Are private schools still worth it?

[NeedyRubySheep]

We moved to Camberley, Surrey at the beginning of the school year, my 10-year-old is starting Y6 in September (state school). We´ve started to evaluate the choices for Y7 and are very much on the fence regarding state or private school. Based on your experience, do private schools still provide "an edge". The price tag is so big, that we are wondering if it´s worth it.
We are considering Wellington prep college, Hurst Lodge and LVS Ascot, any parents with children there?

For state school it´s definitely Tomlinscote, which is rated as outstanding. Any parents with children there? My kid had a tough time leaving his friends in his previous school, he doesn´t want to start over again in year 7 and most kids in his school will go probably continue at Tomlinscote.
We are getting so anxious about the decision.
Thank you!

I'd think carefully about the total cost in post-tax income over an entire school career of all your children. Could it be better to spend the money on a house in a good state school catchment area? That way the money is retained or even increased.

So they are being highly selective on entry requirements and have good exam results. Sounds like their results would be great whatever school they went to so not really evidence for or against private schools.

Have you looked at salesian in Farnborough yet? Where are their friends going?

The point is that you won’t get such a cohort of pupils in any state school. The only place you’ll get a classroom full of the very highest ability children is at the elite academic private schools.

Of course your child needs to be exceptional to get in to such schools. Way beyond what is needed for grammars.

If I had an excellent state school as an option, that would always be my first choice over private!

We were fortunate enough to be able to afford to buy a family home in the catchment of a top state school-so I won't pretend that money doesn't matter in the state school sector as well!

Yes point taken. Does this mean that private schools are value for money which is the thread topic?

Oh absolutely. But the OP has already said an outstanding state school is an option with their move

True!
I'd go for a great state school if one's finances would be stretched by private school fees. We have 3 kids so private school would have been a severe challenge-not impossible- but they luckily don't have special educational needs (that can get ignored in the state system) and equally luckily are straight A kids so there would be limited academic uplift. We have spent a lot of the time over the years ferrying them to sports clubs, music lessons, acting classes etc that I guess are provided as a matter of course at good private schools and I even had to coach our middle one's school football team as there was no teacher to do it but those are not big sacrifices.

If you have money to burn and really won’t miss it then, yes. You can pick a bespoke education. However, my dc is at a top uni where a significant cohort went to private schools. They all got similar grades, dc and lots of others at the top end with 4 Astars. Dc also plays an instrument to diploma level, has high level sports club membership etc. Luckily they were at a top performing grammar where it was cool to achieve.

A lot of his old primary friends who weren’t quite so academic but went privately all through or for secondary, had good ‘added value’ support so also achieved well, were able to get on to courses at places like Bath and Durham. They are also very lucky in that their families have connections and can also buy them first homes or large deposits towards this.

Some are, an increasing number are not now that prices have risen so much.

In real terms and accounting for inflation, what used to cost 10k pa just 25 years ago now costs 25k. It must surely follow that the average value they offer is therefore significantly reduced.

There's a reason why the great and the good have educated their children privately for centuries.

There's also a reason why public school alumni continue to dominate the top professions.

But it very much depends what you want for your child. Most people will be quite happy for their child to turn out as a moderately well-educated graduate of a standard Russell Group uni. Others will want more.

As long as parents don't think that all private schools provide an automatic ticket to academic success or Oxbridge. Private school students are actually far more likely to end up attending other Russell Group universities. Indeed places like Durham, Edinburgh and Exeter have a greater proportion of private school students than Cambridge. So prepare to be disappointed if you "want more" than a Russell Group uni!

An academic child with supportive parents will do well in either state or private. I’d also prefer a happy child in a good-enough school than an unhappy child in an excellent school.

The very middle class children I know who went to state schools - who are now young adults - have got the self confidence and articulation that I’d have associated with private schools. Their parents went to private schools and they have engaged with other adults throughout their lives.

I think the advantage comes when the parents do not have that same middle class background, and don’t give their children the same self confidence that you can otherwise get from the private schools. (I’m counting myself in that, but we chose state schools)

It also depends on how much it would stretch you. If you have to scrimp and save - no. If it’s a drop in the financial ocean I’d probably say why not.

It depends what the state alternative is like. Some are brilliant. And also on your child's needs.

The state place we were offered was at a failing school that even ofsted said wasn't safe. They said bullying was rife, the staff had no idea who was on site, and that the younger pupils were at serious risk of sexual assault by the older ones (I'm sure they wouldn't be that specific unless something bad had already happened).

The board of governors was fired and the trust was wound up the following year, by which time ds was already at the local independent where he has been happy. He is calm and confident, has 10 good GCSEs and is studying 3 stem A'levels. So for us, yes it has been worth every penny.

