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Why choose private?

October 11, 2011 By admin 3 Comments

Flying Start discusses the many benefits that private education can offer your child

Words: Olivia Frances

One of the most important decisions a parent has to make is where and how to educate their child. And when it comes to the subject of education, arguably the biggest question to have to face is ‘private or public school?’

You don’t want to be hit with unnecessary tuition fees if the cost won’t benefit your child, but independent schools certainly offer many alternatives that are worth considering. Smaller class sizes, superior facilities and extra-curricular opportunities are just a few among a number of many benefits that private education can offer your child.

Smaller class sizes offer pupils increased individual attention, which improves the learning environment and is thought to boost academic performance. The Independent Schools Council (ISC) serves the associations that represent 1,234 independent schools and educate more than 500,000 children in the UK, Ireland and overseas. The ISC Census 2011 found that the pupil-teacher ratio is 9.4:1, compared to an average of 16.6:1 in maintained mainstream schools.

The census also found that although ISC schools vary in size – from fewer than 50 pupils to over 1,700 – most schools have fewer than 350 pupils, with the average school having around 410 pupils. Smaller classes and a higher quantity of teaching staff may also allow class sizes to be tailored according to pupils’ individual needs.

Since independent schools don’t have to follow the National Curriculum, there is a wider range of extra-curricular activities for pupils to choose from, including clubs, societies and excursions. In addition, many private schools organise a range of trips including foreign exchanges and skiing outside term time, giving children more opportunity to experience life outside the school gates.

Being self-governed means that private schools are able to offer more diversity, not just in the way of activities for pupils, but parents also have more to choose from. Independent schools vary in the type of education that is offered, from boarding, to single-sex, to various faith schools, to nursery. The flexibility of children being able to board ad-hoc for example suits the support that parents who work full time or travel with work may need.

When it comes to single-sex independent schools, research has found that their pupils excel in exams. Helen Wright, president of the Girls’ Schools Association, which represents the UK’s independent girls’ schools, says: “Academically, single sex independent schools top the league tables despite the fact that co-ed schools are in the majority in the UK. This does not mean that children in co-ed schools cannot match the examination performance of those in single sex schools – of course they can, and do. But what it does mean is that single sex schools punch well above their weight when it comes to public examination results, and this pedigree matters to parents – and young people.”

There are of course fees to also consider when it comes to private education and according to the ISC, the overall average term fee is £4,393 (excluding nursery fees), with the average boarding fee at £8,384 and the average day fee at £3,736. However, most private schools do offer means-tested bursary schemes and scholarships can also be made available. Almost 165,000 pupils now receive help with their fees and among the schools that completed the ISC Census in 2010 and 2011, the number of pupils receiving help with their fees rose by 2.2 per cent. The value of this help totals more than £660m per year, so help is at hand.

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Private education has the capacity to provide parents and children with a community environment and opportunities that they might not have the chance to experience elsewhere. The real argument, however, covers the intangibles about growing up and becoming a confident young adult. This includes all the things it is difficult to measure and quantify, but which form the essence of who we are as individuals. These are the elements of education that are the most important because it is these aspects that contribute most significantly to children’s happiness and confidence, as well as to their ability to make their way in the world with a strong, secure sense of self.

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Flying Start Magazine is widely recognised as one of the finest pregnancy, parenting and early years publications throughout the UK -distributing to thousands of parents free of charge via teachers in selected private pre-school day nurseries and early years education, where copies are handed personally to the parent by the childcarer. Copies are also available via online subscription. This site brings you parenting news, advice and competitions in between editions. We love feedback, so feel free to have your say.

  • http://amotherinfrance.blogspot.com A Mother in France

    Having experience of state and private schools in England and France (where I now live), I would
    have to say that if you can afford it, private schools offer a far superior level of eduction.  It’s not just the education though, the whole ethos of a private school is very different to a state school.  Children are given an individual tutor and are encouraged to do the very best they can and have a vast choice of extra curricular activities. It’s more about development of the whole child.  It’s not by coincidence that most of the people that run the country have had a private education.  However, unfortunately it is just not a viable option for the vast majority of parents.  How can a family with an average income of £20-£30,000 a year afford private education?  Yes there is some help out there, but it’s not easy to get unless you have a very bright child.  My eldest son was lucky enough to win an academic scholarship at 11, but we still had to pay 25% of the fees which was crippling for us.  However the sacrifices we made were worth it.  Our 4 younger children have been educated in France, the eldest of which is at a private French school.  Private schools in France are very different – a fraction of the cost and no where near as good level of education and facilities, but in our experience, they are better than the state schools.

  • Alison

    We opted out of state education and into the private sector, for my adopted daughter, part way through year 1. It became clear from early on that the state school, with it’s overly large class sizes, would not be able to give our daughter the extra nurture and learning support that she would need. Her new school with it’s much smaller class size (15 pupils in her class), their willingness to understand the child and her background and the additional support (both learning and emotional) that they can give her is working well.
    Yes, it is a financial struggle, but we are determined for our daughter to have the best possible education that we can give her so that she can step out confidently in this world and make something of herself. We worry about being older parents and the fact that she will not have us to fall back on when she is older and so we feel it is our duty to give her the best chance that we can.
    The latest statistics for children who are looked after or have been looked after with early trauma in their lives are quite alarming. They show that the vast majority of children that leave school without qualifications are in this category. We also know that whilst these children may not have formally diagnosed learning disabilities, they do struggle to learn because of their early trauma . This may be difficulty in concentrating, taking longer to settle in a class whilst they make themselves feel safe, the need to keep to a familiar routine, low confidence levels, the need to repeat work several times before it sinks in etc. etc. Whilst we are only beginning to understand these differences, they are undoubtedly there and from our own experience these differences become more apparent as our daughter progresses through school life and so the extra support and nurturing that she so desperately needs will continue. If funding was made available to educate these children in the way that they absolutely need, then for sure we would have adopted another…..

  • Alison

    We opted out of state education and into the private sector, for my adopted daughter, part way through year 1. It became clear from early on that the state school, with it’s overly large class sizes, would not be able to give our daughter the extra nurture and learning support that she would need. Her new school with it’s much smaller class size (15 pupils in her class), their willingness to understand the child and her background and the additional support (both learning and emotional) that they can give her is working well.
    Yes, it is a financial struggle, but we are determined for our daughter to have the best possible education that we can give her so that she can step out confidently in this world and make something of herself. We worry about being older parents and the fact that she will not have us to fall back on when she is older and so we feel it is our duty to give her the best chance that we can.
    The latest statistics for children who are looked after or have been looked after with early trauma in their lives are quite alarming. They show that the vast majority of children that leave school without qualifications are in this category. We also know that whilst these children may not have formally diagnosed learning disabilities, they do struggle to learn because of their early trauma . This may be difficulty in concentrating, taking longer to settle in a class whilst they make themselves feel safe, the need to keep to a familiar routine, low confidence levels, the need to repeat work several times before it sinks in etc. etc. Whilst we are only beginning to understand these differences, they are undoubtedly there and from our own experience these differences become more apparent as our daughter progresses through school life and so the extra support and nurturing that she so desperately needs will continue. If funding was made available to educate these children in the way that they absolutely need, then for sure we would have adopted another…..