Would you send your child to a private school?

January 16

Here comes the sleet. 😢 Pishing doon.

January 16

1 minute ago, ri Alban said:

At what age. I'm not arguing about adulthood. Kids look down each other noses.

I was around 30 when Instarted as a mature student, so the poshos were anywhere between 19 and 25. Strangely, what I found was that the posher they were, the more likely they were to be sound. For example, the son of some landed gentry would be a much more accepting person than the son of some whiz London city trader. There were exceptions, obviously.

January 16

4 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Here comes the sleet. 😢 Pishing doon.

I'm in Paisley thos morning, ausseh. Still patches of bue sky here. 👍

January 16

1 minute ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

I'm in Paisley thos morning, ausseh. Still patches of bue sky here. 👍

Stevenston the noo. Morning bud 👍

Edited January 16 by ri Alban

January 16

2 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

I'm in Paisley thos morning, ausseh. Still patches of bue sky here. 👍

Are you on a poverty safari? :cheese:

January 16

50 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

I was around 30 when Instarted as a mature student, so the poshos were anywhere between 19 and 25. Strangely, what I found was that the posher they were, the more likely they were to be sound. For example, the son of some landed gentry would be a much more accepting person than the son of some whiz London city trader. There were exceptions, obviously.

There’s a woman I know, girl when I first knew her who always seemed very posh but that was just down to her accent and nothing more. Then as I got to know her better discover she went to Gordounston before ECA. And shortly after discovered her dad was the Earl Of Glasgow and she was a Right Honourable and her slightly eccentric stoner brother was Viscount Kelburn. Lovely girl got on with everyone and was quite happy working as a barmaid at my work.

Edited January 16 by Tazio

January 16

42 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

Are you on a poverty safari?

:lol:

C'mon now.

January 16

9 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

C'mon now.

January 16

5 hours ago, Spellczech said:

Wasn't aware I was blaming you. It is simply that very few people in Scotland speak Gaelic

That's hardly their fault either.

January 16

Private schooling is something me and Mrs Ribble have discussed since becoming parents last year, She's very much against them and has the public school is for tories attitude, i'm more open minded about it and if we found ourselves in the situation where the school our son is in the catchment area for was poor then it's something we'd explore, either private or a way to get him into a better school outside our catchment area (My parents made a similar decision when I was moving to high school as Greenhall High in Gorebridge closed the summer I was moving to High School and we opted out of going to Newbattle with my parents joining many others from Gorebridge in paying for a private bus to take us to lasswade instead).

My biggest concern over private (cost aside) would be location, we're in Dunfermline so going private somewhere in Edinburgh would add a considerable commute not to mention the reduced ability for our son to hang around with school friends outside of school. So as things stand our son will go to a public school (brand new high school campus being built right up the road) but should circumstances change I wouldn't rule out going private if we felt it gave the best chance to our son.

January 16

22 minutes ago, Ribble said:

Private schooling is something me and Mrs Ribble have discussed since becoming parents last year, She's very much against them and has the public school is for tories attitude, i'm more open minded about it and if we found ourselves in the situation where the school our son is in the catchment area for was poor then it's something we'd explore, either private or a way to get him into a better school outside our catchment area (My parents made a similar decision when I was moving to high school as Greenhall High in Gorebridge closed the summer I was moving to High School and we opted out of going to Newbattle with my parents joining many others from Gorebridge in paying for a private bus to take us to lasswade instead).

My biggest concern over private (cost aside) would be location, we're in Dunfermline so going private somewhere in Edinburgh would add a considerable commute not to mention the reduced ability for our son to hang around with school friends outside of school. So as things stand our son will go to a public school (brand new high school campus being built right up the road) but should circumstances change I wouldn't rule out going private if we felt it gave the best chance to our son.

We did a similar thing with our son, QES in Kirkby Lonsdale was a much better school than the one he was meant to go to, it cost about a grand a year but it was money well spent.

January 16

5 hours ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

I'd have ****ing hated it as a teenager, I must admit, when I had little or no confidence, little or no academic drive as a consequence, and an enormous council-scheme chip on my sholder.

