Private Education – Worth the money?

My lad is currently in year 4 at the local primary school.
And it’s falling apart – incompetent headmaster, teachers leaving in droves, poor discipline and falling results.
It’s like watching a car crash in slow motion – you can see it happening but are powerless to stop it.
The problem is, despite this, it is still the best state primary in the area – all the others are in rougher areas with more social problems.
So we are looking at the private sector for next year. Problem is, I know very little about it. Both my wife and I were state educated and asking parents of private school kids doesn’t give you an unbiased answer – if you are stumping up £15k a year in fees your views are likely to be skewed somewhat…
So, any experience or advice?
It would be a stretch financially, but just affordable if we gave up expensive holidays and a few other luxuries.
Is it worth trying for a sporting scholarship? (he’s an excellent runner). Are these difficult to get?
Any advice gratefully received!

If you can afford it I’d say yes, bit of a no brainier really. Maybe thats not how it should be bit it is.

I hate to mention the middle class option but, moving house isn’t an option?

I’m state educated and a state school teacher

I think the Private sector generally gets less problems from other students

But the actual quality of teaching is just as variable as the state sector, if not more so

The type of schools is also more variable

So my non answer isn’t “is private school worth it” but “is this school worth it”. But you probably new that

Not all state schools are equal. Not all private schools are equal.

Educate him properly – spend the money on tutors and travel.

Private schools just have better PR systems to explain away their flaws.

Wrong thread oops…

My boys are dyslexic. My eldest is profoundly so.

The state system labelled him as thick and having a poor attitude. So we ended up moving him to the independent sector. He’s flourished and is now realising his fantastic potential. He’s streaking ahead and has won a scholarship for September. He would have sunk in the state sector if we’d kept him there any longer.

However it’s come at a price. It’s really put huge financial pressure on us.
The youngest would benefit too as he’d had issues since the state system just doesn’t get dyslexia whatsoever although he is at a good primary. Not sure how secondary will work out in September but hopefully he could get a scholarship at the local independent.

If your kids are mainstream and the local state schools are good then thats great. Anything needing more then you’re on your own. You don’t even get a tax rebate.

some of the stories about our local private school – er, in Moray – are shocking, w.r.t. the like of support for learning, dyslexia and so on. And the extras are charged for on top of already high fees. Nevertheless there is a stream of folk sending their kids there, from here (not boarding, day only). I’m not convinced but then myself, and many / most of my peers were state educated and fine with it..

Yes, how much does move of location cost? if it gets really bad surely school will implode anyway?

Private if you can afford it, although the ones I have known are some of the top privates – so I can’t comment on the smaller places.

The main difference is in the attitude of the kids towards learning, teachers and each other.

+1 ampthill.

I was partly educated in the private sector, and IMHO, it wasn’t the teacher’s performance that made the difference overall, it was the engagement in everything by the pupil and parents- both of which tend to be higher in the private sector. The quality of teaching was as variable as the state sector was: after all, the private sector doesn’t pay any more, and they’re human beings too.

I’d get a copy of his standard text books, spend a few hours per week making sure he’s getting the gist of what he needs to know, keep an eye on weak areas, and boost them through tutors if needed. Much cheaper, you’ll stay close to your kids, and it will stretch your brain.

Well if you go private I guess you get to chose the school that suits your child. Sometimes with state you get what you get. Moving might not be an option if one sibling is at a critical period of schooling. Indeed moving can cost a few years of fees anyhow.

If you have a decent state school that suits your child then that’s the golden solution imho. Sadly that hasn’t been our case.

It would be a stretch financially, but just affordable if we gave up expensive holidays and a few other luxuries.

Not really a stretch then, if it’s just luxuries you’re giving up.

My son was educated privately from 4 thru 14 (we moved to Scotland, and the only option where we live was boarding, and we didn’t want that).

It doesn’t really get expensive until they’re in middle/senior school.

My son will never set the world alight academically, but unlike his friends he is actually able to hold an intelligent conversation – so yes, we think it was worth it… 🙂

We had the cash (good earnings), but as we didn’t move to the bigger house nor get the flash cars that others we know did, we could happily afford it.

