Opportunity to send DD to prestigious private school. Should I?

[Llamapalma]

Just that really please.

DD (Y6) has the opportunity to attend a very well regarded, high achieving private girls school a few miles from us.

It's not something. We could have imagined would be possible. No one in our family has ever attended a private school, but she's very bright and it's quite an academic school and I do think it could benefit her in many ways.

I'm torn what to do.

It really feels like turning the chance down could be like I'm limiting her future prospects.

But would accepting the place cause other potential issues?

I guess I'm suffering imposter syndrome on her behalf. Worrying she'll be picked on (although doesn't seem that kind of place) as we just live in a normal house with normal cars etc.

I guess it's the standard parental worry of needing to make these big decisions and worrying I'll mess her life up somehow.

For the record she is in LOVE with the school. And I've been open with her that there are a lot of girls there who have very different lives to her. At 11 she is adamant that's fine and she gets it but at 14 it could feel very different I know.

if she wants to go there and we can make it happen then that's what we should do.

If DD has gained a scholarship, surely she has earned her place and ought to be given the chance, if at all possible, to make the most of it.

Any other consideration fades in comparison to a scholarship. DD lived the school, they want her to join them. Perfect match. All the best.

You’ll regret not sending her and denying her the amazing opportunity than for sending her.

Send her. We had the opportunity to send our DS to private school from Year 4. Yes, a few kids arrived by chauffeur, most arrived in 4 wheel drives but plenty arrived in older cars as parents spent all money on education. My DS fell in love with the school the moment she saw it.

My DS is bright with mild learning difficulties, private school gave her the time and space she needed to work things out in her own time and way. Smaller classes, no boys (I do have a son) and plenty of teaching staff. My daughter blossomed.

I absolutely don't miss the one-up-manship or competitiveness at the school gates (never the girls) from the other mothers. But it was a price worth paying and not everyone was awful. But quite a few were!

She's returned to mainstream school (our local grammar, we live in Buckinghamshire) in Year 8. Year 7 at secondary private was tricky....... lots of extremely rich, spoilt girls becoming hormonal. But still
plenty of kids with older cars and hand me down iPhones.

My DS left so she could catch the bus from the end of the road like her local mates. We both have moments of regret she left private school.