Sorry to ask but how are people affording private education?

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My child is in year 4 and so we’re having to start considering secondary schools. We have two good grammars in the area but the state schools available are woeful. The Grammars are very competitive to get in to. I went to one and tutoring for the 11+ was rare but now seems to be the norm, often starting in year 4. My children are both exceeding expectations in all areas at school but my eldest can get very anxious (but we think she would be cannon fodder in the local state schools) and I worry about how she will manage with the test and perceived pressure (note, I’m a principal scientist with a PhD and I struggled with some of the 11+ practice questions I looked at the other day!!). Some parents at my child’s school are opting for the local private school and I’m a bit flummoxed about how people are affording this. We don’t live in a particularly affluent area, one family have 3 in private school and run a very small business.
For disclosure we have a combined income of £130k, fees would amount to £2k/month, increasing to £3k as they got older (more of VAT is introduced). We currently save £1.7k a month in to savings but some of that then gets spent on holidays, home improvements etc so it’s not feasible at the moment to send both.

We’re wondering whether to try for the grammars and if one doesn’t get in we send one to private and if both don’t then we move.

As is often repeated here, only 7% of school children are educated privately. Perhaps more than 7% of state schools are less than half decent.

I live in London, in an area which has both very expensive housing and extensive council housing, often just a block apart. I actually live close to two excellent primary schools, at neither of which DD qualified for a place because we are not Christian. The only other primaries we lived close enough to for DD to qualify for a place had, at that time, 45% and 50% children eligible for FSM. To be fair to them, their SATS results were quite good for schools with half of their children eligible for FSM. But, on an absolute scale, their results were not very good.

I can afford to pay for private school. I preferred not to move house. I sent DD to a private school. Still confused?

It was actually cheaper for us NOT to move house and less disruptive, plus we would have had to downsize to afford to live in the catchment of a good State school.
I would have been very happy for my DC to go to State Secondary but it was actually a teacher who worked at our catchment one who advised me not to send DD.
DH was actually anti Private school until we started visiting the State and private options as he had gone to an excellent State school (converted from Grammar in the 80's) so had no idea that all State schools are not equal.
I am actually a Governor at the State school now and while there are some awesome teachers there I don't regret my decision at all.

It's hard to generalise about "nice" areas - some of the really sought after state schools near us, are places we wouldn't want to live for various reasons.

London state schools have substantially higher salary costs. They aren’t rolling in cash.

They still get more funding per pupil than schools outside of the SE.

Yes because their staffing costs are higher.

Sadly, we're not now. Thanks Labour. We'll have to move him, mid ~GCSE. My DP is a nurse, at least they can give up work now.

Last time I checked Labour aren't in power? Surely even if there is a huge fees hike if/when they win the election you can beg borrow or steal to cover the increased fees for one year rather than moving your child mid GCSE?

Yes, mine are at state, mainly because it’s not been hard to not anticipate the direction of travel of school fees (with or without Labour). I knew I needed to be comfortable with a 50% increase over the schooling period and I wasn’t. Instead I’m v happy with the local state provision and the proper mix of backgrounds my kids are mixing with. Private schools really not worth it or the financial sacrifice.

Anyone who sent their child private when they couldn’t easily afford could have made exactly the same assessment as me so seems incredible to be anticipating a move mid GCSE.

I work 5 days a week 8-6, and 8-7 on Fridays because my kids have no homework that day that can't be done over the weekend. Combination of NHS and private practice. That's how. At one point I looked into overnight shelf stacking on a Saturday night.

When Labour impose VAT, my eldest will be at state sixth form and I will carry on for one more year for my middle. They will then take state school places. I will spend extra money on tutoring etc. My middle and youngest have a talent that isn't catered for in state schools. I will find a way forward for them, and yes, you can be sure I will play the system. I have been at the forefront of inclusive, community projects to make sure all kids with talent move forward. After this, I will focus on my own.

This policy will leave everyone worse off. It's very sad.

Well yes, I was being hyperbolic- but it will be a real struggle, always assuming the school survives of course. Sixth form
Is out. He's been at the the school since he was 3

A significant proportion of private school cash is spent because people think they should do private school not because it is better for sure. I'm sure the private prep we sent our kids to, beyond sport did next to nothing for them academically above what the local state school would have done. I tutored oldest for the academic scholarship which she got and they had taught her very little indeed.