Private school - tell me about it!

[Freya]

So we've recently moved to Nth Qld. Ds1 is starting Prep next year (first year of primary school though not compulsory).

Ive been keen to put the boys in private school from day 1 but DH is only keen to do it from the start of highschool. We both went to public schools for our schooling; he didnt have a problem with it (but didnt excel at all) whereas I wished my parents had sent me to private school but managed to do ok.

I enrolled Ds1 in our zoned public school a few weeks back. Its a nice enough school but where I live, all the negative things I hear in regards to schooling is only about public schools (and they are all different degree's of shoddy). The main thing that puts me off this zoned public school is the size, its 1200 students and growing. There are over 158 prep kids next year which means 6 prep classes. I worry that it will become possible that Ds1 will get 'lost' in the system. I went to a small school (500 students all up) from grade 3-6 and I think this contributes to my feelings, I loved my primary school and my best schooling memories are of being there.

I was originally going to enrol him in a new catholic school that opened up here this year but I decided not to as DH did not want to 'waste' that kind of money on primary school and it was a bit of a drive from our house. So I didnt bother.

Fast forward to now. Ive been stewing on it for awhile, I just dont feel comfortable at the idea of them going to public school. I enquired with the above mentioned private school today about possibly getting him in there but they have a mile long waitlist. Then I was driving Ds1 to karate when I remembered the small catholic school near their thursday daycare centre so I detoured and stopped to enquire about prep. They offered me an interview for tomorrow right there on the spot! Its a small catholic school of 400 students, they only have 2-3 prep classes at any one time. Its not a new school (founded in 1996) but I liked the vibe I got. Its about a 10min drive from home (less on a good day). The fee's arent too expensive ($2200 a year for one child, if all 3 or 4 attend it would be around $3700 a year, everything included!) and we can afford to pay them without financially crippling ourselves. I also like the idea of them being exposed to religious influenced education. Dh and I were both raised christian (myself catholic him lutheran), we believe in God but dont attend church at this point in time.

Dh is overseas and last time I mentioned it he really wasnt keen on the idea but said to wait and see if the first school had a spot for him. So now Ive got this interview tomorrow and I desperately want to accept if they offer him a place.

So, if your kids are in private school OR you yourself attended private schooling from primary school onwards; tell me the pro's and con's! Did you like it? Do you feel it contributed to get you where you are today? Did it influence you to go onto university? Did you choose to put your children in private schooling stemming from your own experience?

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

Thanks.

[lilima]

My DS is going in to Catholic Ed. The fees are considerably lower than what you just mentioned.

I went to public primary, and private high. I think there are great public primary schools, it is a matter of finding them and the distance they are from your home. I am with you. Six prep classes seems a little daunting.

Good luck

[AnyDream]

Well my dd is going to a catholic school and we are paying considerably more than that so I think those fees are extremely reasonable.

[Freya]

I think they are extremely reasonable too Mary, being that I grew up in Sydney where they charge you an arm, leg and your firstborn to privately educate your kids, esp catholic education

[njon2]

I'm a primary teacher and have just enrolled dd into a private school. I didn't like the local schools around me and was really disappointed in the students attitudes.
The few times I worked at the private christian school was all I needed to see a major difference. I am paying 3800 for 3yr old early learning with fees going up roughly 500-1000 each year.

[Amaunet]

I don't think it's as simple as Private or Public, but more looking at schools on their own merits and deciding if the benefits (of private) justify the fees etc. Small schools (public or private) can be great and more "personal" but sometimes bigger schools allow for more specialist teachers/programs etc (ie specialist sport, art, language teachers) I've seen this in both sectors. If your child has "special needs" there can sometimes be better access to programs/funding via public schools ( we have several kids at our schools whose siblings went to local private schools but came to us (public) as they were "too hard" for the non govt sector) that said, my little brothers (foster) needed the additional "pastoral care" that the local Christian high school provided that was sorely lacking at their zoned public school When you get to high school, small can mean less subject choice etc - my bro heading into senior school is facing this problem now.

I've probably been no real help but wanted to give you my perspective

[LuluHB]

DH and I both went to public schools and both of us did very well - DH in particular is a smarty bum with masters and honours coming out his ears so TBH I think he would have excelled wherever he went. Our girls are/will be going to the local Christian college right from kindy through until year 12.

I can't help you with your questions of how did it help etc because its still early days for us, but my reasons for sending them are:

1. I don't believe primary school is just killing time until high school and a higher quality of teacher (not always - there are some fantastic public teachers out there), smaller classes etc is important for me.
2. I moved around primary school a bit and I love the idea that hopefully my children will go to the same school for their entire education until uni.
3. The schol offers a lot of extra activities that the local public schools don't offer - music, languages in particular
4. The waiting lists are such that if you don't get in from the start, it can be very difficult to get in just for high school.
5. The school is very community minded and tries to get the kids thinking likewise and I like the Christian ideals
6. Having worked in law for all my professional life and had exposure to other professions such as accounting, engineering etc I think that unfortunately there is still an advantage to young graduates if they were educated at private schools.

