I honestly think it depends alot on where you are, the size of the school etc.
Jaz was in a small public school for kindy, but with 12 kids & none her age it was getting too small coz she was hanging around with older girls who were talking about boys etc. Way too old for her!
We moved to a bigger town & I had the choice of where to send her. I chose the Catholic school. The public had something like 300 kids & the town in general was full of vandals, drugs, violence & abused kids. I personally didn't want Jaz coming home asking to go to one of these kids places & having to explain why I didn't particularly like that idea. (So & so's mum & dad are alcoholic druggo's with strange people hanging around etc)
We paid $850 for the year. It was a great school, it gave her alot of extra help & self confidence. She was having troubles at school & they got her extra reading help etc. It was great.
But outside school wasn't great, so we moved again.
We now live in a small coastal town & the public school here has 50 kids. She has been there since November last year & loves it. I like smaller schools coz they are alot more like extended family. I find they care that little bit more about each kid. I was talking to Jaz's principle last week & she mentioned how much of a drama queen she was! The principle at her last school didn't know her well enough to see that. There were about 180 kids there.
So, basically I'm open to either. I base it on the school & the families involed. I went to a Catholic primary school & had a positive experience & I want the same for Jaz.
The school she is at now is perfect for us