Everything Exams

Education is an important ingredient in any society and the quality of its provision has a direct impact on the prosperity of a nation. Britain is known worldwide for its educational institutions and is a destination of choice for many seeking to learn from the best and gain highly prized, widely recognised qualifications from our prestigious independent schools and universities.

According to the ISC in 2022, over 25 000 pupils from  overseas were studying in a wide range of independent schools in the UK that year, with the majority coming from China, Hong Kong and Germany – a sign of the excellent reputation Britain’s learning establishments have across the globe. This all sounds amazing, so why aren’t we all rushing off to register our children in independent schools right away?

Despite there being a broad choice of schools available in our flourishing private school sector, with day schools, flexible boarding schools and total care boarding options open to parents, competition to get into many schools in the private sector is increasingly fierce, with long waiting lists and registration from birth a norm. For successful applicants, expectations are high for their performance in GCSEs and A levels, all adding to the burden of stress on young people on their learning journey. 

Another negative that I’ve noticed over the years, working with students from many different private schools, is that unfortunately, some schools seem to foster a sense of superiority and elitism in their pupils which I feel hinders their social development and doesn’t necessarily contribute to a healthy, tolerant, well balanced society.

When your child has gone through the system of private school education, got incredible results and you’re ready to celebrate their exceptional educational achievement – yay!🎉 – you may be horrified to discover that some universities are actually limiting their intake of students from independent schools – Oxford and Cambridge universities for example, were moving away from accepting independent school pupils and considering giving 95% of their places to pupils from regular schools, or secondary schools – up from about 60% in 2017!

And finally, fees are an obvious disadvantage with private education, in addition to the often eye-watering cost of uniforms, reading material and school trips. With some schools charging over £15,000 per term, you could be tempted to ask yourself, “Is it really worth the money?”

Before you give up on the idea completely, there are some incredible advantages of having a private education behind you – I myself am the product of such an education and, although my school days were not easy, the type of school I went to has certainly made a massive difference to me in my life.

Class sizes today are usually much smaller in private schools than in state schools, so your child will receive extra time, special resources and individual attention to help them understand new material they are presented with. The ratio of pupil to teacher is much lower than for their regular school counterparts, plus there are often part-time support teachers and helpers in the class setting who work alongside the main teachers – Princess Diana was famously a pre – school helper before becoming engaged to King Charles. I’ve been a classroom teacher in both an independent school and a regular primary school, and I can say from experience that it’s nearly impossible to glide around everyone’s work with a class of 30 pupils who you are teaching alone, checking over their work plus helping them with any maths they didn’t quite understand – if you can do this, then the work you have set is probably too easy and is not stretching your more able pupils, or perhaps your name is Mary Poppins? With ten pupils and an assistant, it’s a breeze.

Educational resources, such as workbooks and pencils, are not an issue for private school children; academic resources such as textbooks for each child are freely available, and crucial resources such as easy access to technology is also there for private school students. These are things which can be in short supply in a regular classroom.

Currently, there’s a National shortage of specialist teachers in some subjects and qualified teachers may be more tempted to bring their teaching skills to an independent school position than one at a regular school, where the number of pupils per teacher is considerably lower  creating a more manageable student ratio.

As a result, academic standards are higher on average in private schools, with pupils more likely to achieve their real potential. More resources and state of the art facilities for science, sport, music and drama contribute to this as well. Extracurricular activities tend to be more diverse in private schools due to the extra funds available to them, and this in turn helps to expand a student’s CV portfolio too. More pupils have the money to play instruments so the orchestras perform to a higher standard; excellent sports facilities attract able athletes which increases the quality of teams and helps with all pupils’ physical development and so on. My own peers, for example, played in the National Youth Orchestra, played rugby for England and played cricket and tennis in county teams.

My last point is that private schools in the UK often have very good, active alumni networks, which can provide students with excellent networking opportunities. This can help them build relationships with successful professionals in their chosen fields, and gain access to internships, job opportunities, and other career-enhancing options.

My overall opinion? It’s all about personal choice, and you are the expert when it comes to your child and your situation. Personally, I think that if you have the money then go for it – jump in there, make the most of it, enjoy the unique experiences you will be offered and make those all important connections – please do keep your children grounded though, mindful of the importance of equality and treating everyone with respect and kindness.

If it might be a struggle financially, perhaps look for a good, local state school and spend a bit extra on music, tennis, chess, fencing or Mandarin lessons, whatever is your child’s passion. Pay for them to do short term voluntary work in somewhere gorgeous counting dolphins – or whatever they prefer – to pump up their CV and enhance their personal statement. I am reminded of one of my childrens’ friends who went to a very low-performing local school, who worked hard, played tennis for the county and easily gained a place at Oxford University. She proved that it wasn’t about the school she went to in the end, but was all about her.

Whatever you decide, best of luck on your educational journey 😊