Swansea Life
‘Best for your child... The
best from your child’
big
education debate
A co-educational primary school
taking pupils from 2-11 years
School uniformS are
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Small class sizes
out of the cloSet for
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Separate nursery department
another term and many
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Dining facilities
“For me, it was never a difficult choice. I never even with full-time education, be it in school, college
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Computer Suite
considered sending my daughter to a private school,” or higher education. Although there are no official parentS will again be
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says Dominic Woolf. His choice is based on a simple figures available for independent schools, the figure,
Family atmosphere fact – he has never met “anyone who has been to according to teachers, almost touches 100%.
pondering their choice
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Positive attitude towards learning
a private school who has had something better or
different.” Sending his daughter to the state-run
Many parents, however, are not concerned about
of School for their
Open Day 22nd October
Waunarlwydd Primary, whose staff he considers to
figures alone. “Whether a student wants to go in for
children. SakShi ojha
be “excellent,” might have been an easy choice for
higher education or find employment depends on an
Further details from Dominic, but not all parents share his conviction. individual’s choice,” feels Nicky Daniels. “Perhaps in
lookS at the meritS of
R.Ferriman - Headteacher
private schools, they are pushed more towards higher
Swansea boasts of several independent and state education,” he adds.
StateS verSuS private
Oakleigh House School
primary and secondary schools that parents can
SchoolS.
choose from. In addition, there are also special
He is happy sending his son to Bishop Gore School
38, Penlan Crescent,
schools and Welsh language schools. Out of these,
as he is satisfied with their quality of education. “In
choosing the best match for your child can often be
my opinion, there is not a lot of difference in the
Swansea SA2 0RL a tough call. outcome between students who go to private vs.
She concedes that the cost of sending children to
state schools. The main difference is that in private
private schools is high, but feels as parents, it is
Tel: 01792 298537 Nicki Parton, whose son and daughter attend Sketty schools, students are not in touch with reality, they
needed to “prioritise where we want to spend our
info@oakleighhouseschool.co.uk
Primary, another state funded school, feels the cost are unaware of the real world.”
money.”
of education is an important deciding factor. “Sending
www.oakleighhouseschool.co.uk kids to a private school is not cheap.” Unlike Dominic,
However, for Rachel Palmer, whose children attend
Parents of an 18-year-old who attends Ffynone
Nicki believes that there is a difference between
the independent Ffynone House School, having a
House School echo similar merits of private schools
independent and state schools. “I do believe that
small class size and the idea of a close-knit school
over state run schools. Sarah Thomas-James and
EXCELLENCE IN
there is a difference in the quality of education – for
was “very appealing.” She firmly believes that the
Rupert Thomas-James feel that there are many good
ENDEAVOUR AND ACHIEVEMENT
instance, sixth form students going to private schools
independent school system “encourages children to
schools in the area and that it is a personal choice for
get better grades,” she says.
do their best. They are treated as individuals and get
the parents to opt for one or the other.
staff support as opposed to state schools where a
Sending children to a private school can cost lot of children get lost in the system and slip through
“We opted for a private school as it ensured that our
anywhere between £1,240 – £2,810 per term, the net.”
son got a great family unit. Children are encouraged
to do their best not just academically, but in
‘Where Individuals Matter’
depending on primary or secondary school education.
For most parents, these costs are high and
Another disadvantage of state schools, according
everything else as well. They are encouraged to grow,
unaffordable.
to her, is that only the brightest are given the most
and at the same time are polite and well-rounded,”
opportunities. “In a big state school, you have got
says Sarah. The most alluring quality about the private
Another parent who shares Nicki’s woes about the to be the best only to make it to any
school that her son attends is that the school has
steep cost of private education is Nicola Williams. school-level teams, be it sports or
“embraced the idea of innovation and the balance
“I can’t afford private school fees and it is rather drama. It is a shame that we don’t
between tradition and modernity.” This,
Helping your child achieve
convenient to send my kids to a state school, as have the same facilities for state
according to her, is quite unique.
it is so close to home,” she says about Cwmbwrla education as we do for private
their full potential
Primary, which her children attend. Although Nicola schools.”
The debate on the merits of private
is not associated with a private school, she expects
versus state schools is not likely to have
a clear winner. In the meantime, parents
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Consistently excellent GCSE & A Level Results
them to have “smaller classes and more one-on-
one interaction between students and staff.” This,
are choosing one over the other by
considering various parameters
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Small class sizes – individual attention and support
according to her, can offer children a “better
chance of an education.”
and opting for the one that
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seems to be the best option
Central Swansea location. Private transport avail-
for their children.
able from the surrounding area
Surveys conducted by the Local Education
Authority in 2008 show that after year 13,
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Estyn Inspection (2006) (The School is) “a happy,
almost 76.5% of students from state schools
in the City and County of Swansea continue
ordered, and considerate community. Pupils and
students feel safe and well supported in the school”
Ffynone House School
Secondary and sixth form education
36, St James’ Crescent, Swansea SA1 6DR
Tel: 01792 464967
info@f_fynonehouseschool.co.uk
www.f_fynonehouseschool.co.uk
EXCELLENCE IN ENDEAVOUR AND ACHIEVEMENT
swansealife September 2009 11
education.indd 11 25/08/2009 09:27:37
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