State school or Public school?

[Shooting Star]

This is entirely from personal experience, but I'm 20 and went to private school, and if I'm fortunate enough to have sufficient funds, I'd definitely like to send my future kid(s) to one. The reason private schools are successful and so extensive is because of the general failings of state education. People often have the misconception that private schools are full of pretentious toffs; it's so inaccurate. I went to an incredibly down to earth public school in Battle, to the extent that those who maybe were from more affluent backgrounds were looked down upon if they showed it too much. Many kids from the nearby state school came to ours for 6th Form and fitted in seamlessly.

Many in my year weren't incredibly academically bright, but attentive teaching allowed them to reach their fullest potential and 90+% are now at very respectable universities. Some people from my primary school who at the time achieved higher grades than myself, went on to state schools and lost their potential.
I realise I'm making general statements from my own experiences, but if you want to get as much of a guarantee as you ever could of nurturing your children's academic future, I personally believe private education gets you closer to that. Of course, if there's a universally renowned state school, then there may be no need for private education. If there isn't, personally I'd look into it if finances allow.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If you're willing, able and have supportive parents then you can get what you want from the majority of state schools in my opinion. I do get annoyed with the, at times, seemingly blanket trashing of state schools. To a degree they're only as good as the pupils in them and their parents. I went to Tideway. It has often been criticised but along with supportive and encouraging (and patient) parents the tools were there for me and I got the education I wanted.

I really do believe parents have an important part to play though.

 

[User removed 4]

This is entirely from personal experience, but I'm 20 and went to private school, and if I'm fortunate enough to have sufficient funds, I'd definitely like to send my future kid(s) to one. The reason private schools are successful and so extensive is because of the general failings of state education. People often have the misconception that private schools are full of pretentious toffs; it's so inaccurate. I went to an incredibly down to earth public school in Battle, to the extent that those who maybe were from more affluent backgrounds were looked down upon if they showed it too much. Many kids from the nearby state school came to ours for 6th Form and fitted in seamlessly.

Many in my year weren't incredibly academically bright, but attentive teaching allowed them to reach their fullest potential and 90+% are now at very respectable universities. Some people from my primary school who at the time achieved higher grades than myself, went on to state schools and lost their potential.
I realise I'm making general statements from my own experiences, but if you want to get as much of a guarantee as you ever could of nurturing your children's academic future, I personally believe private education gets you closer to that. Of course, if there's a universally renowned state school, then there may be no need for private education. If there isn't, personally I'd look into it if finances allow.

Very good post, shows some of the "chip on the shoulder " posts for what they are.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

This is entirely from personal experience, but I'm 20 and went to private school, and if I'm fortunate enough to have sufficient funds, I'd definitely like to send my future kid(s) to one. The reason private schools are successful and so extensive is because of the general failings of state education. People often have the misconception that private schools are full of pretentious toffs; it's so inaccurate. I went to an incredibly down to earth public school in Battle, to the extent that those who maybe were from more affluent backgrounds were looked down upon if they showed it too much. Many kids from the nearby state school came to ours for 6th Form and fitted in seamlessly.

Many in my year weren't incredibly academically bright, but attentive teaching allowed them to reach their fullest potential and 90+% are now at very respectable universities. Some people from my primary school who at the time achieved higher grades than myself, went on to state schools and lost their potential.
I realise I'm making general statements from my own experiences, but if you want to get as much of a guarantee as you ever could of nurturing your children's academic future, I personally believe private education gets you closer to that. Of course, if there's a universally renowned state school, then there may be no need for private education. If there isn't, personally I'd look into it if finances allow.

I do not disagree with most of this post. A friend has actually sent one of his children to your school. And for the record I do not have a major issue with private schools.

With respect to the bold text, I think it's a lot more simple than this though.....just give a toss in your child's education; support them and encourage them...this will take them a long long way.

 

[Simster]

i'd love for there not to be an issue as the schools should be good enough in the first place. but thats fanciful. in reality, the option should include grammer schools for those who are brighter, but a generation of grammer school educated politicians and policy thinkers have decided thats not "fair".

This.

State school, where teachers have to be properly trained. My wife has worked in a well-known local public school, and some of their senior staff, including one head of department, had no formal teacher training.

Very true (my mum was a teacher in a private school because her state qualifications had expired by the time she got back into work after bringing up her children). However, you have to consider other factors here. For example, there are issues that a teacher at a private school is never likely to need to face so don't need qualifications for that. Secondly, bits of paper don't really determine what makes someone a good teacher. You have to remember that private schools can only attract business if they get results - it's not unreasonable to assume that the private sector is likely to be more ruthless hiring and firing their teachers if they are not up to it.


I don't really have an issue with the private sector existing, but have heard some horror stories involving private schools primarily surrounding the ruthlessness they sometimes show to underperforming kids. If a child fails to make a grade, they are perfectly able to wash their hands of that child and let the state system sort out the mess.

And my main problem with the state system is that the quality of schooling depends on where you live. My kids have been to two great schools, but disruption is minimal and the ethic is fully supported by parents who care. Problems occur where just 3 or 4 unruly kids can ruin learning for 30, and the state ethic is (understandably) to ensure all 30 of those kids receive an education. Just excluding the trouble makers is not something you can expect to see after one isolated incident, there really needs to be good reason for it.

