Before Hogwarts...?

Where do Wizards that aren't Muggle born go before they go to Hogwarts, Durmstrang, Beaxbatons etc.? Do they go to Wizard Elementary schools? Muggle Elementary schools? Or do they just sit around at home all day like we do on Summer vacation (hehe);D? I would think that they go to some kind of Elementary school but don't learn magic cause if they just sat at home doing nothing the Muggle born Wizards would be smarter than them. And how can they read and write well or do complicated math if they've had no education past fifth or sixth grade? Maybe they're smarter than Muggles or have a better learning ability or maybe they're just really dumb and they don't do math. What do you think?

That is a very good question. Personally, I don't think that wizards have public schools or such, but I'm sure that they have private ones. They may also have daycares or preschools. I'm sure that even if they didn't go to these, their parents would have taught them some basics. After all, the first years all know how to read.

There was a big discussion about this way-back-when on MuggleNet. I think the concensus was that those who lived in all-wizard villages, or places where there might be a concentration of wizards, like London, would have some kind of wizard elementary school. Those who weren't, like the Weasleys, probably were home schooled. Or that's what I remember from the discussion. Not to shut down discussion here, just trying to remember some of the ideas that came up before.

I imagine that there would be some kind of wizard elementary schools but i guess that they dont learn any magic because otherwise they would know a lot more than the Muggles and thus they would have to enter a higher level class. we can see in the book that Ron knows pretty much as much as Harry, although he has lived in the wizarding world forever. and Hermione who is muggleborn knows more than him. it looks that they all start from the same level at Hogwarts

I think that kid wizards don't go to school before they go to Hogwarts. I think that their parents teach them the basics before they go to Hogwarts.

It depends on where they live, I think. Some might go to Muggle elementary school, if they can keep the secrets of Wizards. But even if they can't, it can just be written off as imagination. I don't there was any special type of education for wizards before Hogwarts, because underage wizards aren't supposed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, are they?

Originally posted by HogwartsChaplain
There was a big discussion about this way-back-when on MuggleNet. I think the concensus was that those who lived in all-wizard villages, or places where there might be a concentration of wizards, like London, would have some kind of wizard elementary school. Those who weren't, like the Weasleys, probably were home schooled. Or that's what I remember from the discussion. Not to shut down discussion here, just trying to remember some of the ideas that came up before.

Yeah, I remember that discussion (probably cause I started it, tee hee). But anyways it was a pretty hotly contested subject. I always leaned toward the idea of small "one-room" schoolhouses where 1st through 5th graders would be schooled together in basic life skills. Homeschooling would leave a lot of social developement out.

I'm leaning toward total homeschooling. If there really are schools, they'd be like one room ouses like Knight said...

One thing's for sure: They don't go to to muggle schools. I can just imagine it:

Tiny Ron: Floo powder takes so long! I wish we could apparate, don't you? Do you have any brothers or sisters who can apparate?
Muggle kid: umm, I eat paste.


*Draco, sitting in fetal position in the corne, rocking back and forth*: Muggles! Muggles everywhere!

I imagine Draco's father would never send him to Muggle school. He probably had a private tutor, if anything.

And not all Muggle kids eat paste. Don't make us Muggles look so bad. Some of us prefer boogers.

I lean towards private schools in large wizarding areas and home-schooling in small, rural areas. It wouldn't necessesarily mean the children weren't socialized. I know plenty of home-schooled kids who are fine. The wizarding community seems a close-knit society and they probably make as many opportunities to socialize with other wizarding families as possible.

Originally posted by Dobby and Winky
I imagine Draco's father would never send him to Muggle school. He probably had a private tutor, if anything.

And not all Muggle kids eat paste. Don't make us Muggles look so bad. Some of us prefer boogers.

Yeah, Draco does seem like the pampered tutored type.

I wonder if the pattern of schooling, like much of the dress harks back to an earlier time. For example, in the eighteenth century they certainly had no idea of what we know today (in the US) as public school. Children were taught at home or had tutors.The wizarding world doesn't seem to be as large as the Muggle world and it might therefore be more practical to do the small scale education. Then again, perhaps they also used/use forms of apprenticeship to specialize before OR after Hogwarts.

Im leaning towards homeschooling, supervised by parents, aided by tutor, for rich families.

