Dave The problem isn't the primary schools, it's the secondary schools, so send your child to the local primary school. He'll be fine. If when he's 10 you don't like the look of the secondary schools on offer, then you have to make a decision Myself and several other parents found that our kids at age 10 were disadvantaged to the extent that if we did want them to go to a fee paying school, then they'd have to sit entrance exams. The only advantage of private primary schools is that they coach kids to be able to sit those exams, whereas state schools do not. This was easily overcome with a couple of dozen private lessons from various tutors. My son and at least half a dozen of his friends from Cavendish Road did this and they all sailed through the exams and got places at MGS, William Hulme, Stockport, Cheadle and so on. Private primary schools don't really serve any purpose other than getting kids used to entrance exams. And they put up unnecessary barriers between kids at an age when they need to learn to mix. Snob factories. We all went the fee paying route for secondary schools because we were barred from Parrs Wood and there was no decent local alternative. We were offered Ducie or Cedar Mount - poor schools and impossible to get to from Didsbury for an 11 year old on the bus. But I have to say that it has been the best investment of my life. MGS is a wonderful school. Brilliant atmosphere, no trace of snobbery, huge emphasis on academic pursuits and making kids feel good about themselves. They produce exceptionally well educated, well balanced, happy kids. What pisses me off is that I do not see why state schools can't be that good too. Obviously they won't be so academic because MGS can cherry pick brainy kids, but they should still be able to offer the same quality of schooling, and produce well-rounded kids in the same numbers. And just from the faxct that all our local state comprehensives fall below national averages tells us that they don't. I don't know why, but something is wrong there. All kids deserve the best start in life. I hope you get that chance with your kids without having to pay. But if necessary, then you only have one option , you get the best you can for your son, because he's your son and he matters more than political correctness

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