Please explain ‘State+’ meaning to me

[BlueBobbleHats]

I’ve never lived (until now) in an area which has grammar schools (I didn’t even know they existed until I joined MN) or private schools (well they had some Private schools miles and miles apart but they weren’t a big thing).

Moved in summer to new area for work. DS gone into year 4 and DD into year 1.

From DS year group the parents keep going on about State+.
So along the lines of
‘We’re doing state+’
Or
‘Glad we chose to do State+ rather than waste money on the prep school’

From DD year group the parents are discussing whether to prep for prep school or do State+ from next year.

I gather this is using state education along with tutoring so their DC will then go to grammar school or private school for secondary.

Wondering what it actually involves? What is the ‘+’? Is this just academic tutoring to pass the exams? Or is this doing other things extra curricular wise that the prep schools do?

Its tutoring and extracurricular activities (sport, music, art etc).

Its a way for MC parents who can't afford Prep to feel they aren't missing out for their DC and feel good about themselves. By sending them to good state Primary and giving them 'plus' - extra sport, language, music lessons, cultural trips at the weekend, etc, they believe they are gaming the system.

Frankly its bollocks, because many Prep parents do all that AND send our DC to Prep, but don't call it Prep + FFS.

It oversubs primary schools make them a nightmare for local parents who cannot afford private at any stage or to move close to catchment for the MC state schools.

I don't really have a problem with parents who go onto grammar, or selective state or any non-fee paying school, but its the ones who use the primary as a fee-free pre-prep and fuck off at 7+ that have no shame. In certain areas of London its rife, the 'state till eight' brigade.

If you're going to go private, make the sacrifices and do it from reception, don't game the system. Its the same as with "friends" who have private healthcare and lots of cash, but insist on using the NHS for routine procedures because its free. The only ones I know who do go private are the ones who have corporate cover.

And paying taxes isn't an excuse, you can afford to not clog up an overworked, creaking NHS. Just as the state till eight mob could afford prep by making sacrifices, but see it as some sort of 'victory' for their DC, while fucking up the school for the rest.

Rant over.

@Trottersltd has said so many offensive things that I won’t even bother to challenge.

@BlueBobbleHats, I think your understanding of ‘state+’ matches mine. It’s sending your kids to state school and adding value outside school time. That usually means some extra-curricular activities (sport, music etc) and possibly some tuition.

How much ‘+’ is offered varies widely. My DD is now in her first term of Y7 at a state grammar school and, looking back, I guess we did ‘state+’, although we didn’t consciously think of it like that. We’re not in London, and never considered private schools for any stage of her education, but we did provide clubs and music lessons out of school. Of course, many families do this without consciously thinking of it as making up some sort of shortfall from state education!

We didn’t pay for any tuition for our DD, but we did purchase workbooks and helped her to prepare for the 11 plus, and we paid for a couple of mock tests. Tutoring is big business in grammar areas though, and many of our friends sent their children for tutoring.

As parents, we all want to do our best for our children, and if for some it’s state ‘til 8, so be it. People switch between state and private education at various stages, for various reasons. All I’d advise is that you bring up your children your way, and don’t fall into the trap of @Trottersltd of insulting anyone that doesn’t think exactly as you do.

People are free to do as they please @LetItGoToRuin and calling out parents who abuse the state system isn't insulting anyone, its highlighting a horrible practice.

You think sending a child to state primary till Y3 in full knowledge you'll be sending them to Prep, leaving the state school without places when it has turned away many local children is a good thing?

Is calling out morally suspect behaviour "insulting" people nowadays? 😂

I've no idea of what @Trottersltd is talking about. It must be a big problem in their area or something? But not something I've ever experienced where we are.

We do the state plus option but we'll be keeping our children in state education all the way through (we just can't afford private school for all of them!)

Their school is fantastic but we "top up" their education with tuition from a great company who offer all subjects (Tayberry - a lot of mumsnetters use them) and we also do extra curricular stuff both in school and outside of school too.

It just works better for us!

I’ve also not experienced what pp is talking about re how it ruins things

I’ve not heard anyone use this phrase irl, just on mn, but it’s just paying for extra clubs etc

Cringing at "state+"

I've never heard it and would certainly never say it.

It's absolutely parents with a chip on their shoulder about not being able to afford private school, and attempting to be somehow superior to others.

And I say that as someone who would like to send my kids private but ultimately can't afford it.

I just don't need to make up wanky expressions to justify it.

Thanks all. At least I understand what they’re all going on about in the playground now.

Based on the loose definition I must be doing State and half a plus. Is that State - , or State/? 🤔😂
State education
DS in cubs
DD at swimming

For the record my DC will probably go to the local secondary/comprehensive/academy/whatever they are calling them by then.
Grammar school tutoring - hadn’t even given it a thought. They will have to pass the exam on their own merit if that’s what they want to do (assuming we are still here).
Private school - out of the question unless it comes with some super amazing 100% no fees option.

I have never heard it, and it's cringey tbh.

Children doing activities outside of school is just pretty much typical for lots of people, not anything to do with trying to "game the system" or do "state+". I would say that extensive tutoring in addition to a state school is more what people mean by that phrase.

state+ sounds a bit of a construct by a tutoring company to me.

I absolutely can't stand the expression, it makes me cringe!
We don't need a special name for taking kids to extracurricular activities (which is a pretty normal thing to do).
I've (thankfully) never actually heard anyone use this expression IRL, only on MN. This isn't a dig at you at all OP, hope it doesn't sound like that!

State+ is a pretentious term for what most normal parents do. We send kids to state schools and pay for extra curricular. We may pay for tutoring if we think DC need it.
The state til 8 thing is a nightmare in some areas. Wealthy parents pushing up house prices near desirable, often church, primaries. Local families can't get in. Then half the class leaves for prep in Yr3. A friend of mine said that by yr6 all her DD mates had left their school and the new ones filling places lived miles away & using it before private secondary