Dont know...it seems to make the most sense

I think that wizards are either home-schooled or have private tutors. But I think some people who were all muggle or half could go to public School. There must be a small population of wizards though becasue Harry never heard of anything like what happened to him at school happening to anybody else.

It's probably a combination of tutors, small private schools and home schooling. Wizarding children still have to learn how to read and write, do basic arithmatic and have the geography and other boring things we all learn in early school. They probably don't learn magic until they are 11 because they aren't ready for it. They have to have the basic reading abilities, study skills, and other tools to understand a complex technical subject with many facets and disciplines. They also have to have a bit of maturity to understand the implications of their abilities. Imagine a recalcitrant two-year-old having a temper tantrum and being able to hex its' parants at will. Shudder. It's good for small children to have limitaitons. They have way too much energy.

Obviously Muggle-borns and Muggle raised (like Harry and Hermione) go to public school until they get their letter from Hogwarts. I think that half-bloods like Seamus are probably home schooled, but they could also go to Muggle schools. The only problem with that is keeping the magical parent's secret. Families like the Malfoys probably hired a tutor, or got together with other families and had one tutor for all their kids. Families like the Weasley's probably just taught their children themselves. Ron says that his mom hasn't got much time with all of them to take care of. This would be especially true if she had to teach them.

Dobbygirl brings up something else I had thought about. I have many friends who home school their children, and one or two days a week they have a co-op where all the children come together at one location and the person best qualified for a given skill teaches that and someone else teaches their specialty. I think this would be highly likely in the Wizarding worls.

Hmmm...

Muggleborns: They have no idea about being a witch/wizard, so they would obviously go to primary school.

Half-Bloods: Home schooled, perhaps. Maybe risk going to a primary.

Pure-Bloods: If it's a stuck-up Slytherin brat like Draco, I reckon they're home schooled, a tutor brought in. If it's someone like the Weasleys, it could be either. A tutor or a primary school. No doubt, all of them being in primary would have kept them out of Molly's hair. ;)

Originally posted by JenBluffheid
No doubt, all of them being in primary would have kept them out of Molly's hair. ;)
Assuming, of course, that they didn't get into trouble at school. ;) Knowing the twins, having them in public school might have been more trouble than home-schooling!

When they arrived at Hogwarts, none of the first years seemed to already know each other except for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. If they had all gone to schools, there would have been alot more greeting old friends. Ron didn't seem to know anyone except his brothers.

Since there aren't a whole lot of wizards (based on the number of students at Hogwarts) I think probably most homeschool, and some, like the Malfoys, would bring in a tutor. There might be some small, private, schools in areas where there are a larger number of wizards, but I think primarily it would be homeschooling. Families in a certain region could get together now and then for activities.

Sometimes I wonder about that too ...

Probably wealthy children like Draco Malfoy got private tutoring!!

It’s strange that wizards and witches never take any math classes or literature classes?! How do they learn to multiply or build up their vocabulary?

I was wondering about this whlie in class today. Where do children (wizards and witches) who aren't old enough for Hogwarts go to school? Is there a prewizarding school? So they can learn basic things like reading, writing, and artihmetic? Or do they go to muggle children schools (I highly doubt this, unless they are half-breeds or muggle-born)? And say, perhaps someone wanted to go to college after Hogwarts (Maybe Hermione), exactly how would that work out? I couldn't stop thinking about this all day, any theories or ideas?

Someone asked JKR if Wizard children went to Muggle school before they go to Hogwarts and she said no they didn't have to. I suppose Hermione went to Muggle school just as Harry did. But as for the wizards I really have no clue. Maybe we'll learn about it in future books? They must do something to learn how to read and stuff. Maybe there's a spell?

Edit: Perhaps this is one of the questions that Harry's supposed to ask in book 5?

I thought about this too; I'd just assumed that they went to muggle school. But then again, Ron didn't know what a "fellytone" is, so I don't think so... I guess they're all homeschooled. Or maybe there's a wizarding primary school that only last like, three years. Cuz let's see... Kids start school when they're 5/6, and then Hogwarts sends letters when they're 10/11, so that fits. I mean, all they have to do is learn to read and do math. Everything else like science is irrelevant...

Hi Ame. You'll find a similar thread regarding pre-Hogwarts education here (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?s=&threadid=502). If you're unsure as to whether a thread has been posted previously, there is a search feature on the top left-hand side of your screen.

