Would you go private for your dd/ds if a family member offered to pay?

[Megglevache]

For primary private?

[notnowbernard]

Nope

But wouldn't go private if I could afford private

[Prunerz]

I wouldn't. But I like the local school. If I didn't, I might.

[Aranea]

No, my parents did offer to pay for dd1 to go private, but I'd rather she went to a state primary. Having said that, we live near some lovely primary schools so I would probably feel differently if our local schools were horrible.

[Megglevache]

But if the school your dd/ds was attending was looking a bit grim and the "best" alternatives were all full?

[TheApprentice]

I might consider it. But bear in mind that someone else paying for it can have its difficulties. My brothers and I went private and I found out much later that my grandfather had paid the majority of the fees. That explained why all our school reports had to shown to them and the embarassment/anger shown by my parents if they were not very good! There were then major repurcussions later on between parents and gps when one brother dropped out of uni. It can be very difficult to feel you owe a relative something because of their generosity.

[ramonaquimby]

absolutely I would
certainly at secondary, we're at a great primary, choices not so fab later o n

[lisad123wantsherquoteinDM]

yes

[WartoScreamo]

I'm not in UK anymore and would not go for the European private schools even if someone else was fitting the bill. In UK, it would depend if it was going to Private all the way! I wouldn't do private primary if it was going to be State secondary.

[TheFallenMadonna]

No. And one of the upsides of the recession is that I haven't had to turn down an offer...

[notnowbernard]

Well, I can't afford independent education

Is not something I would go for anyway, from a personal POV

But also agree with theApprentice

[Northernlurker]

Not for primary but absolutely for secondary. Nobody's offered though and we've been able to get dd1 in to a pretty decent school after all.

[nowwearefour]

same as morthernlurker/ not for primary but defo for secondary

[tattycoram]

No. Not necessary imo.

[silkcut]

No

[Tryharder]

Would I send my kids to private school if someone offered to pay???? Er, yeah...

Why would you say no??!!! [confused emoticon]

[wicked]

I would, but don't have any potential benefactors on the horizon.

[janeite]

No. And I hope I wouldn't consider it for secondary either - although it is difficult to know how one might act if a situation arises, despite one's values.

[Aranea]

Well, then I suppose if the school my dc was attending seemed a bit grim, I would certainly be looking to see whether the local private schools seemed better. But I would be very cautious, because as far as I can see the culture at our local private primary schools is very precious and intense and people can lose perspective quite easily. I was keen to avoid that, but it was an easy decision for me because I love dd's school.

[Prunerz]

I'd say no because many state primaries are excellent.
Because the fees at infants stage are lower, and go up quite a bit later on - I wouldn't be sure that my benefactor could see it through to 6th form.
Because being part of the local community is important.
Because I am not sure we could afford the extras and I wouldn't lie to go cap-in-hand on a regular basis.

There are loads of reasons to say no!

[unfitmother]

No

[pointyhat]

No.

Because I only have experience of state. I know it, I'm comfortable with it, I support it. I wouldn't feel comfortable with private.

Not all hugely positive reasons, I know.

[monkeysavingexpertdotcom]

For primary, no. For secondary, yes.

[FlamingoBingo]

Nope - I'd home educate.

[Littledawley]

We send our children because someone else pays and I am very grateful.

[Quattrocento]

I think there's more merit in sending them private at primary than at secondary. I used to think that secondary was more important before having the DCs. They get into good work habits early, learn properly etc.

Give me a child until he is seven ...