Would a public/private school have put you in better stead?

[Hotwired]

You mean like circle jerks and stuff?

Someone mentioned public schools being heavily represented by senior military officers.

Not for everyone I'm sure but the vast majority of cadet groups are in private schools despite being MOD funded. Get into it and the encouragement is to head for Sandhurst.

You get opportunities to try out and be good at virtually anything.

State schools don't have the money to offer a vast range of activities and experiences.

Upper end private schools can be over 30k for a boarding student per year and that's how they do it.

 

[Cromulent]

My Dad went to Stowe which is a pretty famous public school. When he finished one of his professors said that he could get him into Cambridge pretty easily to study Classics but he decided to study Physics instead so he went to Manchester rather than Cambridge.

I sometimes wonder what he would have ended up doing if he went to Cambridge. Probably something better paid than working in a research and development lab that is for sure.

I went to visit Stowe with him on a reunion and it is such a beautiful building and grounds. I'd want to go just to soak in the beauty of the place. Shame it costs £11,500 a term though to go there now. I could never afford to send my kids there.

The teaching sounds so much more open than in comprehensive schools with the chance to learn things on a much broader front.

 

[Scam]

Yes. But it's less to do with academic excellence, and more to do with confidence and connections.

I'd say this, with the emphasis on confidence. Confidence in the workplace is a massive thing.

It's not as simple as an "old boys" network anymore but as shown by the statistics posted above, it's clear you do gain an advantage by going to private school. Otherwise, why would people do it?

 

[jumpy]

Depends really. I went to a public school for GCSE and a levels.
~5 years as a boarder.
I'd say I had some really good teachers. And I doubt I'd have been able to study classics at a level had I gone to a state school.
I certainly have no old boys network to smooth my way through life and work. My personal view of such things is that while it does exist for some, it's generally more of a class prejudice by those who see themselves as working class and stubbornly proud of it.
I've never understood that kind of attitude; it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from... I've been called posh by lots of people who had state or limited education. I never saw the need to think of or refer to them as common or thick. But it always comes across that it's okay for me to be labeled with a negative connotation.

I had some good opportunities to learn at school, but unlike some of my peers, I never had a direction for a career to follow. That was more down to a lack of interest from my dad though. So I chose to study what I thought was interesting. None of that has led me to a career or an inside network.
I'm generally more well read and educated than most of my colleagues at work. But I'm just knowledgeable about different stuff to them as they are to me.

I have mixed feelings about public school. There was a lot that I hated to begin with. Mostly this was down to some of the little ***** I had to live with. But I really enjoyed my 6th fom years for the most part. Having said that, life in a mixed boarding school doesn't really prepare you for life outside its relatively regimented and timetabled existence. But that could be said of most schools and colleges.

 

[Mr^B]

I have no idea what would have happened if I went to the local comp rather than the private school I ended up going to. I didn't particularly enjoy it. The people were largely idiots with a few exceptions. I ended up going to a Polytechnic (I left school in 1990) against the wishes of everyone at the school (presumably because it messed with their stats), and I've never had an contact with anyone from school in a business connection sense.

No idea if it made me more confident, etc - I certainly don't feel so - a lot of the confidence I have has just been accumulated whilst at work, rather than at school - I left school in a bit of a psychological mess in terms of self-identity, ego, etc...

I always hated the fact that we didn't do rugby (we did hockey instead).

 

[Roar87]

I'm not entirely blaming the school as I was lazy and more interested in staying up late playing Counter Strike and messing around with my friends, but my school was very poor at the time. In the right environment I should've easily got A*s, A's and the odd B, rather than scraping through with the C's I got. I had no motivation to achieve good results, I didn't understand how they would help me, I didn't understand how having a highly paid job would've benefitted me over a lesser paid job, and what I needed to do to get the former.

I'm sure having rich parents helps more than schooling though, I'm basically from a working class background, most of my school and friends were. In the past 5 years I saw my girlfriends sister go through her GCSE's, A levels and she's now at Uni. She was pushed the entire way, she had extra tutoring in subjects she struggled with, she was forced to go to bed at certain times, I had none of that.

 

[MookJong]

It is the non academic areas of a private education that I carry with me more than anything. Compared to some friends who went to comprehensives it felt like I went into the army rather than school!

However looking back now I think it did me a lot of good...."character building" as it's known.

