What to do if your child doesn’t get into their school of choice

don't let a private school rejection get you down ... photo by CC user visual_dichotomy on Flickr

Photo by CC user visual_dichotomy on Flickr

The past generation has seen competition for jobs and valued careers increase significantly, which is a fact that makes a private school rejection all the more troubling to parents. In a bid to put their children in the best possible position to claim these scarce positions, applications for placements in private schools has exploded in recent years.

All parents think their children are inherently gifted, and as such, they are mortified to learn that their offspring would be rejected from any private school. Nonetheless, this sort of thing happens to deserving applicants all the time; if you find yourself in this situation, there are a number of things you can do to make things right.

Below, we list options available to you, sorted in order of urgency…

Challenge a private school rejection ruling promptly

Not all successful applicants to private schools actually end up taking their seat; having said this, that number of students is a fairly small one, so it is essential that you act as quickly as possible when appealing a rejection notice from your school of choice.

It might be tempting to sulk about how the upper classes have rigged the system against you and to prattle on about other half-baked conspiracy theories that will do nothing to improve your situation, but don’t give in: time is of the essence, and you must act immediately if your child is to get in to a private school this year.

In order to maximize your chance of having a successful appeal, it might be well worth your while to hire a solicitor with experience in these matters. You might not realize it, but there are people across the United Kingdom that obtain legal representation each and every year to ensure that their progeny has every opportunity to get the best education they deserve.

Make haste in gathering the evidence that will make building a case in your child’s favor an easy task, then pick up the phone and call a law firm that has experience in appealing private school rejections.

Assume responsibility for your child’s education

If the schools in your corner of the country lack the sort of academic rigor that you believe your child needs in order to compete in the employment markets of the 21st century, then your next step may involve educating them from the comfort of your own home.

Homeschooling is an intimidating process, and it is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. If you do not feel that you are up to the task, there are plenty of full-time tutors that are fully capable of giving your offspring the education that they need and deserve.

Take your time doing your research, as there are fraudulent operators in the educational tutor industry, but most fully dedicated to their life’s calling.

With the one-on-one attention that a freelance teacher can grant your child, it will be a level of schooling that surpasses anything that most state schools provide their perpetually distracted classes

Have your child go to public school, but hire a tutor for supplementary lessons

While some schools may not meet muster when it comes to your requirements, most are adequate when it comes to basic subjects.

If this is the case with the schools near you, try not to overthink the situation, as the public system is filled with teachers that do the best they can with the limited resources they have at their disposal

At the same time, that may not be enough to give your child the edge that you think they need, so when it comes to critical subjects where they ought to be excelling, hiring a part-time tutor will be just the thing that will help them get the grades that will keep them on track for success.

Try again next year

In concert with the last point, having your child attain top-notch grades in public school will be bolster their case when it comes time to apply for private school in the years that follow.

If your child wasn’t that far from making the cut last time, an increase in their average grades by a small percentage might be the leverage they need to make it into the school of their dreams 12 months from now, thereby making this current private school rejection crisis a distant memory.