Unfortunately moving house isn’t an option – need to stay near elderly parents.
The School will eventually implode, but he’s only got another 2 years there and schools take time to turn around.

mikertroid – Member
My boys are dyslexic. My eldest is profoundly so.

The state system labelled him as thick and having a poor attitude. So we ended up moving him to the independent sector. He’s flourished and is now realising his fantastic potential. He’s streaking ahead and has won a scholarship for September. He would have sunk in the state sector if we’d kept him there any longer.

However it’s come at a price. It’s really put huge financial pressure on us.
The youngest would benefit too as he’d had issues since the state system just doesn’t get dyslexia whatsoever although he is at a good primary. Not sure how secondary will work out in September but hopefully he could get a scholarship at the local independent.

I’m amazed that is still happening support for dyslexia sounds really good from all the schools my partner has taught at. It is also very saddening as this is exactly what happened to me and I only just learnt my alphabet by 9-10 due to my mum pulling me out of school and teaching me herself then going to a private school (late 80s). This is after a illiterate grandfather and fairly limited literacy father have been through the same system. Affected my confidence a lot. I don’t think the private school I went to was academically very good but it was good at helping severely dyslexic people like me. Killed my parents financially. I still got in quite bit of trouble, I think I would have been expelled in a normal school without any help though… I hated the snobbery that existed amongst some children and parents. Hope your kid do well.

If I’d lived 10 mile down the road it would have been fine as the next state school was fine. Not every one can move, either due to financial reason or job. For instance my parents were renting a farm, so you can’t just move!

I still think state is best if you have a good one near by.

Private schools are only available to parents who have the ability to pay, are your jobs guaranteed for the school life if not are scholarships, grants etc available.

Will your kid be acceptable to the school, they do pick and choose so as not to upset or delay the more educated kids in school.

Is your kid clever enough topass the entry exams if they have any.

Make a formal complaint to board of gouvenors and the eduction authoity or wait till june when all schools will become private schools if cameroooon gets back in, but highly unlikely .

I hate to mention the middle class option but, moving house isn’t an option?

I think the Private sector generally gets less problems from other students

But the actual quality of teaching is just as variable as the state sector, if not more so

The type of schools is also more variable

So my non answer isn’t “is private school worth it” but “is this school worth it”.

This. There are poor independent schools, particularly in the primary sector, so check out as much as possible.
My mother was the headteacher of a very successful large state primary school. Some of the privately educated children who came to her school were up to a year behind by the age of 7 in some developmental areas, others were similarly advanced. What makes the difference is the quality of the teacher. I am sure I saw a study that suggested it is better to be in a ‘poor’ school with an excellent teacher, than an ‘excellent’ school with a poor teacher in charge of your child. So investigate as much as possible.

If the kid is not at least average, then yes he will benefit.

If he is naturally not so smart then no matter how much you spend, he will still be crap.

I know plenty of private school students now grown up, some bright and successful while others genetically a little slow working in low end jobs.

I think he would pass an entrance exam, he is a pretty bright kid.
In fact one of our major complaints about his current school is how they treat more able kids – they cancelled the “gifted and talented” scheme and also stopped all streaming – all kids are taught together, regardless of ability. He just isn’t being stretched, and it isn’t helped by having different supply teachers all the time.

??

If the kid is not at least average, then yes he will benefit.

=> kid < average

If he is naturally not so smart then no matter how much you spend, he will still be cra

=> kid < average

Did they not teach you how to use the reflexive pronoun at Elgin kCal 🙂

I hate to mention the middle class option but, moving house isn’t an option?

I’m state educated and a state school teacher

I think the Private sector generally gets less problems from other students

But the actual quality of teaching is just as variable as the state sector, if not more so

The type of schools is also more variable

So my non answer isn’t “is private school worth it” but “is this school worth it”. But you probably new that

I’m going to guess that it’s not English you teach?

