The Student Room Group

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Reply 180
sango
Whitgift. The school itself is pretentious but I enjoy going there. Why do you ask? :smile:


Just curious, since I am a Croydonite. Lucky you, it is a beautiful school. If I had been wealthy [and male]....

I was a Shirley kid. For all the chavs, broken windows, truly abismal teachers (hah ha, ooh I have some stories to tell) and disruptive lessons - it was a wonderful place. There were also brilliant teachers and completely quirky and innately intelligent pupils with interesting perspectives and backgrounds. We didn't take anything as seriously as we should have, but we were a diverse bunch. I think I gained a tremendous amount from my years at Shirley, but at the same time I recognise what I lost out on academically. Especially during year 10 and 11, boy did I lose my way. I believe there will be time to go some way to correcting this at university independently though.

PS. When I was in year 10, late 2005, I beat the Whitgift team in the Rotary Club Youth Speaks senior debating competition - they were sixth formers. I put Shirley's name on that trophy for the first time. Coloma, Whitgift, Trinity, Archbishop Tennisons... Shirley. Brrrrap.

:p:
I went to a state but sometimes I wish I went to a private. Better teaching, better students, a nicer atmosphere and more guidance with universities/careers are all things I wouldn't have turned down.
Reply 182
* Brooke
hi, just wanted to know about average cross section of TSR.

are most people from private or state schools? do you wish you had gone to a private or state and didn't? or were you home-educated?

personally i'm not sure there is any point paying for a private primary school, but can see the benefits of going to a private secondary (educationally).

This is probably because my state run primary acted very much like a private - had its own outdoor swimming pool, no uniform, very very good education standards, brilliant teachers, massive curriculum, loads of music lessons for free - singing lessons with a teacher called Mrs Nightingale (how wierd!!!), anyway very good. But secondary not so great, eg mixed ability english GCSE classes, and when i say mixed, half the class predicted U's (no joke) and the rest A - B's HUGE split, crap teachers. Many still got good grades and the school is actually one of top in the county, but i think it seriously failed quite a few people.


Anyway what do you think? experiences? ideas?

thanks


I think it depends what type of person you are. I passed my exams for private school but opted for a state school so that I could socialise with my friends.

I went to a dreadful state college for my GCSE's, did okay and then got in one of the best state colleges in the country fr my A Levels. I wish I had taken the opportunity to go to private college for GCSE's; I regret not going.

However, I have made some of my best friends at my A Level college, and I have excelled there also.
Reply 183
This will do nothing but put more emphasis on academic performance at the age of 11


If I had the choice I'd send my child to private school. Those who have not even been to one will undoubtedly think that everyone who does go will be snobby and not be able to socialize. It just goes to show ignorance and plain jealousy.
First of all, school is 80% academics, so its emphasis at an age when the brain can absorb at its fastest is absolutely desirable.

From what I've seen, private school individuals are more well spoken and have mannerly accents, they swear less and use less slang, which is always nicer. They present themselves better and are trained in presentation skills unlike those of which are taught in state schools (the poor one-off poster/powerpoint presentation every 2 weeks or so).

I'm sure the social skills of private school kids will be absolutely normal. They may not interact with chavs very well but that's hardly a useful skill now is it? I've been in an environment where pupils throw chairs at teachers, that certainly was NOT a worthwhile experience.
If a working-class scally is going to steal your ipod at knifepoint I doubt your ability to emphasize with them is going to save you in any way whatsoever.

In my opinion, state school is equivalent to the local chippy, private school is like a top class restaurant. You can survive on either one of them, but the difference in sophistication is plain to see.
Hest
If I had the choice I'd send my child to private school. Those who have not even been to one will undoubtedly think that everyone who does go will be snobby and not be able to socialize. It just goes to show ignorance and plain jealousy.
First of all, school is 80% academics, so its emphasis at an age when the brain can absorb at its fastest is absolutely desirable.

From what I've seen, private school individuals are more well spoken and have mannerly accents, they swear less and use less slang, which is always nicer. They present themselves better and are trained in presentation skills unlike those of which are taught in state schools (the poor one-off poster/powerpoint presentation every 2 weeks or so).

