For those who have studied at both independent (private) and state schools, what were the main differences between the two?

13 comments

1. A private school is usually selective so tends to have people who are better mannered and better educated at the start so the pace is faster.

2. I went to both. The key difference is that private schools have so much more resources.

3. The biggest class size I had in my private school 6th form was 12 people

   Much better facilities, better classrooms, sports pitches, music, extra-curricular (vaguely distressing memories of CCF and being chased around the Pentland Hills by mad teachers firing SA-80s – blanks of course – at me). Those who were applying to Oxbridge got extra classes every week. Saturday school till 4pm, Mon-Friday was 8am-9pm. Often in on Sunday. You’re busy all day, compulsory requirement to join music/extra-activities until sixth form.

   Intense hothouse – if there’s 500 people in the whole school, and maybe 80 in your third form, then you have to get on with people, or learn how to melt into the background. Very very intense social hierarchy than manifested itself often as physical bullying (boys) or psychological (mainly – though not exclusively – girls)

   People don’t like it if you’re ‘keen’ but being a dosser was frowned on, it was something only the old money lot really did whose parents had gone to the school. Teachers cared if you did well

4. Smaller class sizes. Better average behaviour of children.

5. Discipline seems to be very different leading to a much less disruptive environment. There also tends to be more support from parents who see the school as a partnership in helping form future adults.

6. I went to one that changed from state to independent *while I was there*- so in my case, no difference! I was there as a state school pupil, so I continued to be one.

   Well, basically, it’s hard to generalise absolutely, because there are lots of types of both state and private school. But obviously it is the case that, as anavergae, private schools have more money so the resources are better.

   As far as boarding goes, that is actually a minority of private schools.

7. Behaviour was better at private school. Uniform was much posher, nicer and more expensive. Started doing various subjects at a younger age than in state school.

   State school was more challenging and the bullying was worse (for me personally at least). Had some great teachers, though. The absolute best teachers I had were at state school.

8. Prep. The half hour or at the end of the day in private schools when they do the homework. Bliss as a a parent as I no longer had to nag and check, we could actually have a bit of fun. Also helped my daughter learn to work and study on her own as teacher supervised, but did not assist.
   The private school also knew who my daughter was. We moved her when her school teacher remarked’ that’s the problem with the quiet ones, they get forgotten’.

9. Some private schools are just not worth the money vs a grammar school. Having said that, I did go to a private day school which ranks in the top few schools of the country, and standards were raised accordingly. 75-80% of grades were A/* (this was before 9s) so anything below was seen as disappointing by teachers. Competitive environment but usually not against each other. Eating disorders (girls’ school), bitchy kids. Great alumni network and careers events. Great facilities. School trips to far flung places (China, Namibia, trips to Europe). ~25% of year to Oxbridge with Oxbridge help and mock interviews, a wide range of extracurricular clubs and success at sporting, musical and academic competition up to international level. Enrichment classes from Year 7 including Mandarin, Philosophy, oracy, Current Affairs… Wider range of sports inc compulsory lacrosse and choices like water polo, golf, zumba at 6th form. Prizegiving ceremonies, teachers awarded MBEs…

10. The main difference was the sense of community – state schools felt more like a big family, while independent schools were more isolated and competitive.

11. Have not been to private school, but I sit in on interview panels a couple times a year for civil service fast stream which often attracts a mix of both and the one thing that really stands out is that they’re almost always much more confident speakers for their age so do far better in the interviews and presentations.

    I don’t know if there’s a greater emphasis on skills like debate or whatever but they’re typically just far better at confidently selling themselves even when they aren’t necessarily any better in terms of academic intelligence, and this obviously gives them a much better path to quicker career advancement and high earning.

12. I attended both, I come from a very poor council estate – I can confidently say that immense wealth doesnt make you any happier or make you immune from divorce/family issues etc. If anything, it seemed to catalyse them. It certainly made some of my peers very insulated from the realities of life….eg, driving brand new Porches age 17 whereas I was waiting in the rain for the bus home.

    Also, the drug issues in the private school were absolutely off the charts from around year 11 onwards. 12 boys got expelled from my year just after our GCSEs for dealing in the hallways.

13. I went to the local comprehensive school up until my GCSEs (2005), then an independent day school for A Levels (2007).

    Obviously class sizes were smaller and facilities were better (toilets with locks on the doors and toilet paper!!!), but the biggest change was attitude. The school didn’t have to deal with all the kids that had disrupted home lives, unmet health or neurological needs, kids who desperately don’t want to be there, families who didn’t give a shit, and kids with no hope for their future. Obviously they still occur to some degree, but it doesn’t overwhelm the school culture. Because school staff didn’t have to spend all their time fighting behavioural fires and striving for basic compliance, the school could actually focus on being a school.

    Obviously this was achieved by excluding all the kids who did have those challenges, but if we funded schools and our country’s social welfare properly, the state school teachers wouldn’t have to spend so much of their time holding the classrooms together.