Private schools

theres no government funded schemes for secondary schools as it would be a choice to send your child to private school before the age of 11. from year 7 children can obtain scholarships to private secondary schools based on sats results or on the basis of being exceptional at an extra circular activity such as a sport or an instrument so in short no you would not he able to get funding to send your child to private school

The government are making it difficult for middle class to attend with the added VAT charges, the costs are increasing even more. There are some chances of getting scholarships based on academic abilities, unsure if this would be applicable to KS1 though?

Some schools offer scholarships to the children of their staff. You could look into that. Private schools come with additional charges apart from tuition fees, such as uniforms, extracurricular classes, trips, meals, etc. And if you opt out of those, your child might feel excluded and not part of the group. So choose the school carefully.

There is absolutely zero help from the government for private schools. They are making it impossible for those who were fortunate to afford it now… yet where is the tax money going? Definitely not back into the schools despite what he said in his manifesto!

Answer would be absolutely not! The government is all for punishing the wealthier at this point, even if we work our arses off to give our kids the best we can! I'm sending my lil girl to private from next year (reception -shell be 4) and actually her school is great they are only implementing a 10% increase despite the 20% VAT increase on private school education!!! Which makes no bloody sense because the government actually pay a supplement for EVERY child that attends state, and nothing for those that attend private YET we still get punished!!!!! But yes as above, I think it's only scholarships from year 7 although I'm not sure if schools still do full scholarships! But also that's a lot of pressure to put on a child!!!!

Depending on the area you’re in you may find that the state schools are as good as the private schools - take a look around them and see 😊

The government doesn't help with private schooling but most private schools have scholarships or income based help. I work for a private school.

My advice would be to think about what you truly want to get out of private schooling between those ages. Is it smaller class sizes? More focused/individualised attention - e.g. extra reading support - for a child who's gifted, or has SEN? Enrichment activities like music and foreign languages? A particular educational philosophy (like a Steiner school or Montessori)? Better behaviour and discipline? Access to networking with other parents? Or just aspiration, like you'd feel like you'd made it if you did? Some of those aims are achievable outside private schools. If finances are restrictive, consider finding a state school that's rated outstanding in all areas. Even if it requires moving area. Or supplement by paying for KUMON, instrument lessons, speech and drama classes outside of school. At 4-7 academics don't really come into it overmuch, which is the main reason most people send their kids private for secondary. I'd think about that and really dig into it before paying, even if you can get a bursary.

For me, a major consideration for this school choice would be what happens at age 7 on. Cards on the table, I attended a state primary and then a local private secondary school on a scholarship. Personally, I feel that making a switch from state to private school, or indeed the other way around, is a bit easier to navigate at age 11. (Especially if there's a big disparity in behaviour / learning / subjects on offer between the two.) The majority of state primaries in the UK are all-through from ages 4-11. A child might find it hard to transfer into a completely new local school in Year 3, where friendship groups, teacher expectations, etc. have already formed.  For myself, I would only look to do this from ages 4-7 (as opposed to adopting a long-term financial strategy for secondary/sixth form) if I needed reliable wrap-around childcare both before and after school, and the private school offered that as standard all-inclusive with the fees. I know the private primary adjoined to my secondary did.

I used to work for a super expensive private school in a posh area of London. From my experience: expect if you live in a deprived area, there is no benefice to put your child in a private school. Also, remember that some private schools are very focused on academics results. If your child has learning disabilities, sole private schools will provide support but some won’t and the school will just get rid of your child as soon as possible… I think that the definition of « good school » can vary a lot according to what your expect and the personality of each child. Maybe have a think about what you want and maybe a state school in a good area could also be a great option!

@Anne Hi, is there a way to know in advance which schools provide extra support in case it is required?

If your child has EHCP then speak to your local council SEND officer as there’s funding for this but parents are not being told about it.

That’s some really good answers and a lot to think about , really was focused on smaller class sizes and a lot of people who have attended private schools say they through more content and behaviour is better, but I know that is not ALL private schools too, thanks for everyone’s replies!