I'm sure the social skills of private school kids will be absolutely normal. They may not interact with chavs very well but that's hardly a useful skill now is it? I've been in an environment where pupils throw chairs at teachers, that certainly was NOT a worthwhile experience.
If a working-class scally is going to steal your ipod at knifepoint I doubt your ability to emphasize with them is going to save you in any way whatsoever.

In my opinion, state school is equivalent to the local chippy, private school is like a top class restaurant. You can survive on either one of them, but the difference in sophistication is plain to see.


Exactly my sentiments. if you got the cash, send your kids to a private school
mattbroon
Yes its different in the fact you meet more diverse people.

I have attended state and private, and teh private school was alot more diverse. People from all over the world were studying there.

Somoeone wrote some rubbish abour better life expereinces. Well, the amount of different cultures i have come across in my school and on school trips is much more useful than having met the class chav who will probably have died of a drug overdose by the time he's 20.

People claiming state is better are just jealous.


Fair enough everyone has an opinion but your are only meeting people with money and not other classes im working class and im proud of that but im not a chav. Im not jealous of private schools I would rather go to a state school, even if my parents could of afforded it I wouldnt of went and they would of never sent me. I used to live in a middle/upper class area and the level of snobbery pissed me off thats why I would never go or send my children (if i ever have some) to a private school. As I have it doesnt matter where you study you can get a good education anywhere all the subjects are the same so why pay for something you can free sounds a bit like lunacy tbh.
300mg
Oh come on, it's common sense. Why do we need research to backup what is essentially common knowledge. At one point in time there was no research to suggest heroin was addictive and it was openly prescribed for mild pain - it doesn't mean it isn't true.

Sticking people of hugely varied ability into one class were they have to learn - with one teacher - at speeds they are too advanced or incapable of = bad education system & good vote winner.


And thats the problem with education at the moment, we bring in things such as the Numeracy and Literacy strategy without research based on what people think is common sense, and then surprisingly enough it doesn't work. Of course you have to have research in something as important as education
katierattray
Fair enough everyone has an opinion but your are only meeting people with money and not other classes im working class and im proud of that but im not a chav. Im not jealous of private schools I would rather go to a state school, even if my parents could of afforded it I wouldnt of went and they would of never sent me. I used to live in a middle/upper class area and the level of snobbery pissed me off thats why I would never go or send my children (if i ever have some) to a private school. As I have it doesnt matter where you study you can get a good education anywhere all the subjects are the same so why pay for something you can free sounds a bit like lunacy tbh.


proof of the level of education at state schools :wink:

It's "have" not "of"

e.g. I wouldn't have gone
Reply 188
Tony2DaMax
proof of the level of education at state schools :wink:

It's "have" not "of"

e.g. I wouldn't have gone


Ha! I was going to say this but you got here first!
geminibubblegum
I went to a state primary and go to a private secondary. I now wish I hadn't gone private, I'm lower middle class and the bursary squeezes my family exceptionally tight, I haven't been on holiday in 3 years and can't afford school trips or extra stuff like music lessons etc. I would leave but I suppose it would be a bit stupid to do so now. That said basically everyone that goes there hates it.


St Pauls Girls school isnt liked by its students :eek: ?

as for me, i went to private. i had no option considering i wasnt UK citizen when i arrived in this country (or something like that was the reason i think why ive been in Privates all my life). it was okay. my onlu wish was that i had maybe gone to a mixed private school instead :o: (or atleast one which is quite central london).

btw, whos heard of MPW? and what are the opinions on it? ive seen some of its students end up @ very good schools but at the same time MPW gave me the impression of a waste-man school where everyone who got kicked out of my school went to to do their A-levels :s-smilie:, so quite confusing :p:
BJack
This will do nothing but put more emphasis on academic performance at the age of 11: there will be good privates and bad privates charging £9k a year, and the clever children will go to the good ones, and the less clever ones at 11 will end up at the worse ones. What you have suggested would make the system worse.


