Private Schools- worth it?

[SparkyPants]

My dad is coming to the end of yr7 in a local senior school.
It's not been great (shitty year accounted for- still not great)
As with many, we've seen a Massive shift in personality, drive, ambition and desire to engage.
We've done our sims and can send her to a local private school.
I'm looking for people's experiences and perspectives please!?

It's a tough one, and there's really no hard-and-fast rule that would dictate that state schools or private schools are always the better option. It depends on three things: The local state schools that are available, the private schools that are available, and your child.

Speaking as a special needs teacher, I know my opinions on this subject will be biased; Needless to say, most private schools are not good with children who have special needs, nor are they good with children who are having problems of any sort. This is something to bare in mind as you child may develop problems later on even if they don't have problems right now.

Most private schools also will be keen that you child follows a traditional academic path and will not be supportive if your child wants to focus on singing, acting, or any other non-conventional vocation. Our daughter currently trains as a pop singer, and her state school has been supportive in this regard. Academics are still important as well. Keep in mind that doctors and lawyers don't generally earn as much as singers or actors.

But it could still be worth applying of a private school. You could even qualify for financial assistance. But don't expect a place for Y8 entry as many of these occasional places will be oversubscribed if they even take children at Y8.

@MsTSwift same round here with the inter school socialising… I am told that the private school gang bring the most expensive drugs whilst the grammar boys like the booze! I am amazed by the people my DD meets from different school but that must be partly social media I guess. The parties are all a mixture of different schools.

I think it’s to the credit of them all that they mix up. Also negates the “meeting a better class of teen” the teens make their own decisions! Anecdotally both my neighbours late teen sons (recently left state) have extremely grand girlfriends who board at top name public schools.

Exactly? What's your basis for this comment? Stats? Personal experience? Research?

Let's not get into a slanging match- it's not about criticism, there are positives and negatives in every system. Your comment also smacks of unfounded bias.

We do have private schools, but as the PP said there are fewer overall and the excellent state schools negate that pull for many.

That was I reference to this.

I think it's well known that the Scottish education system needs an overhaul?
www.itv.com/news/border/2019-12-03/new-figures-show-long-term-education-decline-as-scotland-falls-behind-england easily Google able]]
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Agree with Puff. The English system feels alien to me (let me clarify I am of course not saying it IS alien, it’s my own subjective experience) because as a parent now myself I’m having to get my head around state schools, private schools, grammar schools, independent schools ect which is completely outwith my realm of experience. Where I grew up it was state or nothing.

There are far fewer private schools in Scotland and state education has always been of a very good standard (I accept things might have changed recently). Localised areas like central Edinburgh have a long history of private schooling, but I’d say these pupils are in the minority across the country as a whole.

I think it’s very different but that’s only my opinion of course. I have a lot of research still to do on the English system before I’ll feel comfortable managing things for my own kids. There are far more options.

@Liam436

It's a tough one, and there's really no hard-and-fast rule that would dictate that state schools or private schools are always the better option. It depends on three things: The local state schools that are available, the private schools that are available, and your child.

Speaking as a special needs teacher, I know my opinions on this subject will be biased; Needless to say, most private schools are not good with children who have special needs, nor are they good with children who are having problems of any sort. This is something to bare in mind as you child may develop problems later on even if they don't have problems right now.

Most private schools also will be keen that you child follows a traditional academic path and will not be supportive if your child wants to focus on singing, acting, or any other non-conventional vocation. Our daughter currently trains as a pop singer, and her state school has been supportive in this regard. Academics are still important as well. Keep in mind that doctors and lawyers don't generally earn as much as singers or actors.

But it could still be worth applying of a private school. You could even qualify for financial assistance. But don't expect a place for Y8 entry as many of these occasional places will be oversubscribed if they even take children at Y8.

From my experience I strongly second this

‘ most private schools are not good with children who have special needs, nor are they good with children who are having problems of any sort’.

The school I attended were abysmal. There were numerous safe guarding failures for children (myself included) that were being abused and no action was taken. Then of course there was the bullying, suicide, self harm and eating disorders that I mentioned in my previous post. I do wonder if this is because schools such as these aren’t accountable to ofsted, so they ‘regulate’ themselves.

Also the posters who mentioned a ‘better class of teen’ at a private school… yikes. Sweeping statement, yes parents as a whole may have more money but that doesn’t equate to pleasant or kind children.

Stop trying to cause an argument Bryonyschmyony. I mentioned that curriculum for Excellence is anything but, but in the overall scheme of things it's a blip. It's still a first class education which is genuinely comprehensive with opportunity for all. ( As an aside my DS looked at a Maths Alevel paper recently and says it seemed very straightforward to him- just finished Highers. So it seems it's not always so clear cut).