Furthermore, I would advise you to read the Letter From Hogwarts (http://www.cosforums.com/a/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=2) forum, especially in relation to signature issues and limits on images.

:welcome: to the boards.

my guess is, wizards and witches r home-schooled before they r old enough to go to hogwarts. their parents teach them simple math, how to read and write, and simple spells.

as for post hogwarts, there's also another thread that discusses that. a lot of people who had posted the last time i looked at it, though, felt that there wasnt a wizard college, wizards would just get an apprenticeship for the job they wanted to do. im not smart enough to figure out how to put links on here like rotsie, but use the search feature (at the top under the forum title, next to the FAQ)

This is a good question. I don't know. Maybe they go to a Primary witch/wizard school, like the onces Harry and Hermione went to???

Home-schooled, definitly.

But bo spells. Ron couldn't do the most simple spells when he first got there.

yeah thats what i think too. or when they are born, they probably know how to read and write.

Or perhaps there's a spell that parents perform on their children that gives them all the knowledge they need for those things. Magic, however, probably needs practice so they don't have a spell for that.

If only I could have that spell done on me...

I bet muggle borns and those who came from mixed families went to regular school just because they didn't know if they were wizards or not. Like Neville, his mom was a witch, but his dad was a muggle.... so they weren't sure what he would be. But those who came from all wizarding families, probably just didn't go to school, and grew up around magic.

I bet all the pure bloods were home schooled

hpangle102 nevilles parents were both Aurors ,dumbledore said this in GoF.I think u meant Seamus.My theory is that all of the kids of the wisarding family went to school with the muggles.Not every one can afford a tutor and they just had to keep their magical powers a secret.If any accedental magic did take place then the wizards could just perform memory charms to make them forget.:evil:

I really like the idea of homeschooling with a co-op once a week. I can see how that would get good teaching results with wizard kids.

Call me silly, but I think that Rowling intended Hogwarts to be a sort of elementary/middle/high school all in one.

I bet most wizarding children don't go to school before they turn 11...they just...pick up on everything from their parents and whatnot.

I reckon they went to normal schools. But then, maybe they should know a bit more about muggles and stuff.

Springy, not meaning to be rude, but couldn't you have a slightly shorter signature? It takes up half the page on its own.

Yes I did mean Seamus.... thanks for the correction! :)

ok before the kids get their letters, do they go to a muggle school? even if they know their gonna get their letter? did ron go to muggle school? or any of the others? i've always asked this question to myself but i never knew the anwers! can you help me?

cuz i dont think any of them went to muggle school because they never knew what muggles wear! but i dunno, how did they learn math and spelling and reading and junk? home schooling?

they can harry did it says so in ps/ss he got picked on by dud! now ron noo he didnt i dont think why would he his brother didnt and ginny didnt. so i think not but like muggle born prob do till there like 11!-

I'm not positive, but I think there's already a thread on this. If there is, a moderator will probably close this.

All muggle-borns would probably go to Primary school (and finish, since children leave Primary school at the age of 10/11), and then start at High school, which would be Hogwarts, at the age of 11 like all High schools do in the UK. But I guess some wizards and witches would send their kids to a muggle Primary school, if they knew about them, and then on the Hogwarts ... but some would home school, since a lot wouldn't know about the Muggle system and some extremists wouldn't want their children associating with muggles at all.

So I guess it's a choice (unless they're muggle-born - in which case they don't have a say in the matter :p) what wizard children do before starting Hogwarts.

Yeah, there is a thread on this.
Somewhere ¬¬
I assumed they will go to muggle schools, or be homeschooled, depends on there parents.
Because there magical skills are all comparitively equal when first coming to Hogwarts.

I did a search and I couldn't find another thread about this topic, so maybe we're remembering one that was at Mugglenet.

I've assumed, because Ron is completely clueless about things like telephones, that 'pure-blood' kids are kept pretty isolated from the broader muggle world.

I don't think it's snobbery, though. I'd think little kids would have a hard time being discreet about their magical powers if they were just put in normal schools.

Thanks, Elizabeth. I've merged the thread with the one that you mentioned.

Yeah, Ron didn't know about things like mail and telephones. At least in the US, parents have to know about things like that because they use them. For that matter, the Weasley's didn't even have a phone number or a mailing address, and I think those are essential to be allowed in the school system. So however they learn, it can't be through Muggle school.

