Posh and Posher: Why Public School Boys Run Britain

Of course they advance on merit, kids who go to Oxbridge have top grades and although going to a private school does help, you still need dedication to your studies. Would you ban home education as well as kids who are home educated may also be receiving a better standard of teaching then whats on offer at a state school.

Twoif, sorry but that part of your post is plain daft, you can find any MP's background out quite easily, they are even on Wikepedia.

It was interesting to see how long Labour have been playing on the look-how-elitist-the-Tories-are card while skilfully hiding their own backgrounds.

I do think people have this huge hang up about this whole idea of who went to public school and who didn't. As Labour prove, it is more who you know that what you know.

newwave- Education is probably the greatest social good of all so why would we want to ban providers of it, simply because they can do it better than the state. Also we live in a liberal democracy where things are only outlawed if it is felt that they are harmful to the individual or society as a whole, private education is neither.

yes it is because pupils of those schools advance in society based on money and the old school tie and not merit. Children from state schools are not competing on anywhere near a level playing field.

If every state school was the equal of the top private schools then I would not have a problem with private education but because the Tory government is the product of wealth and privilege and an elite education they have no intention of changing the status quo.

You know more about diplomats than me. But I bet some ambassadors' children go to some of these schools, possibly paid for by their governments. But I may be wrong on that.

I think that Russian oligarchs aren't stupid. They are looking for the best future for their children, not class.

Millions worldwide have heard of Harry Potter, millions have heard of Sherlock Holmes, millions have heard of Oxford and Cambridge, and I bet that millions have heard of Eton.

I hope Toby's dc's do get in - otherwise it'll be guilt free private school for them.

Nudge, nudge, wink, wink,

Silly me, I thought this was a middle class private school paid for by the taxpayer.

Previous post to Newwave re WL Free School.

newwave- Education is probably the greatest social good of all so why would we want to ban providers of it, simply because they can do it better than the state. Also we live in a liberal democracy where things are only outlawed if it is felt that they are harmful to the individual or society as a whole, private education is neither.

According to their website - allocation is by proximity (straight line). And a lottery for dc's living further out.

The school manage the applications - just the same as for Academies and VA schools. I'm sure those nice people from Local Schools Network will be watching though.

I hope Toby's dc's do get in - otherwise it'll be guilt free private school for them.

Claig: what do diplomats have to do with it? Diplomats aren't rich and most could not afford public school fees Diplomats' kids go to the local international schools or boarding school in their home countries, paid for by their governments. They don't go into the local school system because they change posting frequently and need continuity of curriculum.

Russian oligarchs' children go to British public schools for reasons of their own, but I suspect much of it is tied up with the idea of buying into privilege and ostentation. The Russian and Chinese new rich are desperate to be seen as equals of the old money global elites and believe that money can buy them class. It can't.

Your assertion that people the world over have heard of Eton, Harrow, Cheltenham etc is simply laughable. A German, American or Japanese is no more likely to have heard of them than you having heard of the top secondary schools in those countries.

filtering children at an eary age like 11 is just crazy. Some children are slow-burners and might mature academically in their teens. The reason nordic schools like in finland has better education is that it is long-term. Most children who start school will go onto university and they are left to develop in their own time. Britain is such a class-ridden system it is not suprising education is also a class issue. I watched the programme and I am just so happy my children will never put a foot in eaton and become mini william hagues at the age of 14 to be honest....

Yes outlaw public schools and private medicine so that in these two vital areas money cannot buy privilege.

No jumping the queue for cancer treatment because your rich. No to a privileged education because the state school is just not good enough for rich boy Rupert.

Only an elitist, selfish snob would think otherwise.

Newwave - the West London Free school has no feeder primaries. And per child funding is the same as any other state