I think he would pass an entrance exam, he is a pretty bright kid.
In fact one of our major complaints about his current school is how they treat more able kids – they cancelled the “gifted and talented” scheme and also stopped all streaming – all kids are taught together, regardless of ability. He just isn’t being stretched, and it isn’t helped by having different supply teachers all the time.

It would be worth your while looking into the options for private education.

@TheBrick

It’s like some schools are in the 19th century. The eldest was berated for writing left handed only a few years ago.
So my left handed son writes with his right hand. Great for a dyslexic!!!

I’m going to guess that it’s not English you teach?

LOL

No a dyslexic physics teachers

Between me and 20 very bright 17 year olds I generally get there with the spelling and grammar

Perhaps something a little different to consider. I’m extremely grateful to have gone to boarding school on a scholarship. I certainly feel it was a good education and I really enjoyed myself and got very good grades etc. But it took me a long time to adjust to ‘civilian’ life after the public school bubble. Orwell puts it much better than I could but essentially I came out with views on normal people which a am so terribly ashamed to have had. I would say it took about 5 years of working in ‘working-class’ jobs and making friends with normal people from low socioeconomic backgrounds while at uni to really overcome the deep rooted upper-class sentiments that I had instilled in me. I even used to be so embarrassed about sounding posh that I put-on a local accent in an attempt to fit in.

So now I feel in some ways I’ve benefited from living both ends of the spectrum, I know intimitely how both ends live, see the other, their problems etc, and I can act myself around everyone. I work with a couple of single/drug-using-parent kids from the poorest areas on my city and it pains me to know that they are almost doomed to repeat the cycle of their parents but I do what I can to help raise their aspirations and reading etc. but I feel a little guilty at my privilege
A part of me feels somewhat marrooned in the middle. Not actually having come from a landowning family (far from it) so not actually part of the elite but also seen by most people I know as ‘their posh friend’ as if I don’t have my own people.

Sorry that rambled a little bit like therapy but just bear in mind that it’s not just education that kids receive in public/private school.

Orwell’s thoughts on it here http://www.telelib.com/authors/O/OrwellGeorge/prose/RoadToWiganPier/wiganpierpart_9.html

So my left handed son writes with his right hand. Great for a dyslexic!!!

That is unbelievable! True face palm! I’d be reporting that.

project – Member
Private schools are only available to parents who have the ability to pay, are your jobs guaranteed for the school life if not are scholarships, grants etc available.

Most private schools will have scholarships or bursaries in place as a requirement, especially as charitable status is being scrutinised.

Any advice gratefully received!

Not wishing to appear callous, I would put my childs education/future before elderly parents, I would expect my parents to understand.

All the best with whatever decision you do make.

@TheBrick

We just removed him and concentrated on rebuilding his confidence. The teacher in question was retiring soon thank God, so she had limited ability to ruin any more kids educational chances. However the Head was as bad. No point in battling that one as we were being labelled as Middle class whingers with a thick child.

cheekyboy – Member
Not wishing to appear callous, I would put my childs education/future before elderly parents, I would expect my parents to understand.

No offence taken, it’s a fair point.
There are other, more selfish, reasons for not moving – we love the house and village we live in and our jobs mean moving is not that simple.

I’m privately/grammar educated and I’m on here.

Make of that wat u will 🙂

Less flippantly, on an issue I’ve reflected on many a time, the impact of good parents had more influence on who I am, rather than my schooling.

bikemike1968 – Member

I think he would pass an entrance exam, he is a pretty bright kid.
In fact one of our major complaints about his current school is how they treat more able kids – they cancelled the “gifted and talented” scheme and also stopped all streaming – all kids are taught together, regardless of ability. He just isn’t being stretched, and it isn’t helped by having different supply teachers all the time. If you’re relying on teachers to stretch a 9 year old, then you’re probably not best placed to assess his chances in an entrance exam. Know what I’m saying Mike?
Private school should be the tool of last resort – when the long term prognosis looks so bad that some sort of intervention is unavoidable. Is that the case here? It really depends on the status of the High School your current school (the best one in the area), is feeding into. Are there reasons to be be seriously concerned ? If not, then private schooling would be crazy at this stage.