My DH was against private school at the beginning but I think having had more exposure to it now he's very happy with our decision.

Good luck making your decision. I think this is one of the big things we stress over with kids.

[~ Mylitta ~]

I went to a tiny public primary school (22-40 kids each year in total in the whole school. Two classrooms) and I absolutely loved it. I wish there was a school like that around now for when my kids start school, but the majority of them seemed to get closed down many years ago.

I went to a public high school and pretty much hated it. I'm quite academic and it just didn't give me what I needed. In year 12 the school was short of funds, so they decided to only pay my physics and chemistry teachers for 4 out of the 5 periods of class we were meant to have. So we basically missed out on 1/5 of our class time for both those subjects. I guess they figured year 12 wasn't really that important right? *sigh*

I guess that's one of the main reasons I really want my kids to go to a good school, and in my area the best school I've found so far seems to be a private school about 1/2 hour drive from us. I want to give them all the best opportunities that my parents weren't financially able to give us. Like your hubby, mine is not convinced about starting private in primary and would like to just start in highschool, but because the school is prep-year 12 I worry that unless you start in prep there is no chance of getting in later. I've even had to already do the expression of enrollment paperwork because the school told me people apply when pregnant! The fees there are expensive, but much cheaper than most private schools I've looked into in our area. They seem to range from about $3000 in early years and increase each year up to almost $7000 a year in year 12. I'm sure they offer discounts for subsequent siblings though. Well I certainly hope so because with this surprise baby on the way I'd hate for us to have to skip private school due to finances...

I haven't been much help. I guess I'm pretty much in the same boat as you at the moment.

[nickle730]

My kids are privately educated (G3 and Prep this year). I also found the size of our local public schools to be daunting. They are at a small private school and I am very happy. My kids love their school and are always happy to go. I am a big believer that kids will not learn unless they are in an environment where they feel safe and secure and our school provides that for my kids. My daughter has needed some assistance with her reading and I have been very pleased with the support of the school and the additional teaching and resources provided. If ever I have had an issue with something occurring at school, whether academic or social, I have no hesitation in approaching the school and I have always felt that I have been listened to and the response has been swift and appropriate. The school has committed teaching staff, good facilities and vast opportunities for the kids to pursue their individual interests.

I believe there are some fantastic public schools - but none of them are located in my area! I consider the money spent on school fees to be money well spent; my kids are receiving a great education in an environment where they are valued as individuals and they feel safe and loved. I'm happy to pay for that. Which is good really, as this year our fees are over $25K for the two of them!! (Pretty much average for the private school system in Melbourne.)

I say go with your gut. If you can afford the fees and you have a better feel for the Catholic school, then go for it.

[HotI]

I don't think it's as simple as Private or Public, but more looking at schools on their own merits and deciding if the benefits (of private) justify the fees etc.

This is what i was going to say.

I went to a public primary that was great, and 2 different catholic high schools- one was great, the other blah. You have to think about your child and their specific needs and what specific school will fit them best. e.g. one of my brothers was artistic and talented with his hands so the technical school was best for him. Another brother was intellectual (good at maths/science/english) and so a different school was best for him.

[Lisa]

My 3 younger kids are going to attend private schools purely based on your fears about public education. My DD2 is going to be doing her senior schooling through the same school my little ones will be attending but we're hoping we can get her in earlier - like next year. My son started high school at a private school and left there for Yr8 due to us moving out of the area. When we got here he was enrolled in the local public high school, which is still a good school but nothing like the school he'd just come from. The extreme differences were so frustrating and lead to him having a major dislike of school. His private school didn't have huge numbers of children, so there was a lot more time for each student. I am not going to make the same mistakes again and that is why we're choosing private over public for the younger kids. I also like the idea that their entire education can happen at the same campus. They start & end school there.


(Sent from my phone, so I apologise if it makes no sense.)

[nothing2lose]

There are so many variables to be considered and I agree each school needs to be looked at on its own merit, and each child needs to be placed in accordance with their individual needs. But, to answer one of your questions, for a very long time the statistic was that private schools students were less likely to complete tertiary education once started than public school students (secondary). The theory was at private schools you are much more spoon fed and trained to pass exams so to keep their result rates high.
Something to look into maybe....


Eta: yeah, the stat is that public students do better once at uni than private.

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[Phteven]

I think that primary school is more important than high school. If children are equipped with the right tools when they start school them can excel in any high school. My concern with a cheap private school would be facilities. How can they afford equipment etc?

