Fee Paying Schools

nesf

Undecided

cson wrote: »

Well this is gone a bit sidetracked.

Welcome to After Hours.

thebaz

nesf wrote: »

Honestly, I've never heard much bad stuff said about Pres or any of the other private schools in Cork. Most of the vitrol is directed at Blackrock etc. I guess it could be down to Cork being small enough that the networking advantage gained in going to a private school isn't as big versus say what would be the case in Dublin.

Why does everyone hate Blackrock, even all the other fee paying schools ?

arbeitsscheuer

thebaz wrote: »

Why does everyone hate Blackrock, even all the other fee paying schools ?

Chalk it down to personal experience.

oneeyedsnake

No

I will be eternally gratefull to my parents for sending me to a fee paying school.

stovelid

Undecided

oneeyedsnake wrote: »

I will be eternally gratefull to my parents for sending me to a fee paying school.

So private schools are full of one-eyed trou snakes?

hopalong85

No

|Cookies wrote: »

Im not saying thoes people dont exist..

i was rolling my eyes at YOU

your posts are incredibly annoying, and tbh, your just looking for some sort of a reaction. this has NOTHING to do with the original question.

I couldn't agree more. You really aren't as witty as you'd like to believe Dudess.

Glowing

Undecided

Has anyone here been to a private school, but won't send his/her kids to one?

Tigger

Glowing wrote: »

Has anyone here been to a private school, but won't send his/her kids to one?

i was kicked outa one

lol

and if i had kids no id csend then to a normal school

Dudess

If it was the Atari Jaguar school.

oneeyedsnake wrote: »

I will be eternally gratefull to my parents for sending me to a fee paying school.

Why?

beanyb

I went to a private school, and in no way do I believe that the quality of teachers in private schools is automatically better than in public schools. I had numerous disgracefully bad teachers. I had some amazing teachers too, but there were far more atrocious ones than fantastic ones with most people somewhere in the middle. I dont put the fact that I did relatively well in the LC down to the school at all. Many of my friends did well, many did not just the way it usually turns out in most public schools.

Despite this, I am glad that my parents sent me to the school that they sent me too and I would not hesitate to send my own children (if I had any) to the same school. It has nothing to do with the fact that the school is private, but because I think the school produces mainly decent people. There's more to getting an education than preparing for the Leaving Cert and I think that my school was fairly good at providing opportunities for other kinds of learning.

I think my school might the exception, rather than the rule with regard to private schools though. It's a mixed school, and despite being in a rather affluent area of south Dublin, it has students from all over the city and from various backgrounds. That was mostly due to the fact that it was a Protestant school, and therefore students with Protestant parents that couldnt afford the fees were able to get grants. I'm not saying that my school didnt produce its fair share of snobs, believe me it did. But the vast majority of us came out of that school fairly level-headed and without thinking that we were better than those who didnt attend private school.

So, basically, I would send my children to private schools. But, it would very much depend on the particular school. Some are awful, some are not. If, wherever I happen to be living whenever this particular dilemma becomes an issue for me, there happens to be a public school of a higher quality, then I would have no qualms about sending my child there either.

ian.f

A lot of people are saying that just because the child's parents have more money doesn't mean they have more of a right to have "better" facilities. People could just as easily say just because some children's parents don't have money shouldn't hold back the children of better off families.

At the end of the day a school's a school and if the child is determined enough they will do well regardless. Having said that of course people in private schools do have an advantage because in general they are surrounded by people who want to be there and apply themselves. I'm not saying these people don't exist in public schools but there are others who are the opposite also present.


I go to a fee paying school, I love it and I would definitely send my children there if I ever have any but I think it is unfair for people to judge whichever type of school they were not in. My Dad does not live with us and did not agree with me going to a private school saying it was a waste of money but having gone to his first parent teacher meeting when I was in fifth year last year his opinions changed immediately. He now loves the school and realises that the majority of his preconceptions were inaccurate and that the children, parents and attitudes there are normal people and not stuck up or full of self importance like he had imagined. Having met all the teachers and staff he is now delighted that I attend the school I do.

It still doesn't mean that he does not also support public schools, just that he can now see the benefit of both

layke

No

Lizzykins wrote: »

My kids go to a community school in South Dublin. It has an Astroturf pitch and the most up to date equipment and facilities you can ask for. And as far as I know the max in each class is 30 or so. In practical classes it's much less.
As someone else said"how will the private school kids cope in the real world when shock horror they have to mix with the rest of us!
those.
And don't think the results are any great shakes either. If you are not bookish to some extent they don't offer practical subjects like Tech Graphics or Woodwork.

I turned out just fine actually. My school offered both Tech drawing & woodwork.

JC 2K3 wrote: »

Which, from a societal perspective, is exactly what's wrong with private schools.