Maybe they're home-schooled. Or they have Wizarding primary/elementary schools...*shrugs*

I always thought that the Purebloods and half-bloods were taught reading and math at home. And the Muggleborns went to regular school as they just think they're regular Muggles.

*bump*

In England, you go to Infants from 4/5-6/7, Juniors 7/8-10-11 (the cut-off date's the 1st September, and if you're a summer baby like me, you only had the last term of Infants :smile:) and these comprise Primary school. Then there's Secondary school, 11-16/18. I know one girl whose Primary school actually encompassed the 1st year at Secondary school, but the above set-up is almost always the way it is. I think more and more are introducing a kindergarden section but HP was set a few years ago, right?

I dont believe muggles go to primary school, coz they have no idea about anything to do with muggles. One gets the impression even Muggle Studies, a non-compulsory Secondary school subject, doesnt really explain too much!

With clothes, I dont know of any schools that dont have a uniform, at least up to the end of the 5th year at Secondary school. However, non-school-uniform days, and seeing parents and teachers, and school excursions without uniforms (I had one 5 day one in my 5th year Primary school, and a 6 day one in my 6th year) would make it harder for pure-blooded children to live in ignorance about muggle clothes.

Even if such things as mathematics, muggle history, etc arent given any sort of attention, the skills children learn alongside subjects are obviously instilled in the Hogwarts' children - the ability to maintain concentration for long periods of time, good communication, presentation, conscientiousness, punctuality... I know Ron and Harry were late to their first lesson, but it obviously wasnt the norm.

I agree reading was something taught to the children properly, and I get the impression that organization skills must have been instilled somehow, from the amount of research the children seem to be expected to do.

The wizarding world has its own currency, own government, own education system for teenagers, provides its own jobs, has its own newspapers... it seems to be completely partitioned from the muggle world, even where the two overlap (the whole Hogsmeade's the only all-magical community in Britain thing).

Floo powder obviously isnt the hardest thing to use, so I dont see why proper primary schools cant flourish under the MoM. I think primary education would probably be fairly similar, although science doesnt really seem to apply to the magical world, and I think most non-muggles are oblivious to it. Also, I believe History would have a very different slant!

It's kind of obvious that Crabbe and Goyle didn't go to school before Hogwarts. I want to know how they pass on to the next year if they can't read!!!!!

The assumption that they cannot read is made in the movies and not in the books so I wouldn't say that you can take it as a fact.

Originally posted by g0ne (original post (http://www.cosforums.com/a/showthread.php?postid=87227#post87227))
I bet all the pure bloods were home schooled


I bet! This explains why so many pure bloods are so ignorant of Muggle life! :p

"They've got an electric fire," Harry explained.
"Really?" said Mr. Weasley's voice excitedly. "Eclectic, you say? With a <em>plug</em>? Gracious, I must see that."

Besides the point, what is an "electric fire" anyway? Is that one of those decorative things that look like fire, or some kind of heater or what?

Hogwarts is suppossed to be a thousand years old, and just two or three hundred years ago, muggle children either didn't get any education at all or was taught by parents or another grown-up close to them or by a tutor, if it was a rich family, and then, when they were a little older, richer families could send children (especially boys, but later on, kind of often girls too) away to boarding schools and so. Since the wizard community is rather old-fashioned in many ways (take the money system for example), wizards would probably still do like that. But maybe, later on, wizards founded primary schools for their children, but then is the question, how do they get there? Since many families seem isolated, such schools would have to take in chíldren from large areas, and how would a little kid having twelve years to go before learning how to apparate travel such areas? Do they have certain people to pick kids up to school every day? They didnät seem to go to boarding school before Hogwarts, so I doubt there being a pre-Hogwarts boarding school.

As for post-Hogwarts education, we know that there is a Auror school of some kind after OOTP, and some people, like Charlie, seems to go abroad to study.

They have to know how to read and write and do math though. These are basic skill. May be they has small school that is very similiar to home schooling in wizards world?

JKR has left a lot of holes in her world that you could fly a dragon through, especially in the area of education, which is rather surprising given her teaching background. Realistically speaking, Harry, Ron and Hermione would still have English and Math classes at Hogwarts. And there really should be at least one wizarding university around in Europe, despite what JKR says, and more likely more than one. Universities go back to the middle ages, so it's not like you can say that the wizarding world is too backwards for them.

