Every parent wants their child to receive a good education. But is the best education a private education?
Yes – Fiona
It’s true that a private education is expensive but in my opinion it is worth it. After all, the education that your child receives will dictate how successful they are throughout the rest of their life. My husband and I have made a number of sacrifices such as downsizing our home and giving up holidays in order to pay for a private education for our daughter.
When we were choosing a secondary school we did consider the local state school but the facilities there just weren’t anywhere near as good as the private schools we looked at. My daughter’s private school not only offers the best possible standard of teaching in core subjects such as English and Maths but also provides her with the opportunity to experience a wide range of music, sports and arts that she wouldn’t have had access to at a state school. The school has its own swimming pool, tennis courts and horse riding facilities.
The class sizes are also an important consideration. The classes at a private school are generally much smaller which means that the teachers can give each child individual attention. If my daughter was at a state school she would be in a class of 30 or more and I’d worry that her needs wouldn’t be met. There is a real family feel at my daughter’s school and I know that she is well looked after. For me, whatever the cost, the peace of mind that she is receiving the best possible education in a happy, loving environment is more important than anything else.
No – Mel
I don’t believe we should have a two-tier education system where those with money receive better facilities than those who cannot afford it. Excellent teaching should be available to everyone and if private schools were abolished, then the best teachers would be available to work in state schools for the benefit of all pupils.
Even if I could afford it, I wouldn’t send my children to private school. I believe that these sort of establishments cause children to grow up with a narrow perspective of the world, particularly if it is a single-sex school. In my opinion, it is better for children to mix with others from a variety of different backgrounds in a state school.
Some argue that state schools don’t offer the same opportunities as private school but I haven’t found this to be the case. My children are at state school and enjoy a wide range of activities – they perform in the school orchestra and enjoy dance and drama lessons. They have even visited Rome as part of their art lessons and have been on skiing trips. The teaching standards are also very high and so it’s not true that you have to pay to get a high quality education.
I know some parents think that children at private school are protected from problems like bullying, smoking and drug use but these things go on no matter how posh the school is. Buying an education is no guarantee that your children will be happy or successful just as a free education isn’t necessarily lacking in any way.
Comments are closed.