Another Posh School Place!

My son has been offered another place at a local prep school which has a less demanding curriculum the one we viewed last week! We haven't even seen this school but I have spoken to the registrar and told her where my son is on the 'brain scale' if you see what I mean and she said there is absolutely no problem there and offered a place for September.

There is of course a rub.

The down side of this other school is the cost factor. It will be massively more expensive for us an over the next two year means an extra cost of £7,600 ($15,066 to my American friends). There are pros and cons of both schools of course (always are).

The pros of the academic school are the cheaper cost, the fantastic rugby team (my son's favourite sport), the walking distance from our house, the stronger likelihood that our son may gain some sort of academic award to help with senior award and the children here mostly go on to the two schools where we are considering. The cons of this school are the high academic standards and is it too pushy? Is it a hothouse? My neighbour's daughter goes there and is very happy but I know she has high standards and expectations. The other cons are that is a work hard, play hard kind of place. My son is not sure if he really wants this school but his taster day will decide his fate there.

The pros and cons of the other school are of course the price of the termly fees. I suspect that the more wealthy parents would send their sons (it was a boys school until 3 years ago and my son's class will be predominately boys if not all boys) and daughters to this school. We are not in this league and will our son feel comfortable with these sorts of children? The sports side of it is not as good and the teams not as strong. This school is further away but still managable if our son wants to ride his bike or if we still want to take the car on those rainy days. I will still have to rely on my pain levels again won't I? The other con is this school is a prep feeder school to a particular Public school; (Public school to my American friends is not public as in everyone goes there but as in very elite Private School) We have looked on the net at this Public school and my son has decided it looks like HOGWARTS! He does not want to go there and so most of his counterparts would be going onto different schools to him, unless he changes his mind of course. The funny thing is that my cousin's children have all boarded at that 'Hogwartsesque' school. We certainly would not expect our son to board. It's close enough to get there daily but I cannot believe I am thinking about my son considering THREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS which is what we are talking about now? I have to thank my parents and the bank manager who will be paying for are kids education.
So now the pros. It offers a more all round education with children with a more broad academic mix. This school only has 50% of it's pupils gaining scholarships over the other school's 75% and we are not looking at that. .......But actually my son is capable if gaining some sort of assistance for his rugby talents and has more of a chance at school number one. (Oh that's a con then?) This school though takes the top two years to the senior school once a week to use the design tech facilities and they get to enjoy what that has in store. They also put on a major drama production once a year over the other school's once every other year. My son's eyes shone when he read he could be an 'electrician' on set with this school as he fancies copying his dad! This second school has better facilities all around on site whereas the other school has to bus the kids off site. It's not major issues but simple ones. The second school though offers an all round education or seems, It is a lot to pay for a 'nicer' education though!!! We are going to view this school this week and then we have the choice of both should my son gain his place at the more academic school. That first school is also going to use certain facilities of it's big 'brother school although some of it's pupils choose to go to less scholastic establishments. .......Glad I have this blog so that I can ramble on about my inner thoughts. I now so many people have many more serious issues to contemplate and this is tivial to you. My kids and their education is vital to me. I would love to give them something I never had and so would my husband, and we are prepared to do whatever it takes and are now reaching those financial complications of our decisions.

Tightening our belt is the next step.