Another major mjor problem is the influence of religion on state schooling. It is high time that if faiths of any denomination want faith schools, they damn well pay for it. If we're going to have segregated schooling, I'd much rather it was done along grammar/comprehensive lines.

 

[Badger]

It depends what area you are in, I wouldn't my kid to go to a run-down inner city state school with a poor reputation. In that case a private school at least gives you a guaranteed high standard of education.
Having said that, if there was a perfectly decent state school in my area then I would see no point in using a private school. In my experience a lot of private school kids are completely out of touch with reality, it may be purely down to their parents and upbringing with them being "sent off to school" but they do try and look down on you. I went to state school, got good grades and got into a top university surrounded by people that had expensive private educations and weren't really any better off than me.

 

[marcy17]

Both are good. I Just remember the school days..!!

 

[The Merry Prankster]

Why is that, out of interest?

1) The inherent unfairness of the system. Some people are given a massive advantage from the off.
2) The elitist nature of private education gives birth to a sense of entitlement that does no one any favours
and most importantly
3) The education system would be massively improved if all classes were involved. If everybody was involved then there would be a common purpose that people could and would put their energy into.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Problems occur where just 3 or 4 unruly kids can ruin learning for 30, and the state ethic is (understandably) to ensure all 30 of those kids receive an education

My state school had streaming, 4 levels I seem to remember. You were moved up and down in relation to your ability and attitude. Ultimately all the disruptive kids ended up in the bottom set whilst the rest were in sets according to their ability. Everyone got the level and type of education and support they needed because of this. This seems an incredibly simple operation which resolved the issue I have quoted. Does this not happen now?

 

[bhaexpress]

I would say overall a public school because frankly there are so many substandard state schools. I don't blame state school teachers for this more that they have to deal so often with highly disruptive pupils. A Public School would just quite legally chuck them out. I have a relative who worked at a state school in Canterbury (hardly a poor area IMHO) and she would tell me all the time that how stressful it was.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

I was having this discussion with my girlfriend earlier. I went to a state school and would more than happily send my kids to one. But she went to a public school and insists that she want hers to go to public school if she could afford it.

So I thought I'd open up the debate to NSC. What type of school did you go to, which would you send/have you sent your kids to, and why?

My wife is a teacher. As she pointed out to me, the quality of teachers are no different whether you pay or not. It's down to the individual. I messed around at school, but I went back to college and did my GCSE again.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

but have heard some horror stories involving private schools primarily surrounding the ruthlessness they sometimes show to underperforming kids. If a child fails to make a grade, they are perfectly able to wash their hands of that child and let the state system sort out the mess.

I know of someone with kids at private school and one was not performing well. Eventually she was 'diagnosed' with some minor mental illness which was the reason she picked things up much more slowly than other children. Mental or just not as bright as the others?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My wife is a teacher. As she pointed out to me, the quality of teachers are no different whether you pay or not. It's down to the individual. I messed around at school, but I went back to college and did my GCSE again.

If we keep eroding the pay and conditions of teachers the state will not be able to recruit the best talent to teach our children though. Whilst you might not think it it is an issue now it will be.

 

[bhaexpress]

If we keep eroding the pay and conditions of teachers the state will not be able to recruit the best talent to teach our children though. Whilst you might not think it it is an issue now it will be.

Couldn't agree more, there are some real little bastards in schools who would only get excluded if they murdered somebody. What incentive is there for people to be a teacher ?

 

[Simster]

My state school had streaming, 4 levels I seem to remember. You were moved up and down in relation to your ability and attitude. Ultimately all the disruptive kids ended up in the bottom set whilst the rest were in sets according to their ability. Everyone got the level and type of education and support they needed because of this. This seems an incredibly simple operation which resolved the issue I have quoted. Does this not happen now?

I suspect it depends on the school.

I know of someone with kids at private school and one was not performing well. Eventually she was 'diagnosed' with some minor mental illness which was the reason she picked things up much more slowly than other children. Mental or just not as bright as the others?

Indeed. Pushy parent in not wanting to admit the unpleasant truth shock.

 

[Simster]

Couldn't agree more, there are some real little bastards in schools who would only get excluded if the murdered somebody. What incentive is there for people to be a teacher ?

The problem is usually the parents. A friend of my dad was a teacher in a rough school in Eastleigh and whenever he tried to discipline certain scrotes, the kid would text the parents who would be waiting outside at the end of the day ready to punch the teacher.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Couldn't agree more, there are some real little bastards in schools who would only get excluded if they murdered somebody. What incentive is there for people to be a teacher ?

I used to live a few roads away from The Camden School For Girls. I can think of a few.

 

[aolstudios]

1) The inherent unfairness of the system. Some people are given a massive advantage from the off.
2) The elitist nature of private education gives birth to a sense of entitlement that does no one any favours
and most importantly
3) The education system would be massively improved if all classes were involved. If everybody was involved then there would be a common purpose that people could and would put their energy into.

eloquently put - nice post

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The problem is usually the parents. A friend of my dad was a teacher in a rough school in Eastleigh and whenever he tried to discipline certain scrotes, the kid would text the parents who would be waiting outside at the end of the day ready to punch the teacher.

Totally agree with this. In my day if you misbehaved then you got a double whammy school detention and a b****g off your parents. These days the instinctive parental reaction is to defend the kids regardless.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

eloquently put - nice post

Maybe a private education is better?