independent v state.....all that glistens!!!!!

[Waiting_For_Godot]

CM, what do you think the reaction would have been to a similar thread with the same title but warning about the ills of the grammar school/state school education compared to independent schools? And are we not all intelligent enough not to require a warning about the cons of independent schools?

[yoyo123]

I took the post to mean that although you may have been striving for something, perhaps once you were there it wasnot right and so have the courage of your convictions, admit it and start again.

It did not read to me like an attack on independents and I am amazed at some of the negative comments and personal attacks that have followed on from it.

Can we please move on and discuss this sensibly without resorting to scoring points

[stevew61]

I think you have to allow them a while to settle in and adjust to the longer day. In my DS's case it took a good year . How long did you have your DC at indie Just j?

Only one year, you were lucky.

My DS protested for the best part of three years that it was unfair as his facebook friends had no homework, given the choice he would have been off down the road to the homework free zone, over my ......

I think the OP has shown great courage to come back after asking for help in 2010 (and not getting an answer ) and giving us an honest, heartfelt update.

We cannot know all the details but we can respect a parent who has made a difficult decision to ensure their child is happy, at the end of the day that is the best a parent can do?

[Chelmsford mum]

WFG,
There are threads about how hothousing/socially elite etc grammars are. It just doesn't seem to get everyone as uptight as this kind of thread does.
Re your point about intelligence. It's not about intelligence, it is about experience surely.The OP was just sharing their experience of of an indep school.On this part of the forum it can seems that there are only ever the benefits of indep education discussed.Therefore it is good to have the negative experiences too.Some people leave grammar schools - it's helpful to remember they are not for everyone too.
There is a mind set out there that the more money spent the better the product.This isn't always true, especially in education. There is a tutor that works in Essex who tutors for the grammars in large groups and with questionable methods and charges the earth.I have met people who say "Well ,if he charges £30 an hour - he must be good". Not true.
I also have met people who might assume that an indep school is inherently the better option for their child, just because they are paying. The Op is helpfully pointing out that in his/her experience this did not prove to be the case.

[Waiting_For_Godot]

I do not believe that paying gets you a better education. In many cases it does, in other cases it doesn't. TBH I couldn't care what anyone thought of independent education because no one can sway my views on the matter and I have become very thinck skinned in this area! I obviously read the post wrong but I was initially annoyed that parents who have been struggling, some against their better judgement or principles, to go down the independent route would feel even more stressed or unsure about their decision. It may sound unbelievable but there are occasions where a parents only choice is the local independent school. I doubt anyone would start stating horror stories about the local comp that most people had to put up with. So that is how I interpreted the thread. Clearly I interpretated it incorrectly but I certainly wasn't the only one.

[pheasantchick]

Can we conclude from all the posts that the OP was saying that for her dc, the independent school did not provide the expected glossy outcome they expected it too, and that independent schools aren't right for everyone. It is not an attack on independent education as such.

[yoyo123]

yes and then move on.

[zorro]

WFG, no you weren't! And you are right - if the warning had been about the perils of the grammar school/state school system v. indie system people would have gone ballistic!
Different strokes for different folks is the story here really.

[Chelmsford mum]

WFG, no you weren't! And you are right - if the warning had been about the perils of the grammar school/state school system re: indie system people would have gone ballistic!

I thought we were moving on......
Weather has been nice today in Chelmsford. Great moon last night too.

[yoyo123]

I think this thread has run its course and am locking it
yoyo
moderator