When I first picked my kids up from private school, there was something tangible I noticed about the other kids filing out.
Confidence. Not just a cocky kind. A deep, visceral aura that made them ooze a sense of “I can do anything”. It was obvious to me because I’d spent my entire education in state school – and was even on free school meals at times. So, I’m well versed in both sides of that private school fence.
But here’s what I’ve learnt. While there are, of course, many advantages to private school – such as equipment and resources that state schools can’t afford – there are some life lessons and strengths that my kids have picked up which can be taught outside of the private sector. Here’s what I have learnt from putting my 17-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter through both the private and state systems.
Private schools are obsessed with sports. That’s why most Olympians are privately educated. Not fair? Damn right. But private schools spoon-feed the kids sports daily until they like it.
Hockey, tennis, lacrosse, football, rugby, cricket. Kids of all ages and abilities do it daily at my kids’ private school. My daughter hates PE but has actually come to like learning the rules for cricket, lacrosse and other sports. This is what gives these kids a leg up in life – the ability to do sports, chat sport rules and know about sports. As a sport-hater myself it’s alien to me. But I can see the value it has instilled in my children.
