Comments on: Is it wrong to send my son to a private school? https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/ Fun : Family : Travel Sat, 05 Mar 2016 13:14:33 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 By: Sarah MumofThree World https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-144037 Sat, 05 Mar 2016 13:14:33 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-144037 This is such a conundrum! Like you, my politics are left of centre and I’ve actually always actively disliked private schools and everything they stand for. That’s easy to do when you don’t have kids. But when you do have them and you’re faced with a tough situation like yours, you have to put those feelings to one side and think about your child’s education and happiness. And, if you can afford it, and you know the private school will give them something the local schools won’t, it’s a no-brainer! I’m lucky that I’ve never had to make this decision. All my kids went to a good primary and I’ve now got one at a decent comp and one at an amazing grammar school, one of the top state schools in the country. Now I’ve just got my daughter, who’s in y5 to consider. The chances are she will get into one of her brothers’ schools or another grammar. But if she gets given the ‘bad comp’ I know exactly what I would be doing!

]]> By: Helen McGonigal https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-133616 Tue, 24 Feb 2015 12:00:45 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-133616 I just noticed the date on this. I’d be interested to know what you decided to do in the end?

]]> By: Helen McGonigal https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-133615 Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:44:09 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-133615 In reply to Mary.

What fantastic points! I couldn’t agree more. 🙂

]]> By: Charli davies https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-27699 Thu, 12 Sep 2013 08:24:08 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-27699 Hi!
If this was me I would do what is right for my son at this moment in time, forget everything else it’s not important right now.. From the sounds of it putting him in private school is the best thing to do in a not perfect situation right now. Nothing to stop you moving to another area with nice state schools when you can?
I know it’s not ideal to move a kid from a school they are settled in but kids are very resilient and if you find moving and not paying for school would then mean you have a better way of life including your son (going to all those after school classes and clubs etc can be expensive) and you get him in a good state school where he will be happy then why not?
Good luck!!!
Charli

]]> By: emma t https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-7737 Sat, 27 Apr 2013 05:44:33 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-7737 If you can afford it, then go for it. Why not, if you can’t get a school that can deliver on the basics. You could alwats change back to state later if needed or wanted.

I’ve been through state primary (I had generally rubbish teachers but it did give work dependent on capability, my bro had great teachers who stretched each child) and secondary as I refused to let my mum try and send me to private girls school in oxford. We were lucky as it was a comp in a village so had all the extra curricular facilities. I did ok at gsces but not as well as I could have done if given better teaching and encouragement in my poorer subjects like science despite being in the top set for the few subjects that were streamed.

My 6th form options were not great…for someone sporty and musical the 6 forms didn’t offer anything ourside of yhd a levels so I managed to get a scholarship to the local private school. I loved it. It wasn’t the most academic compared to others but the care, friendships, facilities were so mich better than even my fairly good comprehensive. I’d send my son in a heartbeat if I had the money and my OH put the same emphasis on education as I do.

Annoyingly we’re about a mile out of warwickshire which is grammar school area…shame

Good luck in whatever you decide

]]> By: hpmcq https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-7424 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 22:40:48 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-7424 A very similar story to us. School on our doorstep didn’t guarantee that we would get Ronnie in. A friends daughter ended up in the same scenario as you have written about which would have meant getting 3 buses as no direct route in rush hour in the morning across London. Put the right wind up me so I investigated options. I discovered that many of the private schools were cheaper than his full time nursery, including any holiday childcare. So we went for it and moved him to the pre-school in September. It had never been part of our plan at all, but we are so glad that we did it. Good luck with whatever conclusion you come to there’s no guarantees either way I’m afraid!

]]> By: Anya from Older Single Mum and The Healer https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-7423 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:14:57 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-7423 I’d send mine to private school in a heartbeat, but hope you have better luck than your neighbours if that sits better with you x

]]> By: Tuesday Treats | dorkymum https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-7421 Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:41:20 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-7421 […] improve standards in our local schools.”  – Another very thought-provoking piece from Cat at Yellow Days, as she tries to decide whether to choose private or state education for her […]

]]> By: Mary https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-1568 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:39:01 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-1568 I followed the LAB showcase link here and have read your post with interest. I would offer my opinion, if no one minds? I am a mummy at the other end of the school journey, with a son at university and a daughter sitting her GCSE. They both attended very average, if not below average primary schools (private was not an option financially and I’m not a fan of the private system) They both attended the same secondary school, which again is very much below average, and locally has a pretty poor reputation and doesn’t score well on the league tables. My Son has 11 GCSE, grade B and above, won a place on a highly sort after International Baccalaureate course and is now at a top ‘Red Brick’ university. My daughter is predicted A and A* for all her GCSE and has won a place of the same IB course as her brother (and yes I am boasting a certain amount – I mean who wouldn’t!) My husband attended the same school as they did and did not very well, poor focus etc, I was a disaster at school leaving with almost nothing.
My point is twofold :-
You child will reach their potential almost anywhere. The most important aspect is the support they receive from you (support that is not pressure to achieve) Make their education a positive experience for them. The stress and pressure of finding a place at primary should be a total mystery to them. Don’t let them see that the school process has upset you, it will rub off on them and start them with a negative attitude. Your behaviour is perhaps more important than that of the teacher and their fellow pupils.

League tables tell you nothing about a school! All it will tell you is that the leadership team there have coached the children enough to pass the test. It doesn’t tell you whether they care about the children, it doesn’t tell you whether the children are encouraged to explore and enjoy their education. Is the education holistic or is it just based on passing the standardised testing. It doesn’t tell you how they deal with bullying, or whether they have a good SEN department or gifted and talented programme.

There only way to choose a good school is to go there, visit and ask questions. Ask other parents who are there at the moment, what happened to your neighbours some years ago is invalid. Maybe they have new leadership since then, maybe the demographic is changing and it’s the best up and coming school in the area. Take your child with you – how they feel about it, are they interested, they have to spend their day there not you! ask their opinion and value it! What is right for your neighbour may not be right for your child. Don’t dismiss a school on what someone else has told you, you might just be missing out on that teacher who will inspire your child for the rest of their life!

Sorry for the rant – I hope you find the right place for them! Trust your maternal instinct – it’s usually right!

]]> By: A Mum (@HelpfulMum) https://www.catsyellowdays.com/2011/12/14/is-it-wrong-to-send-my-son-to-a-private-school/#comment-1567 Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:43:58 +0000 http://catsyellowdays.wordpress.com/?p=1436#comment-1567 I went to a private school in Oxford because the only comprehensive near us wasn’t very good. I hated it. Mainly because my place was government funded and everyone else had a lot of money. I appreciate now though that my education was very good (shame I didn’t realise it at the time).

Luckily I now live in an area where we have to choose between 3 outstanding and 3 excellent primary schools and two grammar schools. If I still lived in the same area I was brought up in then I would certainly consider private schools.

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