Spot on, ausseh.

See, this is where we disagree. I went back into education as a poor man with reasonable intelligence, a bit of knowhow, a wealth of ife experience, and more drive than was probably healthy. The poshos couldn't have been more encouraging and helpful. What I had mistaken for arrogance was confidence - a 'can do' attitude that me and a load of my mates could've done with a slice of all those years ago. I made some good friends amongst the minor landed gentry, and although I'll never be 'one of them', they'll never been one of me either, and that's no bad thing. My experiences are far from unique, there were quite a few of us schemies mixing it up with the rahs, and don't get me started about the bursds. They love a peasant.

Now there is definately a glass ceiling for us common folks, but it's a lot higher than you might imagine it to be, and it's certainly not unbreakable.

Quite , I’m state school, full grant at university and my wife is from single parent family council estate.

We were completely accepted , as were our kids .

The “wealthy” accept you for your ability and drive.

The rest is inconsequential to them.

The prejudice is in the lower classes, it’s the chip on the shoulder brigades that have the issue .

As if your advantage is unearned , when it is anything but.

January 16

56 minutes ago, Ribble said:

Private schooling is something me and Mrs Ribble have discussed since becoming parents last year, She's very much against them and has the public school is for tories attitude, i'm more open minded about it and if we found ourselves in the situation where the school our son is in the catchment area for was poor then it's something we'd explore, either private or a way to get him into a better school outside our catchment area (My parents made a similar decision when I was moving to high school as Greenhall High in Gorebridge closed the summer I was moving to High School and we opted out of going to Newbattle with my parents joining many others from Gorebridge in paying for a private bus to take us to lasswade instead).

My biggest concern over private (cost aside) would be location, we're in Dunfermline so going private somewhere in Edinburgh would add a considerable commute not to mention the reduced ability for our son to hang around with school friends outside of school. So as things stand our son will go to a public school (brand new high school campus being built right up the road) but should circumstances change I wouldn't rule out going private if we felt it gave the best chance to our son.

We’re in Crossgates and come under the Cowdenbeath area hence why my daughter attends Beath High 🙄. From what I can gather the Dunfermline High Schools aren’t too bad so you might be ok, and of course you’ve got the new super school being built. A friend of mine has just pulled her daughter out of inverkeithing High and is about to send her to South Queensferry High. That would be around 20 mins on a train from Dunfermline town and a 5 minute walk from Dalmeny to the school so possibly another option for you. Nearest private school would be Dollar academy I think - a kid from my son’s class at Crossgates has just left to go there. Unfortunately I can’t comment on how good or bad it is but it’s only about 15/20 mins drive outside Dunfermline.

January 16

On 15/01/2024 at 12:34, il Duce McTarkin said:

Away and fling shite at yersel, jamsey.

You'll be back on the dark side before the month is out.

January 16

On 14/01/2024 at 20:13, Spellczech said:

It's a bit mad isn't it? Apparently the figure is 50k can speak it another 100k can understand it. Yet there is BBC Alba...and every emergency vehicle has decals in Gaelic... I wonder if it is just for the tourists to take photos of them, for quaintness purposes?

Gaelic was once the principle language of most of Scotland

It was outlawed by the (English) crown held by James I in 1616 and further suppressed in the 18th century

Colonised states always suffer suppression and marginalisation of their language and culture

https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2021/07/04/paper-two-the-determinants-of-independence/

Why shouldn't native Gaelic speakers in their own native land have their own language on signs/emergency vehicles and the like alongside the externally imposed language?

January 16

On 15/01/2024 at 10:38, Spellczech said:

Yep, afraid I have no idea what that means - I can just about manage Poileas if it is written on a police car...