NO it wouldn't.

Why would anyone send their child to a bad school when they have complete choice.

There wouldn't be bad private schools because nobody would send their child to them. Competing schools would set up and the bad privates would have to close down as nobody would be going there. PArents know better than the government what is best for their child. The system is awful at the moment, determined by where you live rather than the ambition or ability of your children.
Reply 191
mattbroon
Why would anyone send their child to a bad school when they have complete choice.

Parents wouldn't have "complete choice". Better schools would be oversubscribed and choose the strongest students to fill their places.

Competing schools would set up and the bad privates would have to close down as nobody would be going there.


Rubbish. Where would these new schools be set up? How would they attract staff?
Reply 192
Ideally i would send my child to a state school, however with the variable quality of state schools i would also consider a good private school if there wasn't a suitable state school. I wouldn't send my child to boarding school unless there was a very good reason, like working abroad and moving around a lot, and even then i would only do it when they were older (15+).
abrp

St Pauls Girls school isnt liked by its students ?

as for me, i went to private. i had no option considering i wasnt UK citizen when i arrived in this country (or something like that was the reason i think why ive been in Privates all my life). it was okay. my onlu wish was that i had maybe gone to a mixed private school instead (or atleast one which is quite central london).

btw, whos heard of MPW? and what are the opinions on it? ive seen some of its students end up @ very good schools but at the same time MPW gave me the impression of a waste-man school where everyone who got kicked out of my school went to to do their A-levels , so quite confusing


no, pretty much everyone hates it and the new 'regime'. god shes a bitch.
isnt mpw one of those places which is more independent college-y type? i suppose if you get the right grade you can take the course, it's not really 'school' so whether someone was kicked out or not wouldnt really matter?
Reply 194
Here is a nice resource for school search in the USA American School Search
i went to a state grammar school and i wouldnt have wanted to go anywhere else.
my brother went to private, after not getting a place at grammar or any of the decent state schools in our area
mattbroon
NO it wouldn't.

Why would anyone send their child to a bad school when they have complete choice.

There wouldn't be bad private schools because nobody would send their child to them. Competing schools would set up and the bad privates would have to close down as nobody would be going there. PArents know better than the government what is best for their child. The system is awful at the moment, determined by where you live rather than the ambition or ability of your children.


For the same reason they do now, because they can't/couldn't afford to send their child to a 'good' school. It wouldn't be 'bad' private schools that closed down, just ones that didn't make a profit so how would that improve quality? Or more importantly how would it improve quality for those who can't afford school fees of over £10,000.

Personally, I wouldn't send my future children to a private school. If I lived in an area with a bad school, then I would rather move. Firstly, I doubt I will ever be able to afford the fees. Secondly, I believe that when people send their child to a private school the only conceivable advantage I can see is that your child will be surrounded with other children of the same class and background and that they foster an 'atmosphere conducive to learning.'
BJack
Parents wouldn't have "complete choice". Better schools would be oversubscribed and choose the strongest students to fill their places.



Rubbish. Where would these new schools be set up? How would they attract staff?


If by 'strongest' you mean richest then I completely agree with you.
Reply 198
mattbroon
Oh and the way to overcome the problem is to make all state schools private, and provide every parent with an education voucher worth £9,000. This will save money, cut beaurocracy, and give everyone the same options that currently only the rich have.


Also I would love to know how you arrived at your figure of £9000, given that it is

a) comfortably more than the entire education budget and so would most certainly not save money, and;
b) more than the average fees for a private school.

P.S. Middle income families would still be totally unable to afford the fees of top private schools.
Reply 199
I think I probably would've benefited more from private education... I was really shy and people saw that more than my intelligence :s-smilie: because people cared more about popularity at my state school.

If it was my child, I'd send them to mixed-sex private school, but let them go to a state college. I know people at uni who came straight from school, because they'd stayed on for sixth form. And they'd been in this same environment for at least 7 years... I don't think you can do that much maturing being in the same place for that long.

Home-schooling is a big no-no.

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