To think State education is really poor?

And grammars often are running purely on the legend and the past glory. Many grammars have had been downgraded from Oustanding to Good because the teaching is not Outstanding. There were instances of few that were closed because of poor management. There is one that was closed and converted to comprehensive because of bullying kids, and racial abuse.

Ah, but grammar schools are not fair so Labour abolished them. Ideology before all else. Before the abolition, our education system was world leading - British children leaving grammar school were educated to an American university standard. I wonder if we’ll look back to the imposition of VAT on private schools (the first, I suspect, of a number of measures designed to throttle the private sector) and observe how destructive it was?

This is irony, right?

@JustWingItLifeEyelinerEverything

‘A lot depends on WHICH private and which state school’

On that I agree, darling.

Darling, Private schools are a BUSINESS. Among us, marketeers is a specialism : marketing in education.
Private schools always say that the child is two hears behind because they hope you will enroll. Apart from superselective private schools they are all struggling to get the clients.
If your child is ultra sporty then yes, maybe it makes sense. But I would dismiss things as changing to wellies as things of not a significant importance.

Private schools have also disavantages. They cannot afford losing clients, therefore many behavioral issues are swept under the carpet and trust me, children are bullied not only in state schools. There is favouritism.Children of wealthy donors, who pay far more than tution fees are treated in a superb way at a disadvantage of other kids.
Also, as you have all sorts of parent background in state schools, you also have the same at private. Yes, you can have a child of Russian mafia mobs too. There is a lot of issues why private are worse than state schools and vice versa.

A lot depends on WHICH private and which state school.

There was a thread on here a few days ago saying pretty much the sane thing ie people look to the state to solve all of their issues rather than look to how they can improve their own situation.
Of course there are always people who need additional state support but ultimately shouldn't we be responsible for our own lives?
The whole VAT thing is a distraction from the wider issues in the education system. Labour bank on the electorate for not digging into details and just accepting the soundbite. They don't care about education any more than the Tories, they just pretend that they do. I don't support Tories but sure as hell I don't trust Labour either. Considering 19% of Labour MPs were privately educated I think they are hypocrites.

There’s some nonsense written on this thread.

People are too passive these days and too keen to blame the system for their own shortcomings. Even if it is true it’s a pretty counterproductive way to behave.

Personal responsibility and drive are key. Everyone I know who has that does well. Those that don’t generally do much worse.

The insidious move towards almost celebration of victim culture is one of the most damaging trends in current society.

Yes!!

Yes it did.

@Papyrophile

‘social mobility plummeted when the universal 11+ was abolished’

Absolutely.

Starmer 🤷‍♀️He went to an excellent school and was intelligent, with supportive family.
Streeting - don’t know much about him
Rayner - totally agree, so impressed with what she has achieved.

Nonetheless - Labour do not encourage people to succeed. Having AR in their party doesn’t change that.

Exactly. Instead of encouraging apprenticeships (with Tony Blairs son did and made millions) they encouraged everyone to go to university and so had to stop free tution and grants.

We have spent tens of billions on 3rd rate universities which should be shut down. Hopefully they go bankrupt now that the flood of overseas students has been stopped.

@MikeRafone "It came down to attitude not resources"

Love me a 25 year old anecdote.

25 years ago at the local junior private school the had volunteers every day to do 1:1 reading with the children in turn, every single day. At the junior state school they said they didn't need volunteers every day and one day a week was adequate.

It came down to attitude not resources

Yes I have but I am fine with their education policies. Your turn?

Why? Have you?

Yes

Have you voted Labour before knowing all this?

This is very true.

Did you or your DC pay tuition fees?

A well considered response. You could have saved a few characters and just written “yes”.

Whatever🙄

Tuition fees were needed.

Labour were the ones who introduced tuition fees and scrapped maintenance grants. So don't tell me that they are all about supporting education.

That’s a meaningless comparison. For all you know your DD’s best friend might have failed her exams at state school and has been well served by going private + tutors.

That aside, as other posters have suggested, private school is about far more than just exam grades. It is about the overall experience. You wouldn’t claim that all holidays are the same despite the fact that everyone ends up back in the same place at home after it’s over: