Children are all different, changing as they age. The needs of a curious preschooler are very different from the needs of a Grade 9 student struggling to fit in socially or a university-bound Grade 12 student.

So what can a private or independent school offer children as they evolve and change during the various stages of their development throughout their educational career? Moreover, when is the best time to invest in a private school education?

There are no clear-cut answers. The choices of when, where and why are as individual as the families making the decisions.

Use this general guide of developmental and educational milestones to help you decide. Read viewpoints from two professionals and stories from real parents about their reasons for choosing private educations at a specific point in their children’s’ lives.