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Putting kids through private school, or moving house to get to a better school

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    Putting kids through private school, or moving house to get to a better school

    Hey all

    Posting in General but hoping for some serious discussion.

    I am becoming increasingly disappointed with the local school in our village. Now it's not a bad school by any means, but it's just not that good either. Average on the Ofsted report, which I didn't initially believe because I thought the school was better, but I see it now that our kids have been there a while. They don't push the kids enough, and large class sizes make it difficult for teachers to dedicate much time to individual children.

    Short of it is that I want to put the kids into privately funded education, but I'm scared of making the financial commitment. I would have to eventually put all 3 kids through, with fees of around £12k each per year, so taking up something like a £50k pre-tax annual income.

    This could be a long-term commitment to make, anywhere from 7 years (if they qualify for grammar schools) or 15 years (and then Uni!). I wouldn't want to pull the kids out once they are in, so I need to know that I can fund the full education. It would be easy if I only had one kid to put through school... but with 3, how will I continue to find £3k/month purely for their school fees for years to come?

    Even if I was guaranteed contracting income for the next 10 years, I would still be worried about making this level of commitment (you can see that this is a big word for me!), but the reality is that I am in my last contract and will be going permie by the end of 2013.

    The other option is to move house, into an area with better local schools, but this will prove more difficult, having to find a suitable property, moving away from family/friends etc. And homes in good catchment areas seem to cost 20% to 30% more than in our area.

    For those of you who have kids, have you considered putting them into private schools? Or already done so? How do you mentally get round to the idea of having to pay fees for that amount of time?

    Bang goes the early retirement

    #2
    Just put the cleverest kid you have through and let the other 2 go to the average school. At least the class sizes will be 1 smaller.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by ChimpMaster View Post
      Hey all

      Posting in General but hoping for some serious discussion.

      I am becoming increasingly disappointed with the local school in our village. Now it's not a bad school by any means, but it's just not that good either. Average on the Ofsted report, which I didn't initially believe because I thought the school was better, but I see it now that our kids have been there a while. They don't push the kids enough, and large class sizes make it difficult for teachers to dedicate much time to individual children.

      Short of it is that I want to put the kids into privately funded education, but I'm scared of making the financial commitment. I would have to eventually put all 3 kids through, with fees of around £12k each per year, so taking up something like a £50k pre-tax annual income.

      This could be a long-term commitment to make, anywhere from 7 years (if they qualify for grammar schools) or 15 years (and then Uni!). I wouldn't want to pull the kids out once they are in, so I need to know that I can fund the full education. It would be easy if I only had one kid to put through school... but with 3, how will I continue to find £3k/month purely for their school fees for years to come?

      Even if I was guaranteed contracting income for the next 10 years, I would still be worried about making this level of commitment (you can see that this is a big word for me!), but the reality is that I am in my last contract and will be going permie by the end of 2013.

      The other option is to move house, into an area with better local schools, but this will prove more difficult, having to find a suitable property, moving away from family/friends etc. And homes in good catchment areas seem to cost 20% to 30% more than in our area.

      For those of you who have kids, have you considered putting them into private schools? Or already done so? How do you mentally get round to the idea of having to pay fees for that amount of time?

      Bang goes the early retirement
      Either you or your wife will need to add to their education or you are going to have to take the hit. If you can afford it and you can find a good school it is worth paying for it.
      Let us not forget EU open doors immigration benefits IT contractors more than anyone

      Comment


        #4
        Move. What you spend now you'll get back when you downsize in the future.

        Either that are become a school governor and press the school to improve from the inside.
        merely at clientco for the entertainment

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by eek View Post
          Move. What you spend now you'll get back when you downsize in the future.

          Either that are become a school governor and press the school to improve from the inside.
          WES... I personally wouldn't consider a private school unless I had money burning a hole in my pocket and even then I would have to think hard about it. There are more than enough quality schools around and like to think as a parent I help their schooling as well rather than just relying on them. That said we live within the catchment areas of two primary schools that in the top 5 in the region and the house prices are stupid compared to the next town on and ours are way past primary age. Just means when we move we get more bang for our buck!
          'CUK forum personality of 2011 - Winner - Yes really!!!!

          Comment


            #6
            Agree that you (and wife) need to put in the extra effort.

            My kids could read well and do basic sums by the time they started school. As such the school labels them 'bright' from the outset and they get the extra encouragement and expectations are naturally higher. Youngest did the best - we sent him to a church school even though it meant playing the system, and from there he got a place in a top grammar. No way I could have committed to private education for 3 of them. TBH, at age 5,6,7 and probably the whole primary years the extra is nothing that you yourselves can't provide.

            Comment


              #7
              Sent mine private and she's now at a local 6th form college doing A levels. The fees at the private school just became ridiculous. However, she is streets ahead (academically) than the other kids at the college and is forecast A grades for the 3 subjects. She also has the nickname "posh".
              Blood in your poo

              Comment


                #8
                You should be able to play the system to find a good school, usually means a bit of god bothering or pester power if outside the catchment. Then top up their Maths and English with additional tuition. IMHO unless you can afford a TOP private school it isn't worth it.

                Comment


                  #9
                  My parents sent me to a private primary school and local comp secondary.

                  I came out of the primary school ~2 years ahead of my secondary contemporaries; I remember doing French and Fractions at 9
                  What I do remember while at primary school there were no holidays except staying at Nans, no money for school trips. My first communion dress was bought second-hand from a girl in the class above me. Parents of classmates included doctors, dentists and an artist. From a very young age I knew there was no spare money and there was a mortgage that needed to be paid.

                  On the flipside at the comp school I saw the other end of the social spectrum while competing against the private schools in sport – the same girls I was at primary school with. I remember they had the nice school fields and the swimming pools and the winter ski trips.
                  I know some of my primary school classmates went onto boarding school range from repeat offenders, school teachers and nurses – pretty much the same as the comp school.

                  What I did carry with me was the exposure to aspiration of where I wanted to be and that gave me the drive.

                  An ex colleague is flogging herself to get her children through one of the top UK schools – as a result they are friends with an ‘establishment’ of people they would not ordinarily know. You can call them what you will but the contacts they will make while there will be carried with them and along with their grades and academic efforts should put them in a good position post graduation whatever they want to do.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Hmmm. I went to tuliphole welsh valleys comprehensive and still managed to pass enough to go to university. All about attitude an desire to get off your arse!
                    Rhyddid i lofnod psychocandy!!!!

                    Comment

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