Firstly, how many kids are full blown scumbags at age 12? Not many tbh. Teenage years are such a crucial part of forming one's identity and what one's experience of education is and who one hangs around with during this time is going to be crucial to their personal development. Segregating kids based on their parents relative wealth disillusions kids from poorer families and makes wealthier kids selfish, self-important and pretentious(to varying extents).

and stops your child from mixing with the riffraff. Honestly, i'd prefer if my kids stayed away from Jonno the car steal0r thanks very much. If that means I don't send him/her to some ****ty community school in scobelands to get educated on street life so be it.

I mean, look at some of the responses in this thread, "Private schools offer better subject choices", for example. Better subject choices? Jesus, how pretentious can you get? We're talking about teenagers here. Since when did teenagers become important enough to be accommodated with "better subject choices"? It's the fecking LC ffs.

Yep. the LC. Only needed to get into college really, if I can get an A in woodwork or something practical where i'd fail an exam in Biology so be it.

Also, the selfishness and self importance is evident in some of the responses to this thread. For example, someone mentioned class sizes. You think that just because your parents had money that you deserve to be in a smaller class than someone who's parents didn't?

My parents NEVER had money, even today they are just only now doing ok. I was never been born with a silver spoon in my mouth I was sent to fee paying schools for a better education. I can tell you, there are no real scummers in there but there are people from all walks of life.

JC 2K3, While I agree in a prefect world segregation would be gone but this is reality my friend. How do you propose such a culture clash would exist or work?

stovelid

Undecided

layke wrote: »

and stops your child from mixing with the riffraff...Honestly, i'd prefer if my kids stayed away from Jonno the car steal0r thanks very much. If that means I don't send him/her to some ****ty community school in scobelands to get educated on street life so be it.

I always found that Johner was the preferred nom de guerre in the ""****ty community school" that I attended when I lived in the "scobelands".

Thankfully, my leaving cert and college education were the result of my own work, as opposed to some knobjockey who needed a digout from his folks.

homeOwner

No

Going to private school doesnt mean a better standard of education. Smart kids will do well in both public and private. The main advantage of private school is who you mix with and who you know later in life. It may sound snobby but you dont have to deal with johnny toe-rag from knackeragua every day.

And they teach you to speak proper

BlitzKrieg

No

I think my school might the exception, rather than the rule with regard to private schools though. It's a mixed school, and despite being in a rather affluent area of south Dublin, it has students from all over the city and from various backgrounds. That was mostly due to the fact that it was a Protestant school, and therefore students with Protestant parents that couldnt afford the fees were able to get grants. I'm not saying that my school didnt produce its fair share of snobs, believe me it did. But the vast majority of us came out of that school fairly level-headed and without thinking that we were better than those who didnt attend private school.

You wouldnt be an old columban would you?


Went to a private school, pretty much turned out fine, my only worry about them is that some of my friends havnt been able to move on from the school ties.

Of course I expect people to stay close friends with people from school, but some of my friends are tied so tightly with their friends from the boarding school that its almost tragic when they get seperated.


On the would I send my children to a private school question.

Well firstly I wouldnt send my kids to the school I went to at the moment because the current principal has run the place into the ground...so it might not be there in a couple of years. but if it improves again I might consider it, but I doubt it, what made the school unique is now pretty much dead.

Secondly its if my child wants to go or not, in my case I chose to go because I hated where I was originally meant to be going and my parents could afford it. If my child wants to go or would perfer to stay with his friends from primary school to whatever school they go to then its fine with me.

Kingdom

No

Could anyone tell me what the fees are like per year for the private schools?


Schools such as Clongowes, Rockwell, Cistercian>

Ta.

One Cold Hand

Undecided

(I haven't read this entire thread so apologies if I'm repeating whats already been said).

I will never send my child to a private school. I've gotten the 46A into town on a Saturday night and if my child ever turns out like the orange faced So Cal freaks that congregate in Donnybrook I'll hang myself. (Sorry that was an angry rant!)

On the whole 'better education' thing, I've had countless discussions with friends of mine who went to private schools and there are some terrible teachers in private schools, just as there are some great ones in public schools (and vice versa). I don't doubt that the results show that private schools have better results. So why do they have better results if the teachers are the same? It's because parents are paying for their kids to go for grinds every saturday in the Institute. This is something that the results tables don't show: the percentage of student in each school that get grinds. I'm willing to bet it's pretty high in private schools (cue some exception to the rule to come on and say 'I went to private school and never got grinds').

Going to a private school doesn't autmatically guarantee a student 600 points. If a student wants to do well he/she will, regardless of what school they go to. Likewise if a student doesn't give a sh!t about school sending them to a private school doesn't mean they will do well.

On another note, the attitude of some posters on here pretty much sum up what private schools do for students socially: 'Oh keeps them away from the scummers' and 'Don't have to mix with the riff-raff.' Do you realise that they will have to mix with people from all walks of life once they leave school? Or do you intend somehow keeping them bubble wrapped in their own little world for the rest of their lives?

I really find it hard to understand how people would justify spend 5-8k a year.

Nevyn

Hedge Schools FTW

Part of going to certain school and paying to go there is to get into the networking that goes with the school.

