Did you send your children to a private primary despite having good state options nearby? Did you send your children to a state primary even though you could have afforded a private primary? Why and why?

[WellWeathered]

What swayed it for you in the end?

Are you happy with the choice you made? Which aspects have lived-up to expectations and which haven't?

I'm currently very torn and would appreciate the experience and opinions (that's lucky then this been Mumsnet) of others.

No, it isn't a cost we can bear comfortably. I have two p/t jobs, dh has 2 plus private teaching and I sometimes wake up in the night cold thinking about where next term's fees are coming from.

nothing wrong with the state infants/primarys here... just chose a private prep coz
A, they have a nursery class so they could 'start' sooner (2y9m) part time and build up to smooth transition into 'school.
B, the school itself felt really nice, relaxed, friendly.
C, has better facilities - grounds, pool, forest school outdoor 'classroom', smaller classes, endless choice of clubs (none of which my boys do lol)
D, finances were not a worry and dp and i both wanted them to go private at some point so why not start at the beginning?

i actually think if they do go into state system later, a grounding in private schooling, and the self discipline, study skills and interest in learning they should have by then, cultivated by then, will stand them in very good stead.

i miss the diversity of people they will come acroos (was brought up in much richer area in this respect) but that would actually be more pronounced in the local state school as its a small rural village school and diverse it aint.

I had an entirely private schooling. I have chosen to send my DS to a 'good' (ofsted) state primary a long walk away (not our nearest). he's now in year 3. he's very happy, doing very well, hopefully likely to get into whatever independent secondary school we decide to send him too (the local state sec. is of course pants).

I chose this over private because I want my children to be part of the majority, to know where most people they go on to encounter in life are coming from, unlike me. I'm entirely happy with my decision. The breadth of education and extra-curricular activities he is offered is great. He and I are both more open minded that I ever was as as child.

my DH never wanted him to go private, until secondary.

We're a bit different than others on this thread in that we're planning/hoping for state secondary (grammar) for ds2 and ds3.

In addition to all the other reasons given on here for going private prep over state (class sizes, facilities etc) there is also the small matter of secondary school.

There is no doubt about it that the independent schools prepare the children thoroughly for moving to the independent senior schools and if your choice of state secondary schools is disappointing then you probably want to give your DC a fighting chance of getting into the independent senior schools.

Heated, the cost leaves us pretty exposed financially - if the roof came off the house, or our old car packed up, we have no adequate savings to fall back on
We can afford it, but only just
However, we feel we get brilliant value for money from the school, which is a lovely place and just right for our dcs
It is also the closest school to our house, literally 200 metres, and then five minutes walk to the station, so it is also perfect logistically

I am planning (probably some reason why this wont work) to send ours to the local comp (not bad, pretty good results esp in the sixth form - results better than some local independents) and if it is crap send them privately

DD1 and DD2 went to a lovely village state infant school, and then a really good village state junior school and are doing well. DD1 now at independent senior school with DD2 following in September - again although we have a "good" local secondary school (that I went to) I was swayed by the smaller class sizes and the single sex education of the school we have chosen.

DS (15mths) will probably go to the same village infant school, but DH is keen to move him into prep school at 7, due to there not being very many independent boys senior schools to choose from, and we would like to have the best chance of getting him into whichever school will be right for him at that time.

Financially it will be tight, but hopefully not impossible!

Ds goes and dd in her turn will go to the village school. I feel quite strongly that they are part of the village community and should know other children here and be part of village activities (like school carol service in church and dancing round maypole). Private schools would undoubtably have better facilities but would not give the same sense of belonging. As has been said below I am also wary of bringing them up to believe that they are entitled to a live of priviledge.

I chose a private prep over the local extremely good primary school because of class size. Ds would not have achieved in a class of 30. If I had had DD first then she would have gone to the state primary.

there are 27 in dd1s class (mixed year classes) and they achieve above and beyond a lot of independent schools

depends on teaching

small class sizes have their own drawbacks (a friend hsa a dd in a class of 5 - yes good results but horrific socially)

We live within walking distance of a good primary school but drive 5 mins to a pre-prep.

