Parents with children in private schools - tell be honestly - (namechange if necessary!) - do you wonder if you should have 'gone state' after all?

[whippet]

Because 18 months into private education I do .

The school is excellent. Mostly the children are lovely. Results superb. My children seem happy and are doing well...

BUT

I can just never quite convince myself that I can really see the £3K a term's worth of value over and above our local state school.

Although DH & I agreed together to move the kids into this school, he was much more keen that I was (he went to private, I went to state...).
And of course I now look at the £18K a year going out and think what else that money could be used for...

I can't imagine changing the DSs school again though, and we definitely want to go private for secondary, as the state schools at that level are abysmal.

I just wonder if many people are feeling the same right now, but are too proud to admit it?

There are a lot of ridiculous assumptions about the quality of state school on this thread(as always) let's remember that over 95% of children attend state school in this country. That means that the majority of doctors, lawyers and accountants etc have all filtered through that system as well as everyone else that you are so keen to avoid your dc mixing with. If it is important that you have your child in an elite atmosphere, then great, get on with it, congratulations. But please, spare us all the endless brow beating and financial worries. These threads only encourage self congratulatory twaddle from others defending their choices.

There are a lot of ridiculous assumptions about the quality of state school on this thread(as always) let's remember that over 95% of children attend state school in this country. That means that the majority of doctors, lawyers and accountants etc have all filtered through that system as well as everyone else that you are so keen to avoid your dc mixing with. If it is important that you have your child in an elite atmosphere, then great, get on with it, congratulations. But please, spare us all the endless brow beating and financial worries. These threads only encourage self congratulatory twaddle from others defending their choices.

Elite atmosphere? I hardly call children shouting out 'poo' and 'wee' elite!

NOPE
my kids get far more diverse education where they are, compared ot the local comp

I don't think anyone on this thread has used the 'e' word. I don't think private education is elite or superior at all.

Obviously, it is an elite atmosphere and it is disingenuous to suggest otherwise. Poo and wee is common parlance for all children, hardly a sign that they have a wide social mix.

I don't think it's superior. It just has smaller classes. I'm not paying so ds can mix with the.. erm.. tossers of the world, I pay for an education and small classes.

I think you'll find that a great many tossers have been through the private system, indeed many people would say that has what made them into tossers.

Obviously I don't know as my ds is at a private school and I have never been inside a state school or know state educated dcs I stand corrected.

I'm looking forward to tackling the head after half term and asking her what's happened to the 'elite atmosphere' at my ds's school . On second thoughts I won't ask, I'll demand as that is apparently what I'm paying for. Silly me.

I find myself that the vast majority of the parents at ds's school work in places like Tesco to pay the fees. They just want this for their children. I'll keep my eyes open for any tosspots so I can demand a refund. It's not why I send ds there.

Lord, must tell DCs that they're going to end up as 'tossers'.
And by the same token I aaume all the kids who went to my sink school ended up warm and caring accountants and lawyers.

i went to private primary and state secondary; dh went to state primary and private secondary.

So am I the 'toss' and he the 'er' or the other way around?