Private v's comprehensive education?

[mummytait]

I'd love to hear your opinions

[meltoadhall]

if i had the money i would go private, but since i don't they go and hopefully will go in the future to a nearby gramar.

[derekpara]

What you pay for in private education is small class sizes. (Don't be misled by 'pupil teacher ratio,' that's a different thing.)

The quality of teaching, in my experience, is no better in the private sector and a lot of teachers seek refuge in private schools from 'lion taming' in inner-city comprehensives

It's easy to teach compliant pupils with supportive, fee-paying parents. The best teachers are those who get good results teaching in 'difficult' schools.

[Black Noir]

I have a private school just round the corner from me, and having investigated pre-schools for my son to start in Sept found that the private school round the corner is only 20p an hour more than my local pre school (which I would have to drive to !) he would be in a smaller class on 12 other toddlers rather than 20+...it was a no boner for me im afraid.

[Gef]

Why not ask a question?

If you mean from a pupils point of view then don't waste your money on private stuff. Paying thousands of pounds will not give them any extra brain cells and many teachers in private schools are those who failed elsewhere.

Apologies to all the good teachers in private education.

[macpark]

If you read today's press you will see that an overwhelming percentage of people in top jobs across industry, politics, the arts etc have had private education. I was privately educated in the 60's/70's and my father regrets it in retrospect as the local secondary school was exceptionally good. However that was then and now things are very different. There are good and bad schools and good and bad teachers in both sectors. The difference is in the breadth of experience offered in the private sector. Our local girls grammar school is superb and is 5th in the national league tables but the school day ends at 3.30 and there is nothing extracurricular after that. At the local girls independent school there are 2 activity sessions after school 1 of which is compulsory and the day finishes at 5pm or 6pm. Your initial decision shold be based on the quality of the schools in your area and then on what you can afford. My daughter is at a choir school and as she is musically gifted she will be having an independent education with a top up bursary giving her almost 90% assistance. Without this we could have never afforded it but both we, and she, realise how lucky she is and she is making the most of every moment. Good luck