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Secondary education

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Original poster

Who can afford private schools in the UK?

999 replies

wjchoihk · 12/02/2013 17:18

Hi. I am not sure if this is an appropriate question to ask here. But I have always wondered how rich you should be to send children to private schools in UK. Fees are anywhere from 3000 up to 10000 per term. Even allowing for wide gaps in income, thinking of 'avearge' UK wage of 26,000 pound, math simply don't add up for a normal life with such high fees. I also know only 7% of children go private though.

How much of private parents live on "inherited" wealth and how much on simply superior current earnings? I have my kids at SW London privates but I wouldn't be able to afford this without current int'l expat package. Some parents at my kids' schools LOOK and ARE very very rich but most of them LOOK quite down to earth. But I can't ask....

OP posts:
maisiejoe123 · 14/02/2013 15:44

Vienna - could I suggest calling a mortgage broker to see what your options are. Which? have this service and also London and Country (would recommend Which?)

Ask how much £84k would cost perhaps over 10 years. If too expensive increase the years the mortgage would run for. Mortgage rates are cheap at present!

wixawoo · 14/02/2013 15:47

Maisie and tough thanks for giving me a positive view of SEN in private schools. I must admit I have not had a lot of experience of these seemingly commonly debated subject!
If I could do it all again I think I would have pushed for the private school option. Unfortunately due to moving house across the country at age 9 and now 13, I have been unable to shape my son's education as well as I may have planned!

socareless · 14/02/2013 15:51

The response to that maisie would be that lucky them their state school does all the above at no cost. You have been conned by your insecurities and the pressure on your poor DC! Do you not have any faith in them to succeed without your help?

TheOriginalLadyFT · 14/02/2013 15:55

No inherited money (ha bloody ha to that thought), live in a rented house, both DH and I work long hours and we drive a 10-yr old car. Everything I earn goes to paying DS's school fees and DH's earnings pay for everything else

maisiejoe123 · 14/02/2013 15:55

There are positives in both state and private education. There are some fab private and state schools. However some state schools can amble along and some are a disgrace and have money thrown at them to try and resolve. A private school like this wont be open for long....

Vienna is exactly the sort of person, living in the SE, mortage paid off, only one DD, with equity who is now in the market for private education should she so wish. Some on this thread moan and moan about how they have a large family, dont want to work, dont want to leave elderly parents, dont want to leave best friend etc who will be on here until the end of time saying it is not fair.... And if they can snipe at us by somehow indicating that private is not all its cracked up to be even better! Please dont think we are completely daft, if my DS's private education wasnt all we were expecting then we would think again but it is so we will stay in the private education system....

JenaiMorris · 14/02/2013 16:00

I could have more sympathy if some had tried private, even looked around at least one school and then decided it wasnt for them

How do you know they haven't?

Some on this thread moan and moan about how they have a large family, dont want to work...will be on here until the end of time saying it is not fair

Like who exactly?

seeker · 14/02/2013 16:06

"Some on this thread moan and moan about how they have a large family, dont want to work...will be on here until the end of time saying it is not fair"

Who on earth says anything so stupid?

viennahoneymoon · 14/02/2013 16:07

Thank you so much for the positive responses and helpful suggestions. It is much appreciated. I have a few years to do my research... In the meantime, back to the usual MN 'lively debate' Grin

happygardening · 14/02/2013 16:10

"lucky them their state school does all the above at no cost."
socareless many people delude themselves by thinking that state ed at its very best is comparable with independent ed at its very best. There are a few of us lucky enough to have extensive experience of both and know what a delusion this is.

seeker · 14/02/2013 16:11

Actually,I do remember the was a thread where somebody was told that having frail and elderly parents who needed to be looked aft was no reason not to move to be nearer a cheaper private school! It was the same thread where whoever it was said that two people on minimum wage could pay school fees, and loads of people were saying that they only had one child because the prospect of state education was so hideous they wouldn't have another one because they could only afford one lot of fees...