Not literally but loosely has a meaning akin to "out of sight out of mind"

January 16

1 hour ago, The_razors_edge said:

We’re in Crossgates and come under the Cowdenbeath area hence why my daughter attends Beath High 🙄. From what I can gather the Dunfermline High Schools aren’t too bad so you might be ok, and of course you’ve got the new super school being built. A friend of mine has just pulled her daughter out of inverkeithing High and is about to send her to South Queensferry High. That would be around 20 mins on a train from Dunfermline town and a 5 minute walk from Dalmeny to the school so possibly another option for you. Nearest private school would be Dollar academy I think - a kid from my son’s class at Crossgates has just left to go there. Unfortunately I can’t comment on how good or bad it is but it’s only about 15/20 mins drive outside Dunfermline.

Cheers, we're a while away from making any kind of decision, by the time the wee man goes to high school the new super school will be the best part of a decade old, he'll go to Duloch Primary and yeah i'd looked and seen that Dollar Academy was probably the closest, we'd only consider it if we knew there were other kids in the area going there too, wouldn't put him into the situation that he'd have no school pals living anywhere near him.

January 16

5 hours ago, Ulysses said:

That's hardly their fault either.

Where is this fascination with blame coming from?

January 16

2 hours ago, AyrJambo said:

Gaelic was once the principle language of most of Scotland

It was outlawed by the (English) crown held by James I in 1616 and further suppressed in the 18th century

Colonised states always suffer suppression and marginalisation of their language and culture

https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com/2021/07/04/paper-two-the-determinants-of-independence/

Why shouldn't native Gaelic speakers in their own native land have their own language on signs/emergency vehicles and the like alongside the externally imposed language?

How's your Gaelic?

Gaelic was already in retreat to just the Highlands and Islands well before James Sixth & First became king, being supplanted by Lowland Scots. James suppressed it further in order to try to gain greater control over those areas of his country that he didn't have so much control over - the same Highlands and Islands, where the Clan chiefs were still in charge and Catholicism and Gaelic were not 2 of James' favourite things...

Even at the time of Bruce Gaelic was retreating. Bruce apparently spoke Anglo Norman, Gaelic, Latin, Scots, and probably Middle English.

January 16

5 hours ago, Spellczech said:

Where is this fascination with blame coming from?

You, as it happens. It's possible you can't see that, but it is.

January 16

7 hours ago, AyrJambo said:

Not literally but loosely has a meaning akin to "out of sight out of mind"

Indeed. More literally, it means "the thing which goes far from the eye will go far from the heart".

January 17

10 hours ago, Ulysses said:

You, as it happens. It's possible you can't see that, but it is.

Now you've totally lost me... Let's end this one.

January 17

2 hours ago, Spellczech said:

Now you've totally lost me... Let's end this one.

It's hardly my fault if you're lost, just as it's hardly the fault of people if they understand a language that you don't.

As you say, let's end this one.

January 17

On 12/01/2024 at 11:52, New Town Loafer said:

Private schools are a very divisive issue. For many parents with access to money they are a legitimate means of providing a great education for their children, not just academically but in terms of physical education, musical opportunities etc.

For others, wealthy or not, they represent much of what is wrong with historic and contemporary British society and serve to prolong the class divide that exists today. They can also foster an entitled, arrogant attitude in the attendees. Additionally, the concept that an education is something that can be bought does not sit well with many.

Growing up, I was educated at local state comprehensives, private boarding schools and international schools, so got the full schooling experience.

So, if money was no object would you send your children to a private school? If so, why? If no, why not?

I absolutely would. I can't afford to but even if I can get them a shmcholarship, I'd prefer them to go there.

Nowhere is without problems and private schools are no exceptions but I have 3 friends who are teachers in public school. All have been assaulted at some point by a student. All of them have (on multiple ocasions) had pupils destroy class rooms, throw tables and chairs at other students and one even set fire to girls hair only to be back in the school ready to do it all again the next week.

Add to that the fact that public schools use the dire curriculum for excellence and the fact that Scotland his scary illiteracy rate and you very quickly realise that it is not an environment that kids want to be in. Not to mention the shift on focus from reading, writing, arithmetic and sciences to social equality, diversity and racial injustice.

This is further evidenced by how poorly Scottish students are doing at university level and the issues that are seen trying to get apprentices through their qualifications when they can barely read what the qualification is called.

