State vs Private Education

rustybin

It shouldn't be state vs private, it should be school vs school. Which is best for your family.

The very thread title is just so alt-right...conflict for the sake of conflict.

IronGiant

That's my fault   I stripped the discussion out of another thread that was being dragged off topic...  A better suggestion would be very welcome

Bl4ckGryph0n

Alt-right, champagne-socialist-left

Either way I agree, it should (in my opinion) be primarily what is best for the child, and wheat (edit: @krish thank you, of course I meant what, but if I changed it then your post wouldn't make any sense, so I left it in ) is best for your family...Choice is good, but that doesn't mean that one choice is better than the other...

krish

Not if any of them have coeliac disease


coat

rustybin

I'm not a fan of private schools on principle (not politically necessarily, just point of principle), but parents shouldn't be backed into the corner of having to choose between a god awful state school or backrupting themselves to pay fees.

It's false economy in many respects - especially if you've got a good few children. Spend the money you'd waste on a private education on moving to a nicer area with better schools. My son's state primary school was rated 120th in the country the other year, considerably higher than the local private schools (except Bolton).

Bl4ckGryph0n

Sometimes it is really not clear why people do it. I wouldn't want to deny them the choice, nor judge them for it.

I once worked with a lady, she was (is?) a contractor. Was easily working more than 40 hours per week. As was her husband. All her income, and some of that of her husband went to their 4 children's private education. They never saw each other as the parents were always working.

It wouldn't work for us as a family at all, but it did for them and there was no question about it. They wouldn't do it any other way.

I do think that it is great that there is so much choice.

tapzilla2k

I think this encompasses more than just state vs private education, it effects society in a very profound way. The main issue I have with the state Education system is the mantra that failing GCSE's is the end of everything. Which is an issue caused by the Politicians who demand ever better results from Schools. As I've no doubt said in the past Schools should be judged based on what children do as Adults in terms of career choices.

IronGiant

Suggest a better title then...

krish

Education Education Education

springtide

I don’t think you can generalise .... a lot depends where you live as well as other factors.

I have two kids, one state the other private. Main reason one is private was that we didn’t get offered a place in a school that any of her friends were going and it was known to have a drug problem.. part of it was we miscalculated factors on the application.

My son got into a very good state school, but was lucky dip entry. It’s ex private although not that I think that makes a difference.

Think there are problems with drugs in the private as larger cash flow, but her school doesn’t seem as bad as if they fail exams they are asked to leave (if they didn’t try)..  although this ethos obviously makes the results not comparable to other schools, if you get rid of pupils who are going to not do so well.

I personally don’t think you can generalise as there are a whole lot of other factors involved.

e.g. we have a school that gets good results (rather than excellent), but it does take a lot of immigrants that don’t have English as their first language, so they are probably doing brilliantly.

I’m not sure I’m fully onboard with private education as my daughter seems to have changed in terms of “entitlement” since starting there and she complains about some of the kids in this respect.

It’s a mind field and can of worms in one imo