Private Education—worth the cash?

Fees for private schools have doubled in the past 20 years and less than 10 per cent of students in the UK are privately educated. It is time to evaluate whether it’s really worth it. After moving to a co-educational state sixth form college from a private single-sex secondary school, I appreciate the value and I am aware of the flaws of private education.

There is a general impression that private school students are rich and snobby. Disappointingly however, private school doesn’t involve paper boat races with £20 notes, and there’s no Latin banter—at least not regularly. Nevertheless, you do become more disciplined knowing that your average day costs around £50, which is paid for by your generous hard-working parents.

Manners are also enforced and encouragements for good work ethic given. It can be argued that this should be parents’ responsibility, to teach their own children discipline from childhood and for everyone to be brought up equally with these essential etiquettes. The benefit from private education in this aspect is therefore unclear.

After an entrance exam, there are smaller, more specialised classes to stretch you further. Don’t forget there’s also cash splashed on the latest equipment, extra-curricular activities and arguably better teaching. In the end, you walk away with grades, which are not, however, guaranteed to be straight A*s. Yet parents are still willing to make the sacrifice. Good grades are more likely with a good learning environment but everyone is an individual—if you work, you get the grades; if you slack, then you don’t. It does question whether or not it’s worth it, because the playing field is level.

When a state schooled friend at college told me that her Physics teacher had left halfway through Year 10 I was shocked. Even if a replacement was found, such interruptions would slow down the course. We both still got top grades because she used the Internet to teach herself. Looking back, I did the same with other subjects, despite the fact that my parents still paid the school directly. Evidently, most of the money was being spent on teachers, however some would have been used for renovating the school buildings and for extra-curricular activities—including activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh award or orchestras where you can engage with a wider variety of people from your local community. Teaching is not the only thing you pay for; private education provides excellent extra-curricular activities.

Reputation is very important for educational institutions—uniform especially. Looking neat gives the impression that you are professional; in my opinion, however, freezing to death rather than wearing the wrong coloured coat for fear of retribution seems more childish than practical. So you have your school fees and an expensive uniform that is treated as if it were more important than actual education (it’s basically a BHS bulk buy with a fancy emblem stitched on that you will undoubtedly grow out of!) to bolster your school’s reputation. But reputation alone is not a reasonable excuse to pay for private education, especially in light of the other indicators to which I have pointed.

Private education used to be the guaranteed fast track to success but maybe it’s time we replaced fee-paying schools with grammar schools.

They give the same opportunity for pupils with high academic abilities to be stretched further, regardless of their parents’ wealth. There is an equal focus on discipline and range of extra-curricular activities without the colossal fees. Money is spent more accordingly in order to allow more students to attend university irrespective of background.

The real world is far from cosy. Being self-sufficient is a key skill learnt at sixth form and this is not enforced as well in private schools as it is in state schools.

In March 2014, I saw a BBC News headline, “State pupils do better at university than independent candidates who have achieved the same A-level grades.”

This suggests state educated students have greater independence and are more prepared for university. Other beneficial skills include budgeting, interacting with all divisions of society and being proactive in your own education.

You don’t have to be in a private sixth form to get the best A-level grades because you shouldn’t be relying on a teacher anyway.

The top universities have admitted giving more offers to state pupils than to the privately educated in order to fulfil equal opportunity policy. I believe this is sensible because it’s no one’s fault if their parents couldn’t afford it and this should never corrupt ambition. Equality of opportunity is not optional.

Since the tripling of tuition fees, there are now higher loans, better grants and more bursaries to increase support for poorer students. Paying for private school is no longer advantageous for educational attainment.

Nowadays your academic ability is not influenced as strongly by the type of education you receive. Teachers are increasingly encouraged to dedicate more time with students across the spectrum.

Moreover, since A-levels, and even GCSEs, rely upon your individual efforts, there are evidently students who still fail in private education and some who strive in state schools. We can say goodbye to private education as a guaranteed fast-track to success.

The value of private education has been falling every year, as education and opportunities improve for all. Parents though are still being duped into believing it is worth paying an arm and a leg for private education but they should keep their hands in their pockets—for its value is far exaggerated.