Kids are leaving high school unable to read or write, never mind consider how compound intrest can work for or against them. But they can tell you 50 different types of gender.

Unless the focus shifts back to what school should be, your priorities should be trying to get them a scholarship or moving down south.

Edited January 17 by bobby bombscare

January 17

33 minutes ago, bobby bombscare said:

This is further evidenced by how poorly Scottish students are doing at university level and the issues that are seen trying to get apprentices through their qualifications when they can barely read what the qualification is called.

That's something I noticed at my previous company, we had a finance grad scheme that had the first year based up here before moving to the HQ in London, the grad scheme was seen as one of the top 10 in the country for finance/business grads so required exceptional results at Uni to get in, with those that did often posting the top exam marks in the UK for ACCA or CIMA exams. In just over a decade I can only recall 1 or 2 scottish grads coming through the scheme.

January 17

13 hours ago, Ulysses said:

Indeed. More literally, it means "the thing which goes far from the eye will go far from the heart".

Just a wee bit at odds with 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'.

I do like these contradictory aphorisms :lol:

January 17

9 minutes ago, Ribble said:

That's something I noticed at my previous company, we had a finance grad scheme that had the first year based up here before moving to the HQ in London, the grad scheme was seen as one of the top 10 in the country for finance/business grads so required exceptional results at Uni to get in, with those that did often posting the top exam marks in the UK for ACCA or CIMA exams. In just over a decade I can only recall 1 or 2 scottish grads coming through the scheme.

A Levels prepare people for university better than Highers I’d say. My ex wife went through Secondary education in England and the level of learning in A Levels especially maths and science was a level above anything I’d learned at school.

January 17

53 minutes ago, Tazio said:

A Levels prepare people for university better than Highers I’d say. My ex wife went through Secondary education in England and the level of learning in A Levels especially maths and science was a level above anything I’d learned at school.

I'm not to sure about that.

My two eldest went from primary One to University degrees in England.

I always thought their Maths O levels and A levels had more Arithmetic in them than pure Maths.

January 17

1 hour ago, Boof said:

Just a wee bit at odds with 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'.

I do like these contradictory aphorisms

Irish and Scottish culture don't do positivity all that well. :laugh:

There's a couple of sayings in Irish which might be relevant to a thread about schooling (and by extension parenting).

The Irish-language version of "like father like son" is "cad a dhéanfadh mac an chait ach luch a mharú?". That literally means "what would the cat's son do except kill a mouse?"

The other is the very simple "an rud a chíonn an leanbh is é an rud a níonn an leanbh", which means "what the child sees, the child does".

Edited January 17 by Ulysses

January 17

On 16/01/2024 at 05:43, i wish jj was my dad said:

A good education might help you work that out.

:sadrobbo:

This post has confused me, JJ.

Are you with me, or against me?

January 17

4 hours ago, Tazio said:

A Levels prepare people for university better than Highers I’d say. My ex wife went through Secondary education in England and the level of learning in A Levels especially maths and science was a level above anything I’d learned at school.

I lived in England for 18 months in the mid nineties and my teachers had the opposite view. They were full of praise for the Scottish education system and said it was better than theirs. Granted that was almost 30 years ago so times may have changed.

January 17

3 hours ago, Morgan said:

This post has confused me, JJ.

Are you with me, or against me?

It was very early so apologies.

If sensible chaps like yourself can't work out whether the saltire is indeed a flag then maybe we all need a posh education after all?

January 17

I stay a few minutes away from Edinburgh Academy and my son goes to the local cooncil school. From my observations a hell of a lot of the pupils are stuck up entitled twats, just saying. I can understand parents sending a child to private school when the local school is crap but no way should they get charity status. I worked in the civil service beside a lot of ex George Watson pupils. Many told me they went to George Watsons a few years before sitting O levels as they had a better chance of getting the 5 O levels to enter CS as an AO. The guys and girls from GW were great workmates and not stuck up in the least.