Choice was entirely down to facilities and extra-curicular activities as I work ft and DP will be extending his hours in the future. I expect the basic education recieved at both will be identical but at his pre-prep he can swim at the pool twice a week, learn to row, has a lego building club etc etc. I went to state school during the teachers strikes when all other activities ceased and so that had a big influence on my and DP's feelings.

Another here for local village school (2 min walk on my own, 10 min walk with dc....).
Don't think accademic side is importamt at 4-5 y old. Reading daily, well, I can do that.
Am slightly worried though, as sec school I would prefer to go private and not sure they will be able to get into it from this village school...

We went through the agony of deciding between a famous private prep school and our village state primary.

I put my foot down against my husband's wishes and insisted on DS1 continuing at the village school, which meant that DS2 followed him.

It was the sense of community and the huge sense of loss I felt at the prospect of no longer knowing all these families whom I actually live among.

I do have issues with the village school and so does DS2, but DS1 has made the move to a private secondary school ok and DS2 seems very keen to go to that same school too.

I found it was a much more emotional process than I had expected, deciding on schools. It brought out all sorts of long hidden fears, hopes, prejudices, personal memories, lots of which had to be acknowledged and sort of laid aside when the actual children didn't have similar histories as me.

It also brought out the differences between me and my husband sadly. Luckily DS1 choosing his secondary school has helped our family. I have had to insist that my husband takes part in the driving so DS1 gets a lovely drive in every Monday with him and even enjoys heated seats and a much faster drive than he'd get from me!

haha at you lot paying

our shool is " This is a superb school in which all pupils achieve as well as they can." led by " excellenet educationalists" "Pupils? behaviour is excellent." and its freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Actually, prufrock, you can get a sense of community at a state primary in inner London - we do and so do others I know in East London...

I've always felt that London is a separate micro climate and the factors there can often be completely different - I can see that coming across from some other people's reasoning.

We have 2 excellent local state schools, both of which are faith schools and we would not get into in a squillion years. Unfortunately as a knock on effect the rest vary between below average and fairly dire.

My DCs are at a not particularly flashy, non-selective private school which is only about a 10 mins walk away - its funny because for us we get the "community" thing from going to this school, as lots of children in the surrounding roads go there and they have a great network of local friends, more so than if they went to one of the state schools.

There is also a timing thing, that if you get a place at one of the private schools you have to be happy to forfeit the deposit and a terms fees if you want subsequently to accept a state school place as you hear about these comparatively late in the process.

Ability to get into good secondary schools is also a factor. "Good" round our way is definitely private.

School is very mixed by ethnicity but not much socially - we are aware of this and will try and get them doing more clubs etc in the wider local community to counter-balance.

I was fully state school educated and went to Oxford from a reasonably average comprehensive, so am not biased against it either way. But the options available to us in our part of London really didn't stack up. Moving not an option.

Cost is not an issue for us, but it is not a "flash" thing, more what we think is the riight decision in the circumstances.

Very happy with the individual school.

I know masses of people with children at state primaries in inner London with a great sense of community - much more so in many instances than at private schools with children who live all over town.

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Also a huge factor for us was wanting our children to be educated with children from a range of ethnic and economic backgrounds. Obviously if the local school had been inadequate we would have had to think hard about our options.

ooh, cross-post - must read down thread properly now..

No, didn't go round checking schools and ticking off "ethnic mix" on my clipboard. But we live in pretty mixed part of London and have a bit of a multicultural family situation, so would have been a bit if the school was not reflective of that.

When you are out in the sticks I don't think it is something you think about .

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Yes I grew up in sticks and everyone was white but where we live now it would be very odd for children to go to a school which wasn't ethnically diverse.

We will find out which state school ds has been offered a place at in the new year. First choice; church school, outstanding ofsted report, results in the top 5% of the country. Second choice; (closest school) satisfactory ofsted report, above average SAT results. Although I am happy for ds to attend either of the schools (both had a lovely feel to them) I would choose private over state if I had the choice solely on class sizes I find the idea of 30 children in one class quite scary!