The alternative is to get private tutor(s) that come to your house to teach the kids few times a week for few hours.

Might work out cheaper so long as the kid is not too tired.

🙂

If you’re relying on teachers to stretch a 9 year old, then you’re probably not best placed to assess his chances in an entrance exam. Know what I’m saying Mike?

I’m guessing this isn’t a compliment 😀

Our motives are these – We only have one kid and we want to set him up for life to the best of our ability. We consider a good education to be essential for this. He is a bright kid (if he wasn’t, I’d encourage him to learn a trade) and his current school is failing him, with no reasonable free alternative. We can afford (just) to get him to a private school where he might better be able to reach his potential. Is that such a bad thing?

Go for it. We didn’t regret it. It was hard financially but worth it. Of course, we’ll never know how he would have done at a state school.

We consider a good education to be essential for this. He is a bright kid (if he wasn’t, I’d encourage him to learn a trade)

GOT TO BE THE MOST PATHETIC POINTLESS ANSWER EVER POSTED, us tradesmen have done a 4 year or longer apprenticeship, studied at college, and gained further educational skills,along with trade skills,etc.

Generally yes – a brilliant investment in theory – but has to correct for YOUR child. It’s a personal choice not anyone else’s

20-30% of pupils are on some form of financial assistance – so not as out of reach as some like to pretend.

Our motives are these – We only have one kid and we want to set him up for life to the best of our ability. We consider a good education to be essential for this. He is a bright kid (if he wasn’t, I’d encourage him to learn a trade) and his current school is failing him, with no reasonable free alternative. We can afford (just) to get him to a private school where he might better be able to reach his potential. Is that such a bad thing?

Of course not – but private school elevates average kids, not bright kids. There’s no added value there (plenty of substracted value, though, when you consider university apps).
Schooling is a partnership between parents and teachers – right now it sounds like the school has slipped a bit and you need to take things on your back for a while. No hardship, like, with a bright kid. High School is a different story, though, so unless you think there’s trouble brewing with that, I’d hang in there.

GOT TO BE THE MOST PATHETIC POINTLESS ANSWER EVER POSTED, us tradesmen have done a 4 year or longer apprenticeship, studied at college, and gained further educational skills,along with trade skills,etc.

No need to shout. I’m a mechanic myself and don’t see “being on the tools” as a bad career choice .I’m not trying to put down anybody else’s job. But I do think that a better education will give him more choices as to what career he has.

Private education may or may not improve your childs education. I say dont do it. There are good and not so good state schools. Also dont be fooled into thinking that just because your childs school is currently having problems it means your childs educational progress is harmed for good. learning doea not work that way it is very non linear. If you feel there are gaps in your childs education you are the parent fill them in yourself or use tutors but the quality of tutors varies too. I say as a parent and a former teacher. In fact i worked in what was deamed a failing school (and it was) but many students still did well, oddly enough it was those students who took an interest in theirs education. This shows the power of parental influence.

As parents we do worry alot about our childs education but remember your education at school is just one part of your childs education and education is more to with building self confidence than facts. Confident people suceed in what they do. Good grades do not lead to confidence and like wise confidence does not lead to good grades. Good schools build self confidence everything else is actually secondary contary to popular and goverment opinion. State schools can acheive this, even the school i worked in did this so can private schools. Like wose both types of schools can fail at this important task miserably.

My two penneth.
I was apparently a clever child, I went to a primary of 32 kids, total from year 1 to 6. 4 kids in my total year group. I was ahead of most but not all when moving to big school.
I did well, I did chemistry at uni, I’m now a builder.
My kids,x2, good primary, eldest now in year 8, big school Mrs ws didn’t want her to attend due to no uniform and calling teachers by first name. She’s flying, top 5 in her year in maths and science however her English is bobbins. Laddo year 5, incredible grasp of written English and ability to spell, however three years ago was writing backwards from right to left across the page, to the point where we wondered if he was right.
My point, which as usual I’m sure no one will read on here is kids are kids, they will achieve as much as they want to and as much time as you invest in them to help.
Friendships count for a lot so think wisely before removing them from the current environment they enjoy.