The OP/ PP are not debating which country is best for them, but the best school/s. Anyone trying to figure out a different educational system to the one they grew up with will find it alien. And for what it's worth Scandinavian schools knock socks off anything in the UK.

Lepers I think you're right, it's the amount of options. I hear friends in England talk about it and it somewhat bewilders me.

Yes I know my grandparents are Swedish

Most of my nct group were not English and asked me to explain the system made me realise how crazy it is! Guess it’s been created piecemeal over hundreds of years some of it makes zero sense but we are where we are I guess!

@MsTSwift

Dd1 got all 8s and 9s in her year 10 mocks and has a lovely group of friends. She does her sport at a local club. Struggling to see what the value added is. We are both state educated are solicitors and dh went to Cambridge.

We are the same as you, both university educated professionals.

Dd1 yr 11 predicted all 8’s/9’s. Plays sport for local club to a national level.

I always wonder what if anything a private school would have added?

I always wonder what if anything a private school would have added? why?

The grammar system isn't everywhere in England. Our county has state or private. State is by catchment. Not very hard to understand!

@Bryonyshcmyony

I always wonder what if anything a private school would have added? why?

The grammar system isn't everywhere in England. Our county has state or private. State is by catchment. Not very hard to understand!

We don’t have grammar schools in our area of the uk, it is state or private.

Our dc go to the local state school which is ranked “good”. Can only speak for our eldest currently, but she is likely to come out with excellent grades and is heavily involved in sports outside of school.

I have always wondered if attending a private school instead of the local state school (we have an excellent private one locally) would have made any difference to her, and if so, in what way. Obviously we will never know.

No I suppose I sometimes wonder if its been a massive waste of money and would they have come out with such good grades if they'd gone to the local state. I don't think so - I'm not a pushy parent, dh is so laid back he's horizontal and none of my kids listen to anything I say so the idea of helping them at home was a non starter

It is hard when you can’t compare, even when you choose different sectors it’s not always straightforward as a school will suit a child.

We’re doing both sectors for prep / state and about to switch so dc goes to private. I guess at the end I’ll be closer to knowing difference.

In fact thinking about it the two who went to Oxbridge from our local comp both had teachers as parents one of whom teaches my own child at the private school 😂

There was a family in my village growing up who got all 4 of theirs into Oxbridge from the local comp 😁.

@MsTSwift

There was a family in my village growing up who got all 4 of theirs into Oxbridge from the local comp 😁.

Wow! I think you need to be so committed and driven which basically I am not. None of my kids were really until the 6th form when they all became really driven and self motivated. Maybe they would have carried on coasting along at state school who knows

Bryony not always. Sometimes the child is just naturally academic and/or self motivated. I can honestly say, hand on heart, I have never focused massively on DS1. He has always been very academic, that's just the way he is. He doesn't really study, doesn't need to, yet he got the top grades in his school and can apply for any course anywhere. He's far brighter than me or ex DH, naturally. He's considering Oxbridge, but is concerned that there's 'no cool clubs' as he's a budding DJ🙄. Honestly, I don't think I could've influences him as he's all about Maths abs Science and that is not my bag at all.

I would have loved a child like that, I was similar. All of mine bar one much more like dh which is no bad thing as he's lovely

@Liam436

It's a tough one, and there's really no hard-and-fast rule that would dictate that state schools or private schools are always the better option. It depends on three things: The local state schools that are available, the private schools that are available, and your child.

Speaking as a special needs teacher, I know my opinions on this subject will be biased; Needless to say, most private schools are not good with children who have special needs, nor are they good with children who are having problems of any sort. This is something to bare in mind as you child may develop problems later on even if they don't have problems right now.

Most private schools also will be keen that you child follows a traditional academic path and will not be supportive if your child wants to focus on singing, acting, or any other non-conventional vocation. Our daughter currently trains as a pop singer, and her state school has been supportive in this regard. Academics are still important as well. Keep in mind that doctors and lawyers don't generally earn as much as singers or actors.

But it could still be worth applying of a private school. You could even qualify for financial assistance. But don't expect a place for Y8 entry as many of these occasional places will be oversubscribed if they even take children at Y8.

‘Most doctors don’t earn as much as most singers or actors’? Are you serious? Only 2% of actors make a living acting (www.theguardian.com/film/shortcuts/2019/jun/05/only-2-per-cent-of-actors-make-a-living-how-do-you-become-one-of-them). The majority of doctors definitely reliably earn more than the majority of singers and actors.

Bryony that's a lovely comment, your DH will be chuffed .
DS2 is similar to DS1 but does need to study. DS3 has significant ASN and is a different kettle of fish altogether!

It’s not the right path for everyone. Dh very driven minimal parental support (neither of them even went to university and were not middle class) he got to Cambridge on his own hard work and with the help of a few excellent teachers at his comp. I don’t think helicoptering kids to academic success is the answer it’s got to come from them.