Be it the you will get taken for an interview for ceratain jobs or the networking amoung thier peers.

Glowing

Undecided

Thaedydal wrote: »

Part of going to certain school and paying to go there is to get into the networking that goes with the school.

Be it the you will get taken for an interview for ceratain jobs or the networking amoung thier peers.

You mean you want your kids to have posh mates?

BlitzKrieg

No

i have gotten more out of networking on boards then any networking I have done at school

Lizzykins

Undecided

I see some of the posts saying people were sent to private schools to mix with a better class of people. I have to say that in my experience some of the private school pupils I have encountered could do with a crash course in manners. I hear of parents under awful stress paying several sets of private school fees-working two and three jobs and praying to God they won't have to visit a doctor or dentist because they just don't have the money. These parents think they are doing the best thing for their kids but in reality the kids will not get 600 points if they're not capable of it. I know plenty of kids from common or garden schools who have achieved 500+ points through hard work and input from dedicated teachers.
I'm glad my kids go where they do. I couldn't ask for better and it's not a private school.

An Citeog

No

Thaedydal wrote: »

Part of going to certain school and paying to go there is to get into the networking that goes with the school.

Be it the you will get taken for an interview for ceratain jobs or the networking amoung thier peers.

That's a very valid point and one which not many people have taken into consideration in this thread.

I don't see the problem with sending your kids to fee paying schools if you can afford it. Like with public schools, the quality between each individual private school isn't uniform. A lot depends on the availability in the area you live in. If there's a public school with a good reputation nearby, by all means send your kids there. If, on the other hand, the local schools have a bad reputation or you don't believe that your child's potential will be realised, why not send them to a private school?

Grinds schools like the institute are a completely different matter and I'd never send my children to any of those.

Lizzykins

Undecided

Thaedydal wrote: »

Part of going to certain school and paying to go there is to get into the networking that goes with the school.

Be it the you will get taken for an interview for ceratain jobs or the networking amoung thier peers.

I don't know if that applies all that much in Ireland. I had a Dublin 24 address when I went for my first job in the early 80s. I got an interview and was one of about 300 recruits from 16k applications. I had a excellent Leaving Cert from a non paying school so I don't think it matters. Interviewers are looking first for results when it comes to candidates. I would sooner give an interview to a candidate who had excellent results from a school that wasn't known for high achievers.

thebaz

Kingdom wrote: »

Could anyone tell me what the fees are like per year for the private schools?


Schools such as Clongowes, Rockwell, Cistercian>

Ta.

think this thread is related to article on cost of school fees in last weeks indo --

Clongowes was about 16 k , same a Blackrock - Columbas is 20 k , and some school called Sutton park was about 23 k .

Makes my old school seam cheap , which was 4.5 k -- in answer to question i would send my kids to fee paying , if it would benefit them , thats one of my main purpose with my money (what i have ) to provide for kids -- certainly wouldn't pay the excessive fees - and would hate them to become snobs

beanyb

I imagine those figures include boarding. The ordinary day pupils wouldnt pay anything close to that. I'm open to correction on that of course, but I seriously doubt they're that expensive.

BlitzKrieg, I'm not an old Columban. My school might have been fee-paying, but it wasnt anywhere near as expensive as Columbas! It's probably gone up since I left, but I think it was around €3-4000 a year.

Scoobydoobydoo

No

beanyb wrote: »

I imagine those figures include boarding. The ordinary day pupils wouldnt pay anything close to that. I'm open to correction on that of course, but I seriously doubt they're that expensive.

BlitzKrieg, I'm not an old Columban. My school might have been fee-paying, but it wasnt anywhere near as expensive as Columbas! It's probably gone up since I left, but I think it was around €3-4000 a year.

Wesley College?

beanyb

The High School, in Rathgar.

Nevyn

Hedge Schools FTW

Lizzykins wrote: »

I don't know if that applies all that much in Ireland. I had a Dublin 24 address when I went for my first job in the early 80s. I got an interview and was one of about 300 recruits from 16k applications. I had a excellent Leaving Cert from a non paying school so I don't think it matters. Interviewers are looking first for results when it comes to candidates. I would sooner give an interview to a candidate who had excellent results from a school that wasn't known for high achievers.

There is a difference between a job, a career and certain professions.

Dudess

If it was the Atari Jaguar school.

layke wrote: »

and stops your child from mixing with the riffraff. Honestly, i'd prefer if my kids stayed away from Jonno the car steal0r thanks very much. If that means I don't send him/her to some ****ty community school in scobelands to get educated on street life so be it.

Do you honestly think that a school is guaranteed to have awful scumbags in it if it's not fee-paying? That there are private schools (meaning respectable) and scumbag-filled schools - no in between?
St Angela's, Mount Mercy, Regina Mundi, Spioraid Naomh - only four non fee-paying schools in Cork that spring to mind which are pretty much scum-free.

cson

Undecided

I'd like to point out that I'm sure some kids in fee paying schools get in trouble too, maybe do drugs or that type of thing. Would you term them scumbags too?