Is Private Education a Waste of Money?

Private education is very expensive. Independent education for 11 year olds can cost anything from £10,000 up to £25,000+ a year for a top boarding prep school. 

Two factors for parents to consider

1. First and foremost of these is your child: how bright s/he is; how talented s/he is; how motivated s/he is; and so on. Very bright children will succeed in any school. Talented children may need specialist teaching. Children who lack motivation need close monitoring and support. 
2. Secondly, much also will depend on the quality of provision in the Maintained sector in the given area. If there is no good state school, then Independent schools are essential if you are to give your child a start in life. If there are good state schools in the area, as with the grammar schools in Buckinghamshire, then, for some children, going to an Independent School may be a luxury. However, as with many luxuries, you do get what you pay for and it is often worth paying to get the extras. In considering their options, parents would be well advised to distinguish between schools that will get you a good set of academic qualifications and schools that provide a genuine all-round education. Many schools in the Maintained sector will provide the former and this can be supplemented by a motivated parent taking their child to clubs and by giving them other opportunities. However, the independent sector tends to provide a much wider extra-curricular provision (e.g DofE, overseas visits and frequent sporting fixtures) as well as getting excellent academic results and this makes for a more a coherent educational experience for the child. Over 2 million parents in the UK make this considered investment (4 million parents could pay for private education but choose not too), the sustainability of which often relies on sacrifices elsewhere.

So what ‘extras’ are independent schools parents paying for? 

Private education offers a better service for niche groups and many parents do prefer the option of selectivity. The range of diverse extra-curricular activities and sporting opportunities cannot be matched by the maintained sector. Above all, excellent teacher to pupil ratios afford greater individual provision. An alternative curriculum is likely to be in place which can be adapted to suit pupils’ needs with significant emphasis placed on both extension and support. In addition, in the best Independent schools there will be specialist teachers who are passionate about their subjects allowing the class teachers to focus on the core subjects. Teaching staff are generally less ‘bogged down’ by paperwork in the private sector and have the freedom to teach creatively. They also expect to give more time to the school’s extra-curricular programme. Having taught in both the private and maintained sector I am supportive of both provisions. However, there is room for all kinds of education establishment in the UK, it’s not one-size-fits-all. Perhaps the way forward is to stop pitting one provision against the other but to forge links and support the development of excellent education for all. 

Is Private Education a waste of money? 

There is little doubt that Independent schools out-perform maintained sector schools, both in and out of the classroom. Ultimately, it is only parents who know their child and know what they can afford.  It is only parents who can decide if it is worth the undoubted investment and sacrifice to send their child to an Independent school.