Private or Public?

When choosing a school for your kids, making the right choice is essential for their future success. For most people, the choice revolves around their ability to afford a private school education. For some parents, the values or religion that a school instils is the reason they opt for private school educations, for others it’s the perception that private school educations are simply better.

Private schools are perceived to have better facilities, smaller classes and are able to develop their own curricula that may resonate with parent’s religion or values. However, a recent study by the Center on Education Policy challenges traditional perceptions about private schools. President of the Center Jack Jennings sums it up: “Contrary to popular belief, we can find no evidence that private schools actually increase student performance, instead, it appears that private schools simply have higher percentages of students who would perform well in any environment based on their previous performance and background.”

Public schools allow your child to mix with students of different abilities and backgrounds which will help them cope better socially as adults. Many public schools have excellent teachers and facilities and students who perform as well as those who attend private schools. Schools, private or public, differ vastly in quality and you should carefully investigate the options in your area.

If you are struggling with the choice between public and private schools, you may be overlooking a third option. A new trend in education is for parents to send their children to public schools and spend their money on private tuition. This enables their child to receive one-to-one guidance from trained professionals. Clubs and private coaches provide individual training to students who are athletic or musically minded. Nurturing your child’s interests and providing them with tutors will help them to succeed. Tutors can tailor programs and activities to your child’s specific needs. Tutors travel to your home so that you know your child is in a safe, secure environment.

Tutors are able to work on the foundations of your child’s learning, filling in the missing conceptual building blocks so that they can succeed. They are able to work at the right pace for your child and the familiar home environment helps to bolster student’s confidence. Tutors provide a supportive, nurturing atmosphere, free of the peer pressure and fear of failure that often accompanies classroom learning.

Tutors come to your home and fit in with your schedule, which is especially helpful for busy parents. Students can get help with assignments and homework so that they are able to keep up with their classmates. Tutors are not only for students who are struggling. Students who wish to excel can benefit from having a tutor too. They can explore their favorite subjects beyond the scope of the curriculum while challenging themselves in preparation for college.