Sending your own DC Private

[Lacey405]

I am debating sending DD1 to a GDST from y3. She is currently at a school near me, is happy and doing well but as a teacher I know full well the constraints and budget cuts that are affecting the school (all schools in our borough).

Having the summer holidays with her we have been able to do heaps in the way of science , art, history , RE and a bit of French . She has just loved this (as have I!!) and it does upset me as a teacher and parent that these subjects are slowly being squeezed out of the curriculum in the state system in favour of teaching to SATs. I would love to be able to plan & deliver more interesting and engaging lessons on these but as it is all my energies go into Maths and English . It would mean me going from 3 days to FT but I have been toying with this anyway as it seems If I’m serious about any form of promotion (currently just finished PT NQT year) I need to go FT. Anyone done this ? Not necessarily because I think she’ll do “better” but I’m because I think she would love the extra breadth and depth of the WC subjects . Objectively speaking she is very bright and interested in learning but I don’t feel necessarily extended appropriately (just as I am not always able to do so with the more able ones 100% time in my isn’t class) at her current (very caring and happy) primary .

Anyone had similar thoughts / gone down this route for their own DC?

In an ideal world, I would have sent my DD private for years 3 to 6 and then back into the state system at year 7. The schools where I live are excellent, but the narrowness of the curriculum in KS2 is a big concern and as it turns out a valid concern. However realistically we couldn’t afford it without a big stretch. DD would probably want to stay with her friends and we would end up shelling out for secondary, (and then for DD2) when she would get just as good if not better education at either of the secondary schools. So, we just make sure DD has plenty of opportunities outside school, she is mad about science so has gone to family days at the Royal Institute in London, she wants to learn German, so she has the apps on the iPad to practise and I help when she doesn’t understand. She isn’t fussed about art, but loves music so learns one instrument and is about to start her second, loves her dancing. She frequently does extra projects at her own request on things she has researched, and takes them into school. PowerPoints usually these days! Her class had to sit through one on DNA to give you an example. My DD’s school is very good in most respects and she loves going so hence filling in the gaps ourselves and also it is really nice to see her ask a question and then ask to know more or can research and find out or do experiments.

I sent my DD to a local state school for reception and year 1 and moved her for year 2 to an indie. Her local state primary had some excellent teachers but all they did was phonics and maths. Of course these are important but I wanted her to have more opportunities. I am delighted with the private school. She has so many opportunities that she loves, has a lovely broad learning experience and doesn't have her learning disrupted by anyone. I don't regret it for one second and am sending my DS straight there for reception in a few days time!

dh is a secondary school teacher. ds is ASD/ SEN. As of this term he is now enrolled in an online school. He couldnt cope with mainstream and there isnt the "alternative provision" places available! So it was a case of watch ds get more and more miserable, spending more time in the quiet / SEN room playing jenga or something or do something about it.

I went to a GDST school back in the 80s and many of my friends at the time were the children of state school teachers. Dh and I are both state school teachers yet DS1 went to an independent. (Remortgaged to afford it). It was the absolute making of him.

Thank you all for your messages. Since posting DH has since been promoted so it looks as if it would be possible for her to go with me only working 3 days which I feel would be more manageable . The main things that worry me are moving dd from somewhere where she is very happy (although she does make friends fairly easily and y3 seems like a natural changing point) and how we will fit in with the other families, despite DH recent payrise we live in a very “normal” house & holidays are likely to be caravan / camping for the foreseeable !!