Private school - tell me about it!

[Rowellen]

Do you think I should go with my instinct and send him there?

There's a lot to be said for gut instinct and intuition especially as a mother. You know what's best for your child. Regardless of public or private.

IME, I went to both a public high school & a private high school & I can say hands down that the private one wins out any day. I can't really comment on the difference for primary schools though. I went to public schools myself & hated it most of the time. But that could just be because of the other kids (bullies), not the actual schools.

[Ashlee]

My opinion is if you can afford it, send them to the private school, if the facilities and curricular and extra curricular activities on offer are better than the public school.

I'm sending DS to a new (opened this year) public school. It's facilities, technology in particular, and curriculum is better than the private school up the road charging $6,000 a year.

That being said, if I could have comfortably afforded the private school, I would have sent him there before I learnt more about the public school. The community is second to none, and the principal actually cares about the outcome of the children. Their policies and curriculum is exactly the same as the private school offers - including their uniform policy, which I think is extremely important in building character in kids. They children I see out in the community are happy and well behaved, and when they're at school I've always witnessed every child with a hat on their head and walking in their lines.

I would not send DS to the private school now, having done extensive research on both the schools. 95% of the other children at his pre-school are attending the public school, and 90% of those parents are high income earners. We are so lucky to have gotten the principal, staff and parents at this school! I've not heard a bad word in the community from anyone other than one parent describing their behaviour management policy as "too strict". The same parent pulled her son out of another school because she thought the uniform policy was too strict - so I don't find that comment to be based on a very reliable opinion.

Bottom line, go check both of the schools out. Take as much time as you need at both. Make a list of what is important to you, and ask your child what they might like to learn/participate in. You need to feel comfortable in your choice, so research is key.