Both my DC went to private school youngest left 3 years ago. If you can afford it I would say yes.
Both went to highly academic private schools and I would say that the first 3 years are similar to that of State. The value lies from year 9 to sixth form. They really do give the support needed to get the best out of the DC. The support in sixth form from extra lessons /labs to university advice and support re applications is invaluable imo. It was expensive and we cut back on a lot to get them through the schools but looking back, it was totally worth it. My DC weren’t the most confident and were quite shy. They left the schools not with an arrogance but with a quiet knowledge within themselves that they can face challenges and have the tools to navigate them.

We’ve decided Yes. DD is not a standout academic but she is artistic and good at languages (bilingual-ish). For her it makes complete sense as the breadth of curriculum is going to suit her better.

@NeedyRubySheep My children are in private and do have that confidence which i didnt have from state education. Small classes are what you pay for though. Also SEN provision. Our classes of 15 kids, half have SEN. This can be a good point, or a bad point because NT children are then given less support. For me it was worth it but i am now looking to move mine to a more academic private school. If i had a strong state option, id have taken it when starting school.

Mine did not have private education and did well.

I agonised over this as I was so fed up with state secondary. But in reality I couldn’t afford private.

I moved DC to an average state school and the opportunities have been outstanding! Excellent clubs/sports, trips to USA and China. GCSE classes are less than 30, one in particular is closer to 20, with additional morning and after school support. (Core subjects still 32 mind) Some dreadful behaviour issues but my two keep their heads down and it hasn’t been a problem for them beyond what they sometimes observe.

in contrast someone close to me is spending 40k a year, with slightly smaller class sizes, a teacher the children and parents have complained about and a trip to France.

just make sure you really look at what is on offer and that you can afford it. I think often a good teacher makes a good school experience.

Mine go to a private school and I feel it is worth it - although I get reduced fees which helps! They play sports every day and get so many opportunities to be on different teams/ sports clubs etc. that's what gets them excited about going into school! they have lots of friends at the local secondary which seems fine- but only the top sporty kids make the one school team they have and the rest have to lump it. Also hear horror stories on awful behaviour in the classroom from students which would never be tolerated at the school my kids go to. We know a couple of kids with SEN who just aren't getting the support they need in state which is leading to a deterioration of mental health- and this is in an outstanding state school. Yes private school is expensive - we don't go on fancy holidays and you should see the state of disrepair my house is in but they go to a school where it's cool to try hard academically, all boys play sports every regardless of their ability, music and drama are cool and for us that is worth a lot. It's a privilege for them to have such a lovely environment to learn in and for us that is worth the money. But it is tight! Having said that- I'm sure they would be fine in state school and we would make it work. We are very lucky we can send them there and for us it is worth it for happy kids.

I don't know that a private education is always a good thing when it comes to careers. I see lots of people that have been taught to pass exams drowning in a role they are unable to fully understand. Those with the same qualifications from state school often have the edge.

Hurst lodge has a high number of ehcp kids, LVS doesn’t have an entrance exam & wellington college is £15k a term. All very different options!
you mentioned Lord Wandsworth later on, would also look at Salesians farnborough.

my eldest is due to start tomlinscote in Sept and we’ve only heard positive things about it. We’ve also toyed with private school as we can afford it and currently deciding ourselves on what’s right with an offer at a private school!
but all the thoughts we’ve had are well explained in this thread. I suspect we’ll end up choosing tomlinscote as the additional clubs they offer, organisation (eg they stay in the same form all 5 years, with the same form tutor so they get to know the child despite being big!) & it being free.

Tomlinscote has an excellent ofsted, people move to get into it, and the current head is really good. I really got a good impression from him at the y7 intro evening last week.

we’ve been in the area since he started preschool and all through he’s had a very positive state experience. we’re very lucky in this area to have great state schools, great afterschool clubs & great parents (on the whole!).

I’d go to the open days and see what you’re paying for & what’s important. Tomlinscote is so popular it’s not a given a place will be available if a private school doesn’t work out.

Sorry that just makes me laugh. ALL secondary schools teach kids to pass exams, irrelevant of sector. State schools around here have summer/Xmas and Easter cramming sessions and no study leave ie it is all teacher driven whereas our indy still has study leave with minimal teacher input. My daughter has independent study sessions twice a week from Yr 7 to help them to learn how to utilise spare time (studying) but they have free choice as to what they do.

You have made a huge sweeping statement based on how many ex-independent school people?

My opinion is based on my work life experiences, all we can ever do is base our opinion on our own experiences, just as you are doing. OPs here aren't looking for statistics, they are asking for opinions.