To try to fit things in with what we see, we have to presume home schooling, and for the wealthier students, private schooling. And most kids in the wizarding world spend most of their time with their parents, relatives or their nearest wizarding neighbors.

Even so, you'd think Harry might have met Luna Lovegood in a previous book, even book two. Remember that the Lovegoods live in the same area as the Weasleys, and if Ginny and Luna were the same age growing up in the same area, you'd expect them to visit each other. You'd think that Luna might have stopped by at least once.

yeah, I have thought about that too, if now that is the Lovegoods to which Luna belongs, but it is more likely that it is. I mean, Ginny seemed to know her pretty well.

Unfortuneately, we will not know anything for sure about this topic until J K herself reveals something in the future book (Please GOD let there be future books! Please don't let her die before she is done) or in an interview.

I think they were probably home-schooled,but not allowed to use magic,thanks to the rules for the restriction of underage wizardry.

I've always wondered what Wizard children did before time came for their magical learning course. I figure like the rest of you, Muggle-borns go to Muggle schools. As for Wizard children...Hmmm, you'd think someone would teach them basic Math and English skills, like adding, subtracting, reading, and writing. J.K. did say Wizard children didn't have to go to school before Hogwarts or where ever they go. That means either their parents or guardian teaches them or someone else.

I actually wondered about this once, too. I just assumed they were home-schooled, as well.

How about this: wizards, as magical, have the natural inborn talent of being able to master basic reading and math skills without really learning them.

I don't know but I suppose that they go to an elementary school, they should've learn to read somewhere else!

I don't know but I suppose that they go to an elementary school, they should've learn to read somewhere else!

I don't think wizard are born with the basic math and english skills. Not even them are THAT supernatural.

This is a good question. I don't know. Maybe they go to a Primary witch/wizard school, like the onces Harry and Hermione went to???

Im sorry, but i cant see that happening!

Neither do I. The vizard kids are very ignorant about the muggle world and wouldn't be so if they went to muggle schools.

I don't see any reason why they couldn't go to Muggle schools at first, as they still need to know basic maths, english etc. Why not just go to a Muggle school for that? I mean, everyone starts out at the same level in Hogwarts, so there would be no need to go to a magic school that taught spells. It could also bring a better understanding of Muggles for the wizards. But as it is I don't think this would happen very often, mainly because of the contempt most wizards have for Muggles. But it is interesting that younger wizards are more clued-up about what Muggles wear. For example, at the Quidditch World Cup, the kids knew what to wear, but the ministry members and other adults were not so sure. Perhaps this is because they did go to Muggle primary schools??? ;)

I don't see any reason why they couldn't go to Muggle schools at first, as they still need to know basic maths, english etc. Why not just go to a Muggle school for that? I mean, everyone starts out at the same level in Hogwarts, so there would be no need to go to a magic school that taught spells. It could also bring a better understanding of Muggles for the wizards. But as it is I don't think this would happen very often, mainly because of the contempt most wizards have for Muggles. But it is interesting that younger wizards are more clued-up about what Muggles wear. For example, at the Quidditch World Cup, the kids knew what to wear, but the ministry members and other adults were not so sure. Perhaps this is because they did go to Muggle primary schools??? ;)

I wouldn't believe so. Even Ron doesn't know how to use a telephone and Oliver Wood didn't know what basketball was.

I was wonderin how exactly a young fred and george managed to transfigure Ron's teddy with no magical training into a spider, sorry, but this seems extremly complex magic for someone who was like 7 at the time. Is it possible they become really stupid when the go to Hogwarts?

Also is it possible they are allowed to do magic before they go to Hogwarts, or how else would Ginny have been able to do the bat bogey curse on them, hmm I smell continuity errors!

Fred and George are not stupid. They just don't think being in the top of the year and having good grades is theïr reason for living. We also have emotional unattentional magic though, like when Harry set the boa constrictor at Dudley or turned aunt Marge into a baloon. Ron had destroyed Fred's toy broomstick, and what happens when a five-year-old has a toy destroyed by a sibling, especially if they like the toy? Of course they get mad, and thus, Fred could have done emotional unintentional magic at poor three-year-old Ron, turning his teddy bear into a spider and thus giving him a not too mild case of arachnophobia.

I don't know much this has to do with what witches and wizards do before Hogwarts though, but it's clear now that there is home schooling and that Molly home schooled all the Weasleys.

