Elephants in the room

When searching for a school for their child, parents cannot avoid bringing a certain amount of personal baggage, based on their own past experience. In this chapter, Matthew debunks some myths, including the quest for the so-called 'best school', and highlights some unhelpful distractions to avoid.

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I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't caveat their school days with a negative. It's why all parents want their children to have a better time at school than they did. A few want them to have exactly the same – and at the same institution – which is usually a risky ambition as much will have changed.

Yet despite your school days being such a short period of life, it is without doubt the most transformative. It helps shape you into the adult you will become, often making friends for life along the way. And so it's not surprising that finding the right school for your own child – and being sure of that decision – can feel remarkably difficult.

The good news is that schools today are not like those of thirty-odd years ago. They are genuinely caring and nurturing environments where children are encouraged to do their best and achieve their ambitions. So a lot of the negatives we carry around from our past are unlikely to be experienced by our children.

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Disclaimer: Independent education has a wide range of views and the use of quotations does not imply that these contributors share the same views as the author. The views and opinions of the author may also not necessarily be shared by all schools mentioned in this book. The author and publishers do not warrant, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, that the contents are error-free and shall not be liable for any loss, however arising, as a result of the information contained in this book.

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