[sloane]

i agree that it's more than just about public or private - it very much depends on the school itself & your child's needs. i don't believe private is for every child but i did go to a private school from day 1 of prep.

i was initially at a private school in adelaide & it was fantastic. had a lovely vibe to it & was very caring. then we moved to melbourne when i was in grade 2 & i started at a new school. it was larger & very much about whose mum could do tuckshop duty & gossip in the car park at school drop off & pick up times. my mum worked (primarily to pay my school fees) so i felt a bit on the outer in primary school because my mum wasn't one of those mums (and wouldn't have wanted to be!) i continued on to the high school part & it was a huge improvement - it did get a lot bigger but that also meant that the demographics changed substantially & there were lots more kids like me.

this school required an entrance test & prides itself on academic achievement. i always say the peer pressure wasn't to slack off, it was to get A's. the question wasn't 'will you go to uni?' but 'which uni are you going to?'. that said, this is clearly not an environment that would suit every child & for some, the pressure to achieve would be detrimental. there was also a big emphasis on music & sport & the access we had to onsite facilities was fantastic.

i think one of the big bonuses was that i left school believing that nothing was outside of my reach, that i just needed to work hard & i could achieve whatever i wanted to. that confidence & attitude i think set me up well for the future.

that said, finances aside, whether we send DS to a private school will depend on him & also the schools in the area. i don't think that all private schools are created equal (so to speak!) & it depends very much on the individual school as to whether it is worth the money. if your gut feeling is that this school you have the interview for is a good fit for your DS, then i think you should go with it. a great start to school is invaluable imo

[nothing2lose]

I think the other thing to think about is that if you send your child/ren to an elite school and you are not well off (I mean really well off) it can mean your child is targetted as being different (ie. Poor). A social divide exists and it's hard for a child to see their friends living in mansions, going on European holidays, having all the latest gizmos and them being labelled as "povo". This might not be an issue for you but it is a variable at secondary level. I know of kids too ashamed to bring friends home because their is a disparity between their lifestyle and housing.

[Tuesday's Child]

I think that primary school is more important than high school. If children are equipped with the right tools when they start school them can excel in any high school.

This was my experience. I went to a small private primary school and then on to a large public high school. (My year level at high school was larger than my entire primary school). I believe that the education and love of learning I was able to develop early helped me get through high school. I was painfully shy as a child and would have gotten lost in the system as I was too quiet to be noticed.

DH on the other hand was public all the way (his mum is a public primary teacher) and he agrees that he wants to send our kids to private school, at least for primary years. He regrets the way he acted up in high school because he was treated as a trouble maker when he was just bored.

We were also both raised Christian but don't go to church currently and aren't sure yet as to how we want to raise our children. I like the idea of them getting some religious education at school also.

[Nai]

I agree with PP who said that it is really about the individual school and the fit with the child. I went to a public primary and private secondary but I was on a full academic scholarship. I was different to the other kids at both schools but didn't give rats - but that's me. I don't really care what other people think of me - never have, never will. Mind you I was never short of friends or picked on or anything and I thrived in both environments.

My DD's are going to the local primary which is awesome - they have 4 prep classes of 16 kids each, which is a much better ratio than the local Catholic school. They have more diversity and better outcomes so I had no qualms sending my kids there. The secondary schools are a different story but again I am holding out to see what will suit each of them and what sort of school will benefit them most.

So, in short, I think you need to look at what is best for your kids individually (they might be better off at different schools to each other) and make that decision based on them and the schools.

[Jennifer13]

So we've recently moved to Nth Qld. Ds1 is starting Prep next year (first year of primary school though not compulsory).

Ive been keen to put the boys in private school from day 1 but DH is only keen to do it from the start of highschool. We both went to public schools for our schooling; he didnt have a problem with it (but didnt excel at all) whereas I wished my parents had sent me to private school but managed to do ok.

I enrolled Ds1 in our zoned public school a few weeks back. Its a nice enough school but where I live, all the negative things I hear in regards to schooling is only about public schools (and they are all different degree's of shoddy). The main thing that puts me off this zoned public school is the size, its 1200 students and growing. There are over 158 prep kids next year which means 6 prep classes. I worry that it will become possible that Ds1 will get 'lost' in the system. I went to a small school (500 students all up) from grade 3-6 and I think this contributes to my feelings, I loved my primary school and my best schooling memories are of being there.

I'm going to be brutally honest here, and compare a regional area to where I live now. I grew up in Nth Qld myself and went through the public schooling system. I have done extremely well in my education throughout my life, but that's because of the tertiary studies I completed, not my primary and high schooling, which looking back has huge gaps (I did uni down in NSW, including Sydney).

We are in Sydney, in a decent area and DD is very happy at our local public primary school. My best gf has moved back up to Nth Qld and is sending her children to a private Catholic school, because they believed it would be a better standard of education for their three children. She was shocked at how far behind the Catholic school seemed to be when she put her eldest two into the school from initially completing their first year at a Catholic school down in Sydney. Two years later, when we speak about where my DD's class and peers are at compared to what her DS (who just started this year as well) is doing, the contrast is quite stark.

I have other friends (both parents are teachers in the public system in NQ) in the same town who made the decision to enrol all four of their children into a private school that they were confident performed well (shifted from a public school, not a large one). The eldest had a lot of catching up to do when she started, it took her about a year before she felt confident amongst her class. Their other children were much younger and have started from Prep and Year 1 with fewer issues.

So I'm basically saying it's not as simple as private and public, in any area. My experiences with NQ and those of my friends seem to indicate that the private school by no means guarantees better standards. I'd look into it very carefully.