[Misc] How many on here went to a private school

Lankyseagull said:

I didn't and neither did Mrs Lanky, but both Junior Lankys go to a Froebel School which is on our doorstep. Yes, it's fee paying and yes, we've been hit hard by the addition of VAT. Fortunately, our eldest goes to our local Secondary in September, so we will have one less fee to pay from then on.

We don't see our choice of sending our boys to a Froebel School as a 'private' education at all and feel incredibly lucky to be in a position to afford to send them there.

For those who don't know, a Froebel school is based on the educational philosophy of Friedrich Froebel, a German educator who is best known for founding the concept of kindergarten. Froebel believed that children learn best through play, hands-on activities, and social interaction. His educational approach emphasizes the importance of nurturing a child's natural curiosity, creativity, and imagination.

This form of education has been the right thing for our boys and is so far away from the stereotypical view of private education of the likes of a Brighton College.

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Can I DM you about this experience? My eldest cannot cope with primary school

I did a mixture of state, then private and then state again. I rarely fitted in anywhere but would say that the private system had a bit more pastoral care - but the education was about the same.

My kids go to state primary and the eldest in particular cannot cope with the environment, and is not attending. We are looking to move her and even though we cannot afford private school, we may have to do it temporarily until an ehcp is in place as we are now forced to one income as have no childcare.

My takeout is that the system is f***ed both ways. The private sector is now very expensive compared to when I went, and the spending per pupil is super high which is stark compared to that of a state school student. This gap has massively widened since austerity.

The state schools are hamstrung by lack of cash, but also being overcrowded. The main concern in primary school is a dogma to hit a curriculum which makes no sense at all, and it's breaking a lot of kids. Teachers have no support and they have to deal with a wider variety of needs. Many are leaving because the pay is not worth the stress.

I have no experience at secondary level.

I went to a state school and have taught in both both state and private education.

As far as I'm concerned the differences are vast and i could go on about this all day.

I currently teach in the private sector abroad. (Secondary). Part of that was a complete disillusionment with teaching in state education in the UK. The kids were actually fantastic and the parents supportive but the bureaucracy, pressure, pay, treatment and expectations are what turned me (and many others) away. Yes, there is a level of entitlement in private schools. The students are generally delightful and whilst they themselves (for the most part) are not especially arrogant a few of the (Very successful) parents are. A bit of "I'm a paying customer, ergo my child should pass regardless" attitude. These kids will go to Harvard, MIT, Cambridge, etc because their parents will pay for it, there is no real meritocracy and the idea of it that the schools project is just a facade. I have had parents ask me to bump up their child's grade because 'her friends got an A so why hasn't my child, she's sad, can you give her an A as well' and I literally had to explain to him how grading works. Other such examples are very common.

UK system as we know is highly based on league tables, school performance and showing 'progress' even if it's to the detriment of the student or if it means 'juking the stats' as they say on The Wire. Had a colleague who was specifically told by her head of department to give a year 9 girl a C on a French essay at the beginning of the year so that she could show the student's progress by giving her A grades the following April. This of course allows the school to demonstrate all the 'progressss' that students are making. Again, very common. This was a student who was half French and spoke the language fluently btw. So yes some of your kids will be getting undeserved grades either above or below because of what higher ups are telling teachers. A lot of pressure on teachers, coming from SLT, coming from ofsted/government policy etc and is the reason why you have situations like that headmistress last year killing herself over an ofsted visit.

Cheshire Cat said:

You mean that people on here actually went to a school?

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Would never of guessed

Never went myself - Carden followed by Stringer - but my two boys went private primary school. Against my wishes but the then Mrs WS insisted as she'd been to the same school when she was a child and was working there so the fees were greatly reduced.

Not a fan of private education - I think it isolates children from the real world. Equally, I used to hate going to the summer fete, sports day etc as most the parents were stuck up arseholes.

I worked as a laboratory assistant, preparing chemicals, laying out equipment for lessons etc. in a girl’s private school in the early 80’s.
Some of the teachers were not qualified, some were just nuns teaching some lessons.
Mind you nor was I a qualified laboratory technician, just someone who had biology O level and was willing not to be paid during the school holidays. It was only me and I was self taught, thinking back, it was lucky that I didn’t blow the school up!

My lad turned down a full scholarship to play cricket at Brighton College a couple of years ago to stay at BACA for VIth form. Great facilities at BC, but he really didn't like the vibe, and isn't one for status etc - so chose to stick with the cricket academy in the shadow of the Amex.
It really put him off that he would have to wear a jacket and tie every day as well....at BACA he could wear gym clothes every day. Youngsters eh?!

I was totally behind his decision, but the wife was gutted...probably because all her nephews & nieces went through private education, and our boys went to Seahaven / BACA.

My best mates two lads went to Brighton College (more or less his wifes choice) but he hated it. He grew up near Millwalls ground on a council estate in the 60s/70s, worked his arse off to build his own company to a very lucrative level, but hates "the establishment" & everything around the private school sector.