State or Private

[Practically Perfect]

Catholic here and mine was and still is very strict but got the results. The difference between the LA schools and catholic is that the diocese pays towards the schools rather than it being totally LA funded and as such they can run them without as much LA involvement. In my area more and more children are being baptised in order to secure a place in the catholic schools.

My 3 all did well and went onto uni although at the time they hated it as it was so strict, they still measure girl's skirts every morning and check for make-up, hair colour etc and they will expect you to get involved in the catholic community which i would encourage anyway as they will take at least 3 sacraments (confession, holy communion and confirmation) whilst at school.

The schools and parish can be very clickey though and they can be very 'local' which is a shame.

 

[Daisy dukes]

My girls go to catholic school. They are receiving an excellent education and I’m happy with it. If there was not a good school in the area I would maybe look into private but I feel they are both happy and getting on great in the school they are at

 

[Tulips]

^^It's interesting reading these posts about Catholic schools: It's just got me thinking my husband went to one (primary and secondary)- these schools were considered to be the best in the borough in terms of results. I'm not saying all Catholic schools are like this, though.

 

[Pinkblush]

It depends what your expectations are. I went to state school as did my siblings and we're all doing better job wise and financially than my three cousins who went to private school. My uncle has often said he may as well have flushed the money down the toilet for all the good it did.

 

[Raininvain]

With private schools, they tend to have much smaller classes and better resources than a state school and more time can be spent with the children.
I've known people who have gone to private schools and even when they haven't been academic at all have still done really well because of their confidence and connections etc.
It is possible to do well at a state school but its harder I think especially if there's a lot of behaviour problems and absolutely no control like the school I went to. It was that bad at my secondary school that after I left a teacher threatened the class with a starting pistol because he had totally lost control and was at the end of his tether.

 

[Platypusfattypus]

My parents considered private for me but I'm glad for the most part we went to state. I attended army schools and they were very different to the state school I ended up in, on civvy Street. But I'm glad I had the experiences I did. We considered a scholarship for my eldest but she wanted to go where her friends were going and I have to say I'm so pleased she is at the state school she is. She gets great opportunities (well she did when there was no covid) and ive been impressed by the school. If we had a very bad state school I may reconsider but I do think a state school is better.

 

[Scorpihoe]

My siblings all went to private schools and I was the only one who went to a state school. My parents gave me the opportunity and I passed the entrance exams, but I wanted to go where my friends went.

I don’t think I got a different education at all to my siblings, I actually got better grades than a few of them. I think the primary factor is the child’s motivation and drive to learn. Of course, better teachers, more homework, more opportunities will aid that, but ultimately it comes down to the student. I would say consider private if you can afford it, but state schools (depending on the area) can be just as good

 

[Happy35]

I don’t live near to any private schools, they are about 40 minutes away so I ruled that out for my son although a few do travel. I sent him to a state school, they were all rated as outstanding by Ofsted and he has done really well. I did top up with some tuition at one stage though.
I would only pay for a private education if I thought the state education was poor where I lived

 

[G2000]

I think if you can afford it then the class sizes alone make it a no brainer. But it’s not just the school fees, it’s the extras, school trips are more expensive, uniform etc etc. Also as the “poor” kid at a private school that didn’t have at least three holidays a year , the latest stuff, endless pocket money etc etc socially I struggled. You need to be able to afford the lifestyle as well as the fees in my opinion to be fair to your kids.

 

[bubbadabut]

I live in an area where there are excellent primary schools; however, the secondary schools leave a lot to be desired. My husband and I did well at very poor state schools, but I think I could have achieved more if I was in a better learning environment. The thing that stood out for me was the extra work I had to do to reach A-Level standard after doing my GCSEs. For Spanish (which I went on to have a career in), I didn't even know what the past tense was. I spent my first few weeks at A-Level totally dumbfounded; the level of teaching I'd received at GCSE level was so low.

Anyway, if I only had one child I would definitely send them to private school. However we have four children and it's just not affordable, plus I remember what happened when Sally Webster only sent Rosie private and Sophie had to go to the comp

 

[slugella]

I think it can vary so much. I went to a pretty bad Catholic state school but I was in all of the top classes which meant I could learn more as my class was pretty well behaved. A friend in the lower set had to deal with really disruptive students so didn't learn as much as the teachers were so occupied with settling down the disruptive ones.

I did well and went to a good uni where I met my partner who went to a private school. It wasn't particularly great academically though and we both ended up with the same A Level grades and the same uni despite the differences in our schooling.

So yeah I guess it can depend on the child (e.g. if I had not been in the top classes my school would not have been able to give me enough to succeed) and how good the state and private schools in the area are.

 

[Nolongerjustalurker]

I went to an all girls grammar school, my brother also went to a grammar school. We both had excellent educations and I loved school, although now as an adult I wouldn’t encourage single sex school for my kids (my parents never forced me, I just didn’t want to go to the same school as my brother!)
If I hadn’t passed the 11 plus, my parents would have sent me to private school. The local state high schools are not as good, but I’m sure I would have done fine.

 

[Ohflogoff]

Without a doubt, if I could afford to (and live comfortably once paying out all the fees), I would send my kids to private school.

We could do it now, but it would mean we would have to cut back on a lot of luxuries at home that we enjoy.

I believe smaller classes are what I would be paying for. In a class of 30+ it is very easy for kids to get lost and go under the radar. Especially with children with SEN and EFL

 

[mcfeez]

I attended grammar school and achieved a decent education - I got excellent grades but that was through my own dedication. I found the teachers to have little patience for less studious kids.

I dont agree with private education but its not for me to dictate how people spend their money. I do think it should be taken into consideration for uni applications, if there is a points system or something for entry then privately schooled applicants get docked points.

 

[Justwannaseescreenshots]

I went to an outstanding state secondary school, that was 15-20 years ago so I can’t say what it would be like now but my partner went to one of the most expensive private schools in England and we have had very similar experiences with the type of friendships we held. I am from a single parent family and grew up with no money - we were poor but grew up in a time where you had the right to buy so mum managed to get on the property ladder from being council and ended up able to buy in a catchment area for the best state school. So we were lucky but ultimately my partners family paid so much money to ensure their kids had good influences around them while I got it for free so it depends where you grow up and how much poverty surrounds you I think.
I personally wouldn’t put my child through private because I feel the social skills are lacking there and males and females need to freely mix and learn how to respect each other; even more so in 2021 where people live behind their devices. I feel that, and happiness is more important than career prospects.