Whitgift VS Oustanding State School

[Popchip]

ello Mumnetters,

My DS got an offer from Whitgift. My son loved the school and we were very excited. We were about to accept an offer but we just received an offer from local state school which has outstanding rating. My DS didn't pass grammar schools. This is a local state comp but with outstanding rating and has a very good reputation. Most of his primary friends will attend the school too. We thought we were not able to get a place with the state school as our place is located a bit far from the school given previous accepted furthest distance but from this year, the school started to stretch the catchment towards our side narrowing the other side because a new school has opened.
We paid deposit to Whitgift to secure a place anyway but my husband started saying that the state option is better value for money and closer to us. Whitgift commuting time is around- 45-60 min. Very long commuting but his teacher said that commuting time should be the last thing I should worry as he will get used to it quickly and worth long commuting. My husband is not convinced to pay the big fee whereas we have a good state school for free near us. My son's choice is whitgift...
My son loves sports. Academically, he has not been at the top set but quickly catching up. Passing W exam gave him a lot of confidence and he became willing to take on more challenge. I would like him to go to his 'dream' school but my husband doesn't agree. I am worried if we choose state school agreeing with my husband's opinion , we regret to have declined Whitgift later.... Is there anyone who didn't go for Whitgift and chose local state comp? Financially, we are fine to for the cost. My husband just doesn't want to spend the money when good free state school is available. He would like to save the fund for future.
Also, switching between Whitgift and state school, which way is generally easier? If we change our mind a few years later, is it relatively possible to switch to another? The state school should have healthy waiting list as it is heavily oversubscribed and very popular.

[spacecadet48]

I will provide you with an example of our outstanding state and W. Two children achieved the same grades, one went to Leeds uni and one to Warwick..both achieving 2:1 ....one of them is now flying round the world working for a top bank and the other is off doing a teachers course. Maybe guess which one went private and which state? My issue is that results are no real indicator of success...the outstanding state did a talk at their 6th form evening and showed research where it found that state school kids who achieved better results than the private kids still didn't have he same success after uni. They couldn't work out why that was and some assumed it was because of the connections. Which is nonsense as in the main most going to private are not in the well connected group you may get in eton or westminster. My view is that private education values extra curricular sees it as key to the development of the DC. Hence the expectation for all DC to join the many clubs that are available during lunch and after school. My DD currently does lamda, hockey, netball, plays cello at school and in the orchestra, travels abroad with the school for sporting fixtures and music, she does CCF and is starting DOE. She is busy but thriving. Although I should also add that in private they have usually already learned there GCSE and A Levels courses well before the date of the exam and spend months before the exams doing practice papers and revising. My eldest DS when he moved from W to the state was appalled at the lack of extra curricular and no emphasis on sport or anything else. He also was still learning the a level course for two of his subjects two weeks before the exam.The main priority was working with those in the gifted and talented section and those getting Ds and below. As they wanted to improve there success rate. The school didn't have a 'can do attitude', my DS wanted his AS remarked and they told him he should be happy with what he has. He was told he was setting his standards too high with his uni choices and suggested he choose non RG. I could go on but with my experience I didn't want my DC going to a school where they wouldn't reach their potential or be around people who couldn't see they had any. State schools mission as with our state primary was to move up the league tables. Getting over 70% achieving A- C is all well in good but if your DC is getting Bs and Cs they won't get you into a good uni. And if 20% are getting As and A out of 200 its really not that many....anyway i went to state school as did my oh and i am not sending my DC to an environment where they are not pushed unless failing or top 10%.

[HPFA]

one of them is now flying round the world working for a top bank and the other is off doing a teachers course

Maybe the one who went on to a teacher's course actually wanted to be a teacher and not a banker?

[PissedOffNeighbour]

My DD is at an outstanding state school and enjoy lots of extracurricular activities! She plays the clarinet in chamber orchestra, plays in the football team, is doing d of e, is setting off on the ski trip today and has been on a battlefields trip and has visied Malaga in the last year. Our of school she does ballet twice a week and is doing the ten toes with explorers as well as learning the piano. Extra curricular activities are not just limited to private schools you know!

[cakeisalwaystheanswer]

And I have a DD at a very good Indy who does shove all in the way of extra-curricular. I'll have to resign myself to her becoming a teacher!

[TammyWhyNot]

LOL: imagine being appalled to achieve a career as the very teachers you are paying to ensure your career as a banker.

Spacecadet, despite his view of state scho I am sure your DS was not amongst the Whitgift students who caused the cancellation of the Whitgift v State School rugby fixture to be cancelled because they couldn’t guarantee a reversion to the previous year’s behaviour of Whitgift boys shouting ‘Chavs’ at the state school players, and taunting them with a version of Pink Floyds The Wall based on their perception of an inferior education?

Whitgift do have a reputation for....assertive.... play, amongst the other ‘Indy ‘ rugby teams

[TammyWhyNot]

Sorry for phone typing!

[SoupDragon]

JF were not innocent in that from what I gather. Also, W requested a mid week fixture to avoid a repeat but JF “were unable” to do this.

[Raaaaaah]

spacecadet a teacher .

[Popchip]

Interesting. I work for an investment bank. As I haven't gone through a hiring process as a graduate in this country, It is a mystery for me.

[Notenoughsleepmumof3]

Look at the results overall at GCSE for both schools and for the subjects he is most interested in. Then look at the A levels. Remember you can always change at 6th form. You won't be able to compare facilities. Whitgift has some of the most impressive grounds and facilities in South London. I was blown away by it. It's a great school and I know lots of kids there. It is also one of the most expensive. My DS had some very good scholarships there, but in the end we went with a top state school which was better academically. It's easy to be swayed by how shiny Whitgift is and it is a good school, but not perfect. Also, I hate to say it, but drugs are more of a problem in private London Schools than they are in state. It will depend on who he decides to befriend that will determine how he does at school as much as the school itself.

[mydaddy]

So what did the poster decide?