January 17

13 minutes ago, Bonnie Prince Charlie said:

I stay a few minutes away from Edinburgh Academy and my son goes to the local cooncil school. From my observations a hell of a lot of the pupils are stuck up entitled twats, just saying. I can understand parents sending a child to private school when the local school is crap but no way should they get charity status. I worked in the civil service beside a lot of ex George Watson pupils. Many told me they went to George Watsons a few years before sitting O levels as they had a better chance of getting the 5 O levels to enter CS as an AO. The guys and girls from GW were great workmates and not stuck up in the least.

George Watsons would probably be where I send the offspring for secondary education if I come in to a bit of cash and they continue to show early promise. It's just down the road, and has a relatively high percentage of schemie trash in attendance in comparison to many other fee-paying establishments, so my boys wouldn't be too out of place. George Heriots would be the other option.

January 17

19 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

George Watsons would probably be where I send the offspring for secondary education if I come in to a bit of cash and they continue to show early promise. It's just down the road, and has a relatively high percentage of schemie trash in attendance in comparison to many other fee-paying establishments, so my boys wouldn't be too out of place. George Heriots would be the other option.

Watsons is for scum , uncle Jeffros would provide a better education .. 😉

January 17

5 minutes ago, Jeffros Furios said:

......uncle Jeffros would provide a better education .. 😉

That doesn’t sound inappropriate at all😅

January 17

January 17

19 minutes ago, Jeffros Furios said:

Watsons is for scum , uncle Jeffros would provide a better education .. 😉

:sadrobbo:

In traditional Hearts songs and casual racism, maybe.

12 minutes ago, Dawnrazor said:

That doesn’t sound inappropriate at all😅

I'll take my laddies round at the weekend to boot **** out of uncle Jeffros, and he knows it.

January 17

12 minutes ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

Amusing though that aphorism is, it's patently shite.

January 17

2 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

Amusing though that aphorism is, it's patently shite.

I know . It doesn’t really make sense but sounds interesting

January 17

3 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

Amusing though that aphorism is, it's patently shite.

Yep.

January 17

5 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

I'll take my laddies round at the weekend to boot **** out of uncle Jeffros, and he knows it.

I should think so.

January 17

11 minutes ago, Dawnrazor said:

I should think so.

He was a top henchman once upon a time, Dawn'. Ruthless and capable.

Time is a cruel mistress.

January 17

19 minutes ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

I know . It doesn’t really make sense but sounds interesting

Wilde was excellent at sounding interesting.

Edited January 17 by il Duce McTarkin

January 17

14 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

He was a top henchman once upon a time, Dawn'. Ruthless and capable.

Time is a cruel mistress.

Tempus fugit Guv, tempus fugit 😞

January 17

1 hour ago, i wish jj was my dad said:

It was very early so apologies.

If sensible chaps like yourself can't work out whether the saltire is indeed a flag then maybe we all need a posh education after all?

No apology necessary, JJ.

Perhaps I read into things too deeply nowadays. :sad:

1 hour ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

George Watsons would probably be where I send the offspring for secondary education if I come in to a bit of cash and they continue to show early promise. It's just down the road, and has a relatively high percentage of schemie trash in attendance in comparison to many other fee-paying establishments, so my boys wouldn't be too out of place. George Heriots would be the other option.

:pleasing:

January 17

13 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

Wilde was excellent at sounding interesting.

He wasn't all that bright though was he.

Here Oscar, see that bumming is still punishable by jail?

Yeah I saw that, anyway I'll see you later I'm heading out

What are you up to?

Oh, just a bit of bumming.

January 17

1 hour ago, Jeffros Furios said:

Watsons is for scum , uncle Jeffros would provide a better education .. 😉

I have friends who send their kids to Watsons - not particularly well off but they make that their spending priority - only one person here worthy of the description - scum

January 17

1 minute ago, robroy1874 said:

I have friends who send their kids to Watsons - not particularly well off but they make that their spending priority - only one person here worthy of the description - scum

:rofl:

January 17

4 minutes ago, il Duce McTarkin said:

Please clear your inbox, Tark.

👍

Would you send your child to a private school?

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