To wonder if you are against private schools…

You only have to look at the massive improvements in London schools for example during the 90s with the Excellence in Cities programme. Initiatives like Aim Higher too. It is possible.

The standard of education is not always better but the standards of expected behaviour are better and the tolerance for bad behaviour lower.

I think some people think private school kids are all learning Latin and having world presidents and royalty coming in giving motivational speeches.

I’m child-fee 🤦‍♀️

@Unsrr it's parental education, parental influence that's always the major factor in success anyway hence low paid children from immigrants particularly I believe Indian and Chinese do extremely well.
They have focus and drive.

But a child's standard of education will nearly always be related to their parents, even if private were banned tomorrow.

More affluent areas tend to have higher achieving schools, in a circular process. A good school will drive up house prices locally and exclude lower earners from buying. If people are happy to pay extra to live near a good school, even if that means giving up luxuries (we stretched to afford a house in a nice area with good schools, but drive 2 old cars and haven't had a foreign holiday or new clothes for ourselves in 10 years) then they are the parents who are going to engage with their child's education and get involved with the school as governors, PTA etc to try to drive up standards and funding.

100% this.

@floradora well unfortunately if that funding hasn't come in 60 years and they are still failing children perhaps different stragety needs to be looked at?

I do not believe that the quality of education that a child receives should be predicated on ability to pay. Excellent education should be available to every child.

I agree. It’s completely unrealistic to think the local struggling comp with behavioural issues will become a top notch learning centre because it’s taken in some private school kids. Countries like Finland who have no private education have a very different way of dealing with education. There the teaching profession is well paid and highly regarded, like a doctor, that won’t happen here.

Yes, you’re only sending your child to private school out of altruism for all those state school children you want your child to have a better education then.🙄

@Forgottenwhatitwas the complicated part comes where we work out why poor childrens school ie all state schools where 93% of children go are apparently crap?

Because they have never had the resources and funding that would allow them to truly flourish and support young people as they would wish to. (Btw there are many outstanding "comps" out there that do amazing work in spite of this - and I don't mean "outstanding" in the Ofsted sense. )

@CaveMum I know of some parents around my area in two schools, parents have tried to influence change for their child from within the school via being a teacher, support staff and a governors to enact change for their dc with sen.

Non of them could enact anything or get anywhere near change.

Abolishing private schools will not make state schools better. All it will do is crowd them even more.

This.

It creates disproportionate opportunity for only a small minority of children. It is deeply unfair.
Of course parents want the best for their children - I don’t think the people against private education are against wanting the best for their children.

Yep....this.

Well, as I said, I have moved on from that point of view,

Bit I was actually more focused on political power (that can be bought by the mega wealthy) rather than the fact they had money.

But old me woukd have anticipated education being more central to all parties manifestos and an increase in funding. Things like classess of max 30 being extended to across the whole system not just infant schools. Broadening music, sports and drama provision is schools.

I actually think what would happen is they would lobby for more state schools being able to select pupils.

@Ednoreilojal sums it up beautifully.

@Diorchristian I agree. I attended a grammar school many years ago. But there were far too many in my class at primary who failed the 11+ and didn't get a good education at all. Despite my good fortune, I do think comprehensive schools with setting per subject rather than streaming is a better system. However I do think one of the biggest problems is size. My school was originally 300 pupils, going up to 500. Many schools are now 1000 and even close to 2000. They just don't offer the same cohesion and sense of community. Pupils aren't known well to staff, they don't know other year groups or even all of their own year. The sense of belonging and identity has gone and discipline is eroded.

Funny that a lot of posters have explained what is morally wrong about it and you've not engaged with them. Are you only reading responses that are two lines or fewer?

No, not against at all. My dc's attend private school. We decided to chose private due to all the secondary school where we live are dreadful. My dc's are dyslexic and needed full time support. We paid to have them diagnosed when they were in primary and due to the local primary school they attended couldn't help due to lack of funding. Private have given my dc's the tools to help with their education. My DD received good grades with her gcse's. We ended up down sizing our home to pay for the fees and it is the best decision for us. It isn't for everyone but they would of stuggled in our local state school. Every child deserves a fantastic education and support with their learning.