Although there are excellent schools in the public system, parents may sometimes prefer to send their children to a private school for their primary or secondary school education. For some, this may be because specialized programs are available in the private system, or because parents value the social advantages that a private school education can bring. Either way, graduates of the private school system like Peter Benedict St Andrews are generally very strong boosters for their schools. If you are considering a private school education for your child, here are some points to consider.
Academic Excellence
One of the most important advantages that private schools can offer is the ability to attract the most skilled teachers due to their ability to remunerate talent. Private schools for the same reason are also able to be provide students with the latest technology to support their learning. For these reasons, private schools are able to attract the nation’s top students and to maintain the highest standards of academic excellence. These schools typically have academic requirements that go beyond what is possible in the public system, and tend to emphasis community service, languages, and maths. Many private schools offer the International Baccalaureate program which allows students to compete on a level playing field with students around the world seeking access to the world’s best universities.
Special Needs Education
Another major advantage of private schools is that they are better able to assist and support students who have special needs. Whether or not the entire school is dedicated to supporting special needs students, learners with ADHD, dyslexia or physical or intellectual disabilities can meet their full potential in a school that is able to provide the necessary resources to assist their learning needs.
Small Class Sizes
It is well understood that there is a connection between student performance and the one-to-one attention that a teacher is able to provide. This is not a function of the quality of the teacher, but rather of the number of students that the teacher is required to teach in the classroom. Private schools are typically able to maintain significantly lower class sizes that public schools, meaning that their teachers are able to provide more support to each student’s learning style with one-on-one time. It also allows teachers to develop more individualized assignments and remedial work because they are not overburdened with students.
Sports Programs
The sad tendency is that many public schools are being forced to scale down or even eliminate completely their music, arts and sports programs. Contrary to this, private schools are able to offer their students well-rounded programs, and many enjoy significant donor sport for their sports teams in particular. Historically, many private schools have very strong sports traditions and cultures.
None of this should be taken to mean that your child must go to a private school in order to receive a top-tier education. However, there are some clear advantages that can be realized in the private system that may be a factor in your decision about how to educate your children.
