Status Anxiety

Wednesday, 27th February 2008

I can’t afford to send my children to private school — and I’m relishing the cachet

This morning I received a letter from Norland Place, a much sought-after private school on Holland Park Avenue, informing me that my son Ludo had been awarded a place in September 2009. There was a time when this would have been a cause of rejoicing in our household, but not any more. My wife and I applied to the school a couple of years ago, back when we only had one other child. Now that we have three and are about to have another, taking up the place is unthinkable. Sending two children to private school in London is just about affordable, but four is out of the question. Ludo will have to go to the local state primary, just like Sasha, who started there last September.

Needless to say, I have now totally come round to state education and tell myself that I wouldn’t send my children to private school even if I could afford it. For one thing, it seems a colossal waste of money. The fees at Norland Place start at £3,004 per term in reception, rising to £3,792 in year four. That’s £11,376 per year. And for what? Let’s not pretend it is about education. What you are buying is bragging rights at dinner parties. The reason rich people in London move heaven and earth to get their children into exclusive private schools is because their child’s school has become a key status-indicator, along with driving a Chelsea tractor and having a summer house in Cornwall.

Such competitiveness is inevitably passed on to the children and the ‘education’ they receive at these schools consists of a crash course in how to measure the status of each other’s parents according to which ski resort they take their children to during the Christmas holidays and whether they fly out their nannies in Business Class or Economy.

You think I’m exaggerating? A friend of mine recently told me that his daughter, who is a pupil at a London day school, asked him if she could have her own private account at the taxi firm Addison Lee. Apparently, all her friends have one and she is worried that they will think she’s ‘poor’. She pointed out that it would actually be to his benefit, too. Instead of summoning him to come and pick her up from parties, she can simply call Addison Lee on her BlackBerry and order a cab.

Frankly, even if I had the money to compete at this level — and I can’t afford my own Addison Lee account — I would prefer that my children weren’t exposed to these values.

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gempop

February 28th, 2008 7:20pm Report this comment

Absolutely agre with you Toby. It's a massive misconception that private school have better, more qualified teachers. In fact, private schools are able to employ WHOEVER THEY LIKE as a teacher, regardless of qualifications. State schools do NOT have this option!

Rob Hall

February 29th, 2008 2:09pm Report this comment

As someone who experienced both types of education, state and private, I have to agree that it is waste of money. However sending your kids go to private nursery before 'big school' gives them a better chance in life as the first couple of weeks at secondary school are spent by teachers dividing school pupils up into groups by intellect (especially at secondary schools where there are more kids generally and some will learn at a faster rate than others, therefore it helps to divide kids school room classes by ability) I believe spending money on your childs education at a very early age – before secondary school is a good idea, this helps to ensure that your children are placed with the other bright kids, and we all know about people becoming products of their environment…

THX1138

March 4th, 2008 2:00pm Report this comment

Toby Why is that everyone who went to Oxford keeps feeling the need to tell the rest of us? I think from now we should call it Oxurrets Syndrome the unnecessary and or unprompted blurting out of I went to Oxford in print or any social situation. Spectator Journalists seem to be particular sufferers of this very serious and depilating condition.

Toby Young

March 4th, 2008 4:55pm Report this comment

Am I right in thinking you didn't go to Oxford?

THX1138

March 4th, 2008 7:52pm Report this comment

Toby- Your right I didn't go to Oxford. We have in joke in my family about this. One of my wife's subordinates at work told her after being passed over for promotion "but I went to Oxford" we had a good laugh but after that we started noticing it everywhere & your column was but the latest example. Please don't be offend it was meant as light hearted aside. I hope you kids get to Oxbridge & you enjoy telling everyone all about it & if you don't I'm sure they will.

Toby Young

March 5th, 2008 9:58am Report this comment

I wasn't offended. You probably have a point. In America, there's a joke that goes: How can you tell if someone is a Harvard man? Answer: You don't need to. He'll tell you within five minutes of being introduced.

thalie

March 19th, 2008 11:11pm Report this comment

hum!hum!..."state" primary ? what happened to the "C of E" part of it? ;)

Hon. Won

June 2nd, 2008 10:45pm Report this comment

Aren't you a Harvard man as well? Gee wilikers Hon. Young, why aren't you bragging about that in your columns. It's the best university in the bloody world! (according to the THES)

-- I'm a UCL and Oxford man myself.