The best decision is rarely "state vs private" in the abstract. It is usually "this specific school vs these specific alternatives" given your child, your budget, and your daily routine.
This guide helps you compare value properly: academic outcomes, pastoral support, enrichment, and the true total cost over multiple years.
Key takeaways
- Compare specific schools, not sectors.
- Model the true total cost over multiple years.
- Benchmark private options against the best local state alternatives.
In this guide
Define what value means for your family
Value could mean outcomes, confidence, wellbeing, support for SEND, or breadth of enrichment. If you do not define this upfront, you will get pulled into comparing facilities and marketing.
Write down what you are paying for (or trading off), and what you expect to be different in day-to-day experience.
Compare outcomes fairly
Independent schools often have a different intake profile, which can influence attainment. When comparing, look for evidence of teaching quality and support systems, not just raw grades.
Benchmark against the strongest local state alternatives. In many areas, top state schools provide outstanding outcomes without the fee burden.
Model the total cost (and the opportunity cost)
Fees are only part of the cost. Uniform, trips, transport, extras, and potential fee increases matter. Also consider what fees prevent you from doing (housing, savings, activities, reduced stress).
A sustainable decision is better than a stressful one. Think in multi-year terms.
Fit and wellbeing still decide the outcome
Ask how pupils are supported when things go wrong: anxiety, friendship issues, academic gaps, behaviour. The best school is the one that consistently supports your child.
Visit, talk to parents, and compare communication styles. A good fit tends to compound over time.
A simple plan you can follow
Use this as a lightweight workflow as you shortlist, visit, and decide.
- Define your value criteria (outcomes, culture, support, enrichment, commute).
- Build a shortlist across both sectors in a realistic travel radius.
- Benchmark outcomes against strong local state options.
- Estimate total cost including extras and likely increases.
- Choose the option you can sustain with confidence.
Practical templates
Use these lists as prompts on open days and when comparing schools side-by-side.
- Total cost estimated (fees + extras + transport).
- Scholarship/bursary options and deadlines checked (if relevant).
- Outcomes benchmarked against strong local state schools.
- Pastoral and SEND support assessed in both sectors.
- Commute and time impact assessed for the daily routine.
- What are typical class sizes by year group?
- What extra costs are most common beyond fees?
- How do you support pupils who fall behind or need extension?
- What does pastoral care look like day-to-day?
- What bursaries/scholarships exist and what evidence is needed?
- Comparing facilities rather than support, outcomes, and fit.
- Underestimating ongoing costs and fee inflation.
- Not benchmarking against the best local state schools.
- Ignoring commute and time costs.
Use this with Schoolboard
Turn the guide into a shortlist you can compare on the map and school pages.
- Use Schoolboard to identify the best state alternatives as a benchmark.
- Map commute feasibility for all options, not just the favourite.
- Compare performance and context to reduce decision bias.