse to pretend to be catholic. No extra curricular at all and I've looked around but there's not much that isn't run by individual schools. My fear comes in part from interviewing teachers in state and private around the country for a future of work project being run with policy makers and global business leaders. Results from state professionals varied enormously - some teachers, amazingly caring teachers, frustrated because it's clear kids aren't being prepared in anyway for what the working world will look like in 2030. Others (minority) confident they've got it licked. State schools are also beholden to government policy far more than public ones and all of the state educated students said they found all the testing extremely stressful. However, you are all being very clear about not committing to something I may not be able to afford if something happened and make great sense. This is hard!

Can you tell.us your area? May be someone on here who has a suggestion that you maybe haven't considered?

You mention missing the boat? Are you on any waiting lists?If you moved house say, would it be cheaper than moving house?

I echo the opinions that at primary age I don't think you should spend money you don't have to go private.

I mean would it be cheaper to move than go private?

Depending on where you live Marlborough House and the other Hawkhurst schools may be worth a look

oh sorry op I hadn't realised he was going into year 3. Is he your only child, ie the only child you will have to find fees for? I might still wait a couple of year and look at year 5 entry if I were you, but I do get what you're saying.
How far are you from Bede's? This is also an excellent school and everyone I know with DC there rave about it. In the two schools you're looking at I would go for Vinehall

Of the two I would say vinehall but I am another who think carefully before really putting yourself under financial pressure. I know people who did this and ultimately had to pull their children out and go back to the state system as it got too much financially. The parents found it very difficult to accept the 'difference' in facilities and were never really happy with the state option after that - the children were absolutely fine ! I would only do it if you are confident it is sustainable in the long term. I speak as one who always assumed we would privately educate but got thrown a few curve balls along the way... we are happy enough with the state system and have enough money now to persue extra curricular stuff that fits our children's interests not just what is offered at school.

You're all total beauts for piping up thank you - and I really appreciate your thoughts on which option too. We live in Hastings. I have to say, the fees are a lot but yes ds is the one and only, and at the moment dh isn't working. He plans to and we can guarantee the next two years will be covered. I can cover everything else so in theory all of his salary could go to school fees and it would only need to be a modest income he makes. My salary is very good on paper, it just seems to evaporate in practice. it's a lot about the freedom the private system has to change they way they teach for me. The facilities are phenomenal at Vinehall, but if the head was a closed-minded dinosaur who gazed at me blankly at the mention of 'skills not content' they could platinum plate the staircase and I'd still have run a mile.

Bookgirl1982 - Marlborough House was the dream. I got talked out of it because it's just a bit too far away.

Tomhazard I'll look Bedes up.

We thought about when to pay: primary or secondary. Primary makes the most sense to me because you can build great things on good foundations. But once the love of learning is lost I figured it would be hard to get back.

I only got to have one child too, so do want to do the absolute best I can for him.

OP, I am in a similar situation - am moving DS for Year 3 because ignorance limitations of the local state options plus curriculum, and his probable dyslexia meaning I think he’ll do better in smaller classes for now. Prior to the last few years of changes in education and the chronic underfunding of schools I wouldn’t have bothered with private for primary at all (am a secondary teacher).

It does make a big difference if you’re only budgeting for one child (school, uni, house deposit etc).

I do feel suspicious of the shiny PR privates are so good at - having worked at several myself as well as state schools I feel like I know the truth (and the best teachers I’ve met were in state - but that doesn’t always mean as much when the classes are so large and overstretched, sadly) - yet asa parent I find myself seduced by the woodland glades and the science lab, despite myself!

Anyway, I can’t help you school wise as I’m in Surrey but I think you should go with gut as much as you can, over anything else.

Ignorance limitations?! I meant because of limitations!

Have a look at Claremont OP.

If you pay for primary then go for state secondary, what would be your catchment state school?

Have you looked at Claremont?

I was going to say look at Claremont too !

I would say that Vinehall isn't worth the extra £2K per term than Battle Abbey. It does depend on what you're looking for - Battle Abbey is small and nurturing and more like a primary school than a traditional prep. The pastoral care is amazing. They totally don't 'expect' you to go up to the Senior School. Most pupils do, but there's no pressure or expectation at all. I also know Claremont well but don't really know Vinehall that well. Claremont is much bigger than Battle Abbey and pastoral care not great. They definitely do 'expect' you to go on to the Senior School! Claremont and Battle Abbey are very similar fees-wise, as are Vinehall and Marlborough House (both around £2K per term more).

I've heard great things about Bede's, OP, but it would be a heck of a slog to get over there from Hastings. They have a school bus but I've never seen it as far east as Hastings.

Have you looked at Bede's in the end? I am wondering if it's to far from Battle area...

Hi. I live in the same area and have chosen Claremont. My DD has been at nursery there from 1 and starts reception this September. She has been very happy there and is very excited about joining the school. I don’t possibly have experience of the pressure you may face for her child to continue to the senior school but there is no expectation. The senior school hasn’t been around that long so many parents still look elsewhere. It also seems that many children get scholarships to other independents from Claremont and they see this as an achievement. I didn’t look at Vinehall as it was too far out and too exclusive for my liking.

I know all these schools well - either I or one of my siblings went to all but 1 of those mentioned and I know people with children at all of them.

If I was looking in the area for my DD then I would go for Claremont.

Vinehall would be bottom of my list.

Also going to suggest Claremont!

I know all these schools in various capacities. You need to think about which secondary school you want your child to go eventually and find out which schools the Preps feed into (eg continuation of secondary fee paying school or not). Fees tend to go up every year and you need to factor in additional costs.

If looking at schools in or Hawkhurst St Ronan's if by far the best and won Tatler Prep School of the year this year. It is the most amazing school.

I’m unsure of where you’re getting your facts from, in fact many of the staff you’ve listed as leaving have actually taken their retirement after thirty or so years at this wonderful school. The school is most definitely pushing ahead with academic innovation and in fact I’ve heard nothing but positives about the school as whole.

The advert for their open day was awful, agreed.

This isn't particularly helpful but I went to Vinehall and they are the happiest memories of my life. I'm now in my 30s and I'm still friends with many of my classmates.

Having relocated to the area I have just been around the local prep schools and recently went on a tour of Vinehall with the Headmaster. There is simply nothing arrogant about him in the slightest, in fact quite the opposite. He is pushing the academics and raising the bar from what I can see. Everything about the school is about the children. I met some of the new staff he’s brought on board and was very impressed, needless to say the facilities are leagues ahead as well. I can see the school taking off which must be ruffling other schools’ feathers. It’s my number one choice by far.