On reflection, it must have been a thread that attracted a lot of loons- I haven't seen those views expressed so strongly anywhere else.

seeker · 14/02/2013 16:13

Of course private schools offer loads more than state schools- the extra curricular stuff is part of the package you pay mega bucks for.

maisiejoe123 · 14/02/2013 16:16

Seeker - you seem to have a chip on your shoulder about private education. Why? Surely what someone chooses to do with our money is up to us...

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 14/02/2013 16:17

I could have more sympathy if some had tried private, even looked around at least one school and then decided it wasnt for them

Why would I do that: I'm fundamentally opposed to private education! I wouldn't want it any more than I'd want to live in a gated community in Dubai. And I wouldn't have it if I won the lottery. That's kind of why I feel strongly enough to post on these threads.

It was the 'AIBU to want to shout 'it's not fair' thread where we were told you should live in a one bedroom flat and leave your parents to fester and you could still go private on mimumum wage x 2 btw.

happygardening · 14/02/2013 16:17

seeker there are some mediocre independent schools out there and even not mediocre ones and still charging mega money relatively speaking who are not offering the range and quality of facilities extra curricular activities etc that the top ones are offering. Paying doesn't guarantee it will be better in every conceivable aspect or even in any aspect as Im sure you know.

everlong · 14/02/2013 16:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 14/02/2013 16:18

And if someone did try it and didn't like it, I'm pretty sure they'd be told they were just bitter, one bad school says nothing about the whole industry, don't extrapolate etc etc.

JenaiMorris · 14/02/2013 16:19

And a lot (most maybe) of the extra curricular stuff can be bought outside of school.

I can see the appeal of private if it means you don't have to do so much ferrying on school nights, and the longer days are going to be a real draw for working parents. I would seriously consider it if the proportion of our income it would take was lower.

rotavirusrita · 14/02/2013 16:21

Not sure who can afford school fees. I'm a Dr married to a police officer. No way we could afford to send our 3 - we're still paying off my student debt and don't have flash cars or posh holidays never mind money for school fees. They are all keen and bright though so I won't sweat it. As for those who say that a good state school can't compare to a good private school I guess it depends on your priorities. Our school doesn't have a swimming pool or tennis court like the local prep but it is friendly inclusive and has high expectations of pupil attainment and behaviour which is what I value more....plus we don't have to send ourselves mad trying to pay for it!

Narked · 14/02/2013 16:22

'Of course private schools offer loads more than state schools- the extra curricular stuff is part of the package you pay mega bucks for'

Mine didn't. You paid for the teaching. Class sizes of 30.

maisiejoe123 · 14/02/2013 16:24

I would be staggered if Seeker had ever been inside a private school.

seeker · 14/02/2013 16:25

Absolutely, happygardening, but people often talk about the fantastic facilities and opportunities at private schools as if state schools are failing by not providing similar. I was only pointing out that those are things that private school parents pay for- they don't somehow come free!

As for the "chip" remarks. I find it baffling that thinking something is inequitable and inherently bad for society and gives the privileged even more privilege means that you must have a "chip on your shoulder" about it. I'm sure somebody will talk about the politics of envy soon............

happygardening · 14/02/2013 16:27

"And a lot (most maybe) of the extra curricular stuff can be bought outside of school."
We rural so I couldn't even begin to offer my DC the extra curricular activities available to him at his school unless I owned a helicopter and school fees aren't that expensive. In fact I also suspect as ex.Londoners who are pretty clued up about whats going culturally etc on I couldn't offer them to him if I lived in London either.

seeker · 14/02/2013 16:27

"I would be staggered if Seeker had ever been inside a private school."

I do so wish I could tell you how hysterically funny that is.........Grin Somebody feed me gin until I become wildly indiscreet............

everlong · 14/02/2013 16:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 14/02/2013 16:28

The argument Maisie is expressing seems to be 'you wouldn't know how good they are because you haven't been in one. I have, and I do think it's good, and what you pay for is good, and my children are happy'. Which is all very well, but it's an argument about why you like yours and being able to use it, not an argument about why they're a good thing in any broader sense.

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