I don't think they go to muggle schools as ron doesn't even know how to use a telephone. I imagine they are taught by their parents the basics - or taught by magic ;)

I don't think they go to muggle schools as ron doesn't even know how to use a telephone. I imagine they are taught by their parents the basics - or taught by magic

That makes sense. I think they help around the house and than learn wizard things from their parents and they probably read (at age 7 and up)...

JKR said that they would either go to regular muggle elementary school or they could be home schooled like the Weaselys were.

I've been wondering about this for a while myself, now that I see a topic about it. It's an interesting topic, I think anyway.

I've been wondering this forever. I think their parents might teach them

If you live in a town or city, I think you could go to regular school, especially if you're in a muggle neighborhood.
I guess the Weasleys were homeschooled, otherwise they would be better at interacting with the muggle world. (Can you see Mr. Weasley at the parent-teacher conference?) I know some women with many children home school, but can you imagine teaching 10 year old Bill, 8 year old Charlie, and 5 year old Percy, while caring for 3 year old Fred and George, 1 year old Ron, and possibly baby Ginny? Fred and George alone would seem to complicate teaching anyone anything.

Definately home-schooled, because I don't think you could run the risk of sending them to ordinary schools...no matter how many times you tell children not to say anything, without fail they will tell somebody

I always wondered that as well. Also, it seems that the only child-wizards who ever knew eachother beforehand were Draco/Crabbe/Goyle. (excepting of course the Weasleys). Didn't wizard kids play with each other? And I'm sure they would have to know basic reading/writing/arithmetic skills (like if I want to make enough Polyjuice Potion for thee people, I would need to know how to multiply). And what about Single Parent wizards, or 2-working parent wizarding families, do they have a wittle wizard daycare or something? I think that Molly should do that from her home.... make some extra cash.

Yes, the idea of teaching seven kids at once is a tad demanding, especially as it's the Weasleys, I suppose some of them would play together but they'd have to be really careful wouldn't they? Unless they played things like Tag and other such muggle games.

probably home schooled?or go to local muggle elementary school?

Magical children were probably taught at home or in groups in homes of neighboring magical families.

OR

Perhaps there was an old dilapidated version of Hogwarts, so they made an new and better one.

I wouldn't think that they have magical primary schools, firstly because it would be too difficult to organise and there aren't that many children from pure-blood families that would know that their child was magical at such a young age. (Look at poor Neville, for example!). Secondly, the kids don't seem to know each other very well when they first arrive at Hogwarts; surely, if they'd gone to school together before Hogwarts, Ron or someone would have said something like, 'oh yeah, him, he's my mate from Magical Primary School.'

I would guess that Muggle-borns go to Muggle primary schools and pure/half-bloods are either home-schooled or privately tutored, though probably in things like maths, history, and reading, since they wouldn't have wands or be allowed to practice magic.

I would think that most wizard children would be home schooled. I cannot see Molly Weasley sending the children off to school prior to Hogwarts. But I can also see that there may be some kind of day school for the privileged. I can visualized Narcissa and Lucius sitting around, threatening the entrance committee of some fancy institution to let their golden boy in.
Half bloods would probably pick depending on which "world" the parents primarily resided in.

I believe that muggles attend a primary school because they don't know that they have been excepted in to hogwarts till the recieve a letter. If they aren't accepted they would need to continue with their schooling. Pure wizards who won't have anything to do with muggles were homeschooled because parents wouldn't want them growing up with muggles and part muggles could do either- go to primary school or be homeschooled

I wondered about this. I thought they probably homeschooled their kids. They almost certainly didn't go to public schools (the pureblood ones anyway) since they're pretty clueless about telephones, etc. Perhaps a few Montessori wizarding preschools exist ;)

I think JK has pretty much ended the discussion of this thread with the updates she made to her site the other day.

What education do the children of wizards have before going to Hogwarts?

They are, as many of you have guessed, most often home educated. With very young children, as you glimpsed at the wizards' camp before the Quidditch World Cup in 'Goblet of Fire', there is the constant danger that they will use magic, whether inadvertently or deliberately; they cannot be trusted to keep their true abilities hidden. Even Muggle-borns like Harry attract a certain amount of unwelcome attention at Muggle schools by re-growing their hair overnight and so on.

Since JK herself answered this question, I'm going to go ahead and close and archive this :)