Living expenses

[SueEllen]

I would agree with your second point regarding associating with a cross-section of society. I believe it to be possible to do this and go to a private school provided as a parent you put the effort in.

That was reported as a falsehood in one of the nation papers, and I agree.

If you've been to the state schools myself and my family have been to or go to then you soon learn to not bother socialising with certain sectors of society from your school. Particularly as they are not going to be in any of your classes.

After all what does a child of parents with aspirations for them have to do with a child whose parents aren't bothered if they turn up for school?

[sasguru]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6413811.stm

Lefties are toying with the idea that all school places are allocated on a lottery system. What's that going to do to house prices close to good schools?

Moot point. Given Gordo's personal unpopularity and the coming recession, it's clear the Tories will win the next couple of elections and I don't see them taking up this idea.

[TheFaQQer]

We find out on Friday night which school DD1 will go to.

Hopefully she'll get our first choice - if not, I'll have to consider the Catholic school (shudder).

[oracleslave]

That was reported as a falsehood in one of the nation papers, and I agree.

If you've been to the state schools myself and my family have been to or go to then you soon learn to not bother socialising with certain sectors of society from your school. Particularly as they are not going to be in any of your classes.

After all what does a child of parents with aspirations for them have to do with a child whose parents aren't bothered if they turn up for school?

Am not sure I fully understand your point. Are you saying it is not possible for a child to go to a private school and have a grounded outlook on life and the ability to appreciate and interact with people from all walks of society.

Having aspirations and not bothering if they turn up is a rather extreme example. You are glossing over a vast middle ground.

[SueEllen]

Am not sure I fully understand your point. Are you saying it is not possible for a child to go to a private school and have a grounded outlook on life and the ability to appreciate and interact with people from all walks of society.

Having aspirations and not bothering if they turn up is a rather extreme example. You are glossing over a vast middle ground.

No the falsehood is that if you send your child to a good state school that they will mix with all walks of society.

You don't and won't simply because:
1. If the teachers think you are bright (naturally or because you have a tutor) you will be put in different classes as good state schools have always divided their pupils by ability.
2. The majority of the pupils in the higher ability classes will be middle class or children of parents who desire their child to go onto higher education.
3. You may have extra classes due to being bright (to help the school league table position) which means you will not likely spend lunch times, break times or after school with children not in your set as you won't be around.
4. Due to spending less time with children not of your ability in school you are less likely to socialise with them outside of school especially if they don't live anywhere near you.

And yes I've simplified it a lot.

[Bagpuss]

Who here has an expensive lifestyle?

Anyone here paying many £ 1,000's per month on a mortgage/rent?

Anyone spending like £20K pa on private school fees for their children?


I know guru lives on thruppence a week, but there must be some here that spend money likes it going out of fashion?

I reckon my total outgoings in a month (outside of contracting expenses) are no more than a grand and that includes entertainment. I save most of my income, I don't want to work until I'm 65 nor do I want to get used to living beyond my means, the good old days of the contracting market won't last for ever, especially with the rise of the new economies.

I have a few friends who went to private school, imho it's a waste of money, if you want to seperate your children from disruptive chavs,then live in a nice town with good schools.

[Moscow Mule]

Our rent is £1300 a month.

I reckon I spend another £1000 a month on everything else.

So that's approx 1.5 weeks work a month accounted for.

Everything else stays in the company/savings for big things like cars and boats.

[Ardesco]

Disagree. Buy a house in a very good comprehensive's catchment area. They do exist. This has the double benefit of preserving your house price as other parents will always be desperate to buy there.
Plus I happen to believe that children are better served by associating with a normalish cross-section of society than stupid but rich toffs.

Generally speaking there is no such thing as a good, or bad school. Just thick and clever pupils. The best teaching practises in the world won't do tulip if little Johnny has the IQ of a Aubergine.

"Good comprehensives" are only good because they are in affluent areas when you kids get half decent contacts and learn how to interact with movers and shakers. You put your kids in private schools so that they have lots of useful contacts for later life which means it is much more likely they will be able to earn big bucks. They will be used to dealing with people with money and will have lots of contacts who are probably loaded and may well be interested in helping to finance their business ideas later in life.

There are very few people who have truly worked their way up from the slums, the vast majority that like you to think they have in actual fact had reasonably well off parents and good contacts.

Schooling isn't about the education, it's about the social skills!

[scooterscot]

if you want to seperate your children from disruptive chavs,then live in a nice town with good schools.

That'll be Stoke then, no wait er Uxbridge nah what about slough...

[DodgyAgent]

Neither did my going to a crap inner-city comp
Which proves what? That the school matters less than the personal qualities of the person, I suspect.

So chippy how would you know what going to a public school is like?