The secondary school application deadline is looming and it’s big decision time. Amongst the decisions for some parents is whether to send their child to a state school at all or whether to opt for private. Let’s look at the pros and cons.
With the secondary school application deadline looming at the end of October, those with children about to leave primary school are about to make an important decision about the future education of their child.
Which school? Why? Do they go with their friends or go somewhere more convenient for your location? Will they get their first choice? What if they end up not getting their first choice and end up in a school with a bad reputation?
But which state school isn’t the only choice for some parents. For some, there’s a decision to be made about whether it’s going to be a state school or an independent one.
So let’s look at the pros and cons of both.
Long Term Career Prospects
Over a third of adults who went to private school as children feel their education put them at a career advantage versus their state educated peers. Not fair, arguably. But equally private school attendees are more likely to go on to university and those with undergraduate degrees earn around £11,000 per year more, on average, than those without.
So there is an argument that sending your child to an independent school gives them a greater set of career prospects.
The Fees!
A real negative is, of course, the fees.
If you’re in a position to pay over £17,000 per year on average for a day place at a private secondary, then great. But not everybody is. Some financial support is available for low income families, but the reality is that sending your child to an independent school will most likely be a financial burden.
Smaller Class Sizes
You may be lucky and have a secondary school nearby with small class sizes. But in all likelihood, your local state secondary is probably delivering lessons to classes of 30.
In independent schools, class sizes can be as small as 12 to 15 pupils, which gives teaching staff more time and ability to focus on individuals.
Exam Results
Exam results are not the be all and end all for career prospects. We know this. But if you have an academically minded child with the potential to want to go on to Higher Education are specific universities, then results will matter to them.
Private schools often outperform their state counterparts.
Not Designed to Cater for Less Academically Gifted Children
There are so many examples of highly successful entrepreneurs who didn’t even pass a GCSE. Academic performance is absolutely not everything. And in many cases, private schools are academically focussed, making them environments simply not suited to children who are perhaps not as naturally academically gifted as others.
Selective Entry Process
There’s an argument that putting children through an entrance exam and potentially even an interview before they’re even 11 in many cases is quite high pressure. Selective entry means some children will be rejected, which can be a difficult thing for a child.
Private vs State
Only you really know what your child’s strengths are. And if private school is a consideration you’re making, perhaps speak to your child’s current teachers to find out how they think they might handle a selective entry process.
And regardless of whether you intend to send your child to an independent school, it’s usually worth applying for state schools anyway in case your child doesn’t secure a place at your chosen private school.
