Are private schools really worth the money?

Your child's schooling is probably the single most important decision you, as parents, will make. Choosing between the many state schools in your area is hard enough with things not made easy by complicated league tables, SAT results and OFSTED inspections. However, there is another option which many parents opt for which takes state schooling out of the equation all together. Private schools, which charge a fee to educate and have been around even longer than their state counterparts, are out of reach for many parents. However, some private school parents do not fall into the wealthy, affluent category you would expect from parents who pay to send their children to schools. They simply scrimp and save and put their child's schooling before anything else on their list of priorities. That is why it is so important that parents make sure they are doing the right thing by choosing a private school, as if it turns out to be a mistake, it can be a very expensive one.

Pros of private schooling

The class sizes are almost always much smaller in private schools as they admit fewer pupils overall. This is something that private schools have prided themselves on since they came into existence and is a selling point they are keen to keep. There is usually more choice in the curriculum and a wider range of GCSE subjects at a private school and also access to special education classes if needed. If your child is sporty, attending a private school may be more beneficial to them as sports programmes are more likely to be offered here. As the school charges for its services and doesn't rely on money from the government, funds are normally more freely available and so resources and equipment are usually more up to date and abundant.

Cons of private schooling

There are several problems that crop up when considering private schooling, and these need to be considered. Many such schools are religious and attached to a church. This may not be a problem but if you aren't religious you need to think carefully as the chances are that many of the lessons, assemblies and services will have a strong religious theme. There is also the issue of the entrance exam that all private schools require potential pupils to take. For less academic pupils this could be a problem and, if they get as far as the exam and then fail, it could dent their confidence and cause them to feel stupid or unworthy. You should only let your child sit the exam if you feel they have a realistic chance of passing it.

Next page: The pros and cons of state schooling >>