All conscientious parents want the best possible education for their children. When Kwame Mainu arrived in England in the summer of 1994, he was anxious to find a good school for his thirteen-year-old daughter, Akosua. Akosua had had a varied school experience up to that point. She had started school in England when her father was studying at the University of Warwick, but for the last one or two years she had been a student at a private girls’ school in Kumasi, Ghana, run by the Catholic Church. Kwame consulted his friend Tom Arthur about finding a new school for Akosua in the Coventry area.

“She went to a girls’ secondary school in Ghana,” he told Tom.

‘Do you want a girls’ school here?’

That is what I would prefer.

‘According to the yellow pages, there is only one public school for girls around here and you are not in the catchment area.’

What is the alternative?

There are two independent schools: one in Leamington and one in Warwick.

‘You pay fees for that, don’t you?’

‘That’s how it is.’

‘Well, I was paying fees in Ghana.’

‘Here the rates will be much higher.’

‘I don’t care if the education is good.’

Then I’ll call them and ask them to send out flyers.

This conversation raised several important issues that most parents need to consider. The first is that there are many good public secondary schools in England, but to access them you need to live in the right area. Parents outside the proscribed catchment area may consider moving to a house that is more favorably located, but understandably such houses command a higher price. Parents who are willing to make a financial sacrifice that preserves their capital, follow this path.

Private sector schools have a lot to offer. They enjoy an enviable reputation for high academic standards combined with a wide range of opportunities for students to participate in sporting, cultural and social activities. Class sizes are small and students receive individual counseling and pastoral care. Many are single-gender schools and this is important for those parents who feel it is best to delay sexual distractions until college.

Fees charged by private schools have risen rapidly in recent years, and parents who choose this route for their children face a substantial financial sacrifice. However, many parents feel that the cost is justified. These days it’s not just the children of the rich who attend private schools. More and more poor parents are willing to make their children’s education a top priority on their finances.

The advantages of private education are widely evident and this is driving a steady expansion of the sector. Established schools are investing in expanded facilities and new schools are springing up. More and more places are becoming available for people like Kwame Mainu who are willing to sacrifice to invest in their children’s future.