m currently undecided about whether to continue the family tradition of private education, or to send my children to a good state school where they can mix with children from a wide variety of backgrounds. Both my parents were privately educated, and so it was natural that all five of their children followed. I always appreciated how fortunate I was to have access to such opportunities, and I made the most of them. My education has certainly played a significant role in where I am today at 38.
With the recent closures of some independent schools, I’m beginning to question whether private education is the right path for my boys. They are still young our eldest is eight, and the twins are four but like most parents my husband and I want to give them the best start in life and the best education we can.
We have several good private schools nearby, though I’m not entirely sure they represent the best option at the moment. We are also considering boarding schools such as Harrow, which I imagine are less likely to be affected by VAT changes in the near future. My nephews are there and thriving, and my brother and his wife are able to manage the fees without parental assistance.
My parents have kindly offered to help with the costs of Harrow if we do decide to send all our boys there. We can just about afford to send our eldest there without my parents help but by the time the twins are ready we might need a little help. I’ve sought a range of views on Mumsnet because part of me wants my children to have access to the very best education available, while another part values the benefits of a more diverse social environment. I want them to grow into capable, confident, and well rounded young men.
My husbands friend said the difference between private and state school is massive and we should just send our boys to private school if we can. Then a few of my friends are 100% against private schools regardless of whether they can afford it or not. They think I’m evil for wanting to send them to Harrow.