hmmm difficult one really, if i had lots of money i would prob send lill to private school.

i went to a private school from 4 - 11 yrs and then went to the local grammer school, i loved my primary school as the classes were small (11 of us in the year) and it felt like a family and we were set up in junior school to be prepared for secondary school lesson structures. we did french from 6 years old aswell.
in year 4 -6 we did singular lessons (seperate sciences, art, maths, history geog etc..) i loved every minute and have very fond memories!

the only downside when looking back is when i moved to secondary school the classes were 30 students and 120 in a year, i struggled quite alot with the lesser attention from teachers and found myself falling more and more behind and felt quite intimidated, i did however pass my gcses but never felt happy in secondary school.

i think its each to their own really, i think ifi did put lilly through private school i would want it to be from infant through to secondary so there is not a major change in structure etc

xx

Answering the fees question - I can think of nothing I would rather spend my money on than Wil's future

If there were grammar schools or even good primary schools where I live I may not need to consider private education but for Wil to have a better school experience than I did it seems I have little choice in this area (I spent 12 years bored out of my mind and totally disengaged thanks to schools that didn't push me because I was able to get above average results without encouragement or effort)

It is also about more than academic education. The school also has very similar set of values and beliefs to the ones we are using to bring up Wil so it fits well with his overall development.

I agree but again im not in a financial position to even consider it. Will therefore have the do the best i can with whats available. Ive not actually experienced the state school system due to my parents being in the forces and forces schools are generally pretty good

I actually think the state system was better when we (those of us in our 30s) were using it than it is now and my school was pretty bad. We had a few good teachers but they were mainly the older ones who will long since have retired.

I guess I judge a lot by my experience and from listening to my sister (teaches infant school) and it has put me off.

State education is a political football and changes in Government and even minister bring change for change's sake. I pride myself on the consistency we apply to Wil's life and I am not confident that the state school system can give him that.

I would if I could afford to, I definitely didn't fulfil my potential at school and although a lot of it was down to me, the school had a big part in that. I was in a year full of disruptive idiotic kids that didn't want to learn and wouldn't let the rest of the class either, and instead of the teachers or school dealing with their behaviour they used to let them get on with it, and quite often would walk out of the lessons. I couldn't imagine that happening at a private school. I know things have changed since then though. I would pay every penny I had to ensure Chloe had the best possible start in life and not have to go through the same financial struggles that I have faced in the past

I went to a private school and it was about a million times better than any of the states schools.
They not only taught us the curriculum they were meant to teach us but being private the classes were small enoug for the teachers to spend plenty of time on a one to one basis with us all and we were taught very good manners.

It was an all girls school and we taught to behave like ladys (it was a bit old fashioned) but we ended up leaving the school and we were all every single one of us at least 1 year ahead of most other students who went to states schools. I wish I could've stayed there till I did my GCSEs as I am 100% sure that I would've left with all A and A* grades there!

So if you can afford it I say absolutely 100%. If Tyler was a girl and we will still lived in Jersey he would be going to the same school I went to.

i would without a doubt send my children to private schools if i could afford it.
i dont like any of the schools in the area and i think private schools do have better equiptment/more time to spend with the children as they are not so crammed full.
x

Im on the fence on this one as I think every circumstance is different.

My two eldest nephews (two younger ones are not yet old enough) go to Rugby school, which is a private school. My eldest nephew loves it but his younger brother hates it and my SIL was in talks with him the other night to decide whether to move him to a state school.

My mum works at a girls only private school and James has always said about our girls going there, although unless the schools here were really poor, then I dont think we would.

But, if the only school option was coming up with 4's, then I would really consider it.

(think I have just written a right load of poo, lol!)

x

I'm not sure about it really. I went to a private school and enjoyed it for the most part but I was on a scholarship and there was definitely an 'underclass' of people that were viewed poorly because we didn't go skiing and wear designer clothes and have a pony each etc. The school I went to has definitely lowered it standards now, as they need the money they are less fussy with who goes there. If I were in a position that I could afford to pay for my children to be educated to a much better standard than they could achieve in a state school I would do it though. The thing that worries me is that I would love nothing more than to be a sahm for a few years now but I feel incredible pressure to keep up with my career because of my education when really I'd be quite happy to put in hold for a fair few years and have lots of babies

Laura wrote:

I

My two eldest nephews (two younger ones are not yet old enough) go to Rugby school,

That's the same school as Roald Dahl went to. Maybe your nephew is having to warm cold toilet seats for older boys like Roald Dahl did

Mrsmb - if you want to take a career break and you can afford to do it then you should. You can always go back to work in a while.

GillandWil wrote:

Laura wrote:

I

My two eldest nephews (two younger ones are not yet old enough) go to Rugby school,

That's the same school as Roald Dahl went to. Maybe your nephew is having to warm cold toilet seats for older boys like Roald Dahl did

Lol! im not sure... I know its the one that the girl from Harry Potter went to... Emma something?

this has sparked a conversation with my hubby and we both have said no, but we seeing it from a different perspective.

our son goes to special school he is bused in and bused home, none of his friends live by us and he does not socialise with anyone outside of school and we see this as a major flaw with his education.

yes its important that they get a good education and do their best and rich has homework every night with us, but he misses so much that a mainstream school could give and we see this as the same negatives with a private school.

i live in an area where alot of the kids go to private/grammar schools and yet i never see kids playing out and theres a huge park 5 mins away.

if we could we would send rich to the local school but we cant, this bubs will be going to local school.

there is one thing i dont think anyone as mentioned and thats your child's choice, where do they want to go, i know that when it comes to us choosing schools it will be a family decisioin, your child being happy in school is so important, if they miserable they not going to learn,
but thats just my opinion