Independent Schools.

[Hando]

I find my dd's school quite boring, it's dull, they have NO after school activities or clubs or anything at lunchtime. The teachers seem uninterested. The classes are all full (30 kids) and each class has to share a Teaching assistant. Their results are not great and although my dd has made friends and is doing well I know she could be doing so much better.

However, it is the best in the area that we can get into. We have lots of lovely secondary schools but the primaries are bad. However there is one independent school and it looks lovely. Have spoken to some parents and they tell me all the wonderful opportunities their children have and tiny classes of 12-14 must mean the children get so much more individual time with their teacher and TA.

I guess what I'm getting at is, is it worth paying for? It seems relatively low cost compared to other fee paying schools (8k per year). We are not particualry well off so I know it would mean sacrificing other luxuries to pay for her schooling for the next 4 years, but I can't help but think it's worth it.

Also a little worried that we might not fit in if all the other families are stinking rich with ponies and a lexus. Has anyone else found this or is it a general good mix of children from all walks of life?

Not all indie parents are 'stinking rich'. There are very wealthy families, but there are also families like you who have had to sacrifice things to get a private education for their DC.

IMVHO it's definitely worth it - the class sizes are a real plus, and the opportunities are second to none.

Indie schools have to offer scholarships/bursaries to maintain their charity status so, if you ask, they might be able to offer some financial assisstance.

I'd go for it, if I were you!

Thanks Pixie. I did read on their website about burseries to help less well off families, but they are only available to those who have a household income of less than 60k, so we don't qualify.

Reading back now "stinking rich" sounds quite rude, I meant no offence by it, I think I type as I would talk sometimes

I'm going to wait til we have moved (only local) and get that and Christmas over with then speak to dp about it.

hando - our DSs go to a fee paying Prep (age 2.5 - 11) and it is exactly the same cost and has the same size classes as you describe. Lots of lovely grounds and activities and it is a lovely atmosphere.

However, they follow the same curriculum as the local Primary. We are paying for the surorundings and the small classes and the fact that they get lots of free activities and after school care.

We were however unhappy that the more able children are bored just trundling along at the same pace as the rest of the class. We therefore asked for something to be done about it (as did other parents). The school responded by putting on special streamed classes.

Paying does not guarantee your DC will get better teaching or go faster than the local Primary so you do have to really ask where each class has reached in comparison with the local Primary and at what pace each class is going at.

Also, make sure you ask a lot of detailed questions about what, how often and by whom the activities are run at the school if that is important to you.

Pixie, it sounds like you've met some of the parents with kids at this school - do they all strike you as 'stinking rich'? Schools vary of course - at DDs we have quite a mix, though not all walks of life as inevitably mostly professionals and self employed business people. Certainly not many lexuses in the carpark and the only girl who rides in DDs class is the daughter of a farmer so that's mitigating circumstances

Not all independent primary schools (or prep schools) actually add that much in academic terms in the early years. Both ours joined their private schools in year six and were easily able to keep up. The basic literacy and numeracy they'd learned in their village primary was very good.

The only thing they struggled a little with was French, as the others had learned from day one.

When they all took a pre-test for the next stage of selective secondary schools (at 13 for the boys) the boys from the village primaries easily did as well as those who'd been in the prep school from day one.

My view was that good primary teachers at KS1 are often really at the cutting edge of the best new teaching methods. They go on lots of courses and are encouraged to try different techiques. There's a lot of enthusiasm (in the good state primaries). Some of the teachers in the early years classes of the prep school seem a little fuddy duddy to me and there's not the same buzz. But obviously that's just one school.

I forgot to say there is a wide mix of parents at the school although obviously mostly better off than the average of the population. None I would describe as stinking rich.

Grimma, were you asking the OP that question? I have, of course , met the parents at my DC's prep school, but haven't met the parents at the school Hando is thinking of. The parents at the DC's school are not all 'stinking rich' but most are fairly wealthy.

Id suggest you visit the school and be sure it's what you want for your DD. I found it useful to have a fair idea of what kind of education i wanted for my DD/DS and then went looking for schools that could provide it. This way your sure to get value for the money you spend. IMVHO i don't believe all independent schools are worth the money. There are good schools and bad schools, some free some you pay for