 

[MikeTimbers]

Army brat so went to prep school then to a council-run grammar school that had boarders to so a total of ten years as a boarder. I do think it creates more confident young adults who have had a wider experience of extra-curricular activities but it's also very destructive for some. I would have sent my kids to boarding school in a heartbeat if I could've afforded it but sadly it is now solely in the realm of rich foreigners and the very well-to-do Brits.

 

[dirtychinchilla]

I don't know about grammar school, and I went to a private school, so know nothing myself about comprehensives. There are a few things I've realised over the years.

• People who have been to comprehensive schools have a different motivation to those that have been to private schools. There were some guys on my uni course who had been to local comprehensives in Yorkshire, and they worked twice as hard as nearly all the privately educated people on my course. For me, there was no desire to bring myself up from "poor roots" or anything like that. I'm very middle class, my parents have helped me with money and a place to stay when I've needed etc. If my life goes to ****, they will be able to support me if they absolutely have to. I think it was completely different for these guys, and that's why they're now doing PHDs and I'm not! We were spoon fed.
  
• Almost no one fought in my school. Lessons were almost never disrupted. Generally, everyone was very well behaved. There's a girl I work with who went to the comprehensive school next door to mine, which is a terrible one from what I've heard. She tells me that there were constant fights. There was a kid that walked round with an axe. Kids setting stuff on fire etc. She's muslim and the kids tried to rip off her scarf. I know these are anecdotal, but the fact that our school was completely opposite to her's says a lot.
  
• This old boys network doesn't really exist any more. I left school in 2009, so not that long ago. Having gone to what is a pretty well renowned private school, it's done absolutely nothing for me in terms of career prospects.
  
• Going to a private school, as far as I can tell, had nothing to do with where I went to uni as the whole process was faceless.

Again, I know that most of this is anecdotal, but I have been trying to build up a picture myself as I'm really not sure what I'd like to do when I have children.

I'm sure there's more that I'll remember later.

 

[kiteloopy]

My Dad went to Stowe which is a pretty famous public school. When he finished one of his professors said that he could get him into Cambridge pretty easily to study Classics but he decided to study Physics instead so he went to Manchester rather than Cambridge.

I went to visit Stowe with him on a reunion and it is such a beautiful building and grounds. I'd want to go just to soak in the beauty of the place. Shame it costs £11,500 a term though to go there now. I could never afford to send my kids there.

I went to public school and used to swim against Stowe; Eton were there too*. Never complained about going there even if it did take a few hours on bus. They used to serve sandwidges and tea overlooking the lawn at the rear in the Roman Room. Beautiful building and grounds. They dont own the buildings tho, they are loaned out to them.

Sorry to break it to you, but Stowe is where the naughty people go. Haha. Get expelled from somewhere? Go to Stowe.

In regards to the OP’s question. I had a great time, full time boarded from about 8 all the way to A-levels. Was fun for the most part. Never encountered any ‘old boys’ network though. Everything is faceless now and the school name doesn’t mean anything once youve left. It certainly set me up well but i'll never be able to afford to send any of my kids there.

*The Eton and Stowe swimmers were insane, so fast.

 

[roadie]

You get a wider education especially with extracurricular activities.

Classes are smaller, more attention is given to each student.

Equipment is not usually an issue and because classes are smaller it benefits the teachers too which goes back to being better for students.

It's not even about the conspiracy of a boys club although you obviously will get to know people whose parents are extremely influential and wealthy since they can afford the premium education. Maybe you can get a leg up, probably not.

The school will simply put more effort and time into trying to teach, motivate and broaden the horizons of their students.

If you can afford it, private schools give your children a better chance.

This was my experience as a day pupil at private school in Bristol from the age of about 8 to 18. The vast majority of kids there were from middle class backgrounds with their parents wanting the best for them. I got do ridiculous stuff like a cricket tour to Australia, language exchange to Argentina and a cultural and sporting tour of Zimbabwe amongst others. I also played a huge number of sports at facilities better than many Universities and did the cadet force stuff.

I am sure the quality of teaching was better than at other types of school, but I had no comparative experience. There were trouble makers, especially at prep school level, but on the whole every teacher had a huge amount of respect from the students. Most kids wanted to learn and to do well academically, because that's the main point of schooling.

I did not benefit from any form of networking based on what school I went to, but I did not attend any of the old boy dinners/socials/meetings in London whilst I lived there. I know there are these events in Bristol, elsewhere Britain and around the world too, but it is of no interest to me. However, I am sure others have benefited, which is fine. Companies are always going to want employees that fit within their culture, and a recommendation from someone, whether they went to the same school, play rugby/football/whatever sport together is always likely to be a good way to at least get a foot in the door.

 

[Derp]

It is the non academic areas of a private education that I carry with me more than anything. Compared to some friends who went to comprehensives it felt like I went into the army rather than school!

However looking back now I think it did me a lot of good...."character building" as it's known.

Playing soggy biscuit...?

 

[Housey]

I feel positive the schooling would have been better than the schooling I received in the comprehensive system, but as said above I am not confident it would have moved me further forwards, I would have just spoken more proper like. I was actually due to go to Gramma school as I lived in Newport Shropshire as a child and they still had a Gramma school but my parents decided to move when I was 9 so I ended up in the comprehensive system, in the 70's school catchments were not what they are today. The difference between a junior school preparing me for Gramma school and one preparing me for the comprehensive system was significant though, read the comprehensive system was simply not of the same high quality in my experience.

 

[kiteloopy]

I got do ridiculous stuff like a cricket tour to Australia, language exchange to Argentina and a cultural and sporting tour of Zimbabwe amongst others. I also played a huge number of sports at facilities better than many Universities and did the cadet force stuff.

Looking back, I was really busy but there was so much I didn’t get involved in.

One thing that I will remember until I die is a scuba diving trip to Tobago. 2-3 of the parents were marine biologists and had a chin way with the science dept over a cuppa tea. Between them they organised it all. Diving in the morning, tourist stuff in the afternoon followed by marine lectures and study in the evening. Cant believe it actually happened to be honest.

 

[semi-pro waster]

It's a difficult question to answer with any degree of certainty since it's entirely subjective when trying to compare an existing state with a potential one in this way.

Based on what I've heard from my acquaintances and friends I don't think public school would have benefited me in any particular way. I suppose that like everyone my experiences to date have shaped me and overall I've got no major complaints, I'm sure that there are a few things I might have changed along the way or opportunities I would have like to have been offered but it's impossible to know whether those changes would have led to a better outcome. I see a few have mentioned increased confidence from public schooling - I think that's something that works for some but for others they leave with damaged confidence if anything due to not getting on in that sort of environment, hard to know whether it would be better or worse for those children outside of the public school system though.

Purely anecdotally I know a number of people who loved public school but probably an equal number who disliked it in whole or in part. Public schools may be better for some things and may suit certain personality types better than others but there is a counterpoint that it doesn't work for everyone and so no system should be universally adjudged to be the best in all circumstances.

 

[Buffman]

Went to a state school (a good one). I think a private school would have both negatively affected me, and made my parents far worse off (3 kids = £k's per term).

I say negatively affected, I may have got better grades in secondary school, but then likely suffered more in university as a result of being spoon fed throughout school .

 

[squired]

A good private school will teach you how to learn and put you under pressure, which may help depending on the career you end up in. If you are talented at a state school teachers will often do little to help you because they know you will do well. As someone that went to a bad state school (closed due to being ranked in the bottom three in the country) but went to medical school I could see a big difference between those who'd been privately vs state educated. Having said that, I have cousins that were privately educated and are earning less per year than the annual fees at their former schools, so there are clearly many factors.


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[Nitefly]

One thing that is definitely better with private schools is encouraging sports. State schools are a joke in comparison.

I have little doubt that my kids would do better in a private school but I'm not sure if I'd actually want my kids to go to one. I think a state school exposes you to all sorts of folk which makes you a bit more rounded *shrug*

 

[Hades]

Yes. But it's less to do with academic excellence, and more to do with confidence and connections.

This.

We are lucky to be able to send my daughter to a private school (at great sacrifice to other parts of our lives as we aren't rich) and hope to be able to do the same for my son at some point. The education is marginally better than the state school she was previously attending. But the big difference is the independence and confidence they are teaching her, along with seeing how rich some of her peers are. That last point is both a positive and a negative as I feel she is a little worried that we can't quite have everything that some of her classmates do (i.e. huge house, holidays, etc), but the big positive is being able to aspire to that. My parents didn't even encourage me to go to university (which was free at the time) but my daughter can clearly see the benefit of hard work.

 

[Blackjack Davy]

A place of academic excellence and all that. Would you be in a better position, mentally, financially and spiritually right now if you went to a fee paying school or am I bringing up the past pre-internet days?

I think probably yes. The difference being the amount of time that teachers can dedicate to individual pupils. I know what I got private tuition for something I did way better than when lost in a class full of pupils. At the comprehensive you felt you were doing well if the teacher could actually remember your name.