Working class in Private school

[Berry12345]

My DS is very academic so I'm considering private Schools such as Latymer Upper or City of London School. (there's no Grammer school where we live)
However, my DH feels we won't fit in a private school life style.
We probably just manage to pay the fee if we give up luxury expense such as moving to a bigger house etc.
We're double income parents and have only one child, so I don't think we qualify for bursary.
Although my DH has a decent paid job, he is from a working class family back ground and I didn't grow up in the UK so I don't really get the real sense of English class system.
I personally don't care about how well other people do but is living in a tiny 2 bed room terraced house really feels deprived or embarrassing if you're at private school?

Because it’s not relevant. We have the backgrounds we have. I’m not really bothered about where people come from or whether they have been to university or whether they live in a stately home! What I really do prefer is to associate with pleasant people. I can truly say that’s what matters regarding parents in school. Friends I’ve known for years are another matter but when DC were in school, I’m equal. I don’t need to wear any badge or label at all. Certainly not the “look at how well we have done” one.

We live in a deprived area of Leeds and the amount of children who get on the Leeds Grammar school ( private) buses here is high.

There's children from all classes. I suspect your partner has the impression it's all posh kids which is rarely the case.

Our DD is in private school and I remembers my MIL saying when she first went " you don't want to go there - it's all children of doctors and lawyers!".

We have quite a few friends in these occupations and only a couple send theirs private. It's mainly the grammars their children go to.

There are children from all kinds of backgrounds at the school and none of the children care. It's the same in a lot of the schools tbh, I went to boarding school and we weren't the wealthiest, I just had a parent overseas.

I worked in one of the London Independent schools and one of our bursary pupils had a father who drove a bus that had a stop near the school. The pupil was treated normally by everyone and in fact was extremely popular with the other pupils.

Hey everyone, it’s OP here.
I just wanted to thank you all for the encouraging comments. Those comments meant a lot to me.

So, we decided to go for it, and we’ve secured a position at Latymer Upper, as well as at St. Paul’s, QE, and Tiffin (he sat for round 2).
DS has clearly shown his capability, and I’m really glad we took the chance instead of letting our working-class ego hold us back.
Thanks again, everyone!

Congrats to you & your son. May he have a happy time at whichever school you choose.

That is amazing. Well done to your son. Please could you tell me what he did to prep?

Thank you! We did Tutoring, creative writing course, Atom learning, lots of past papers of top independent schools, primary maths challenge past papers etc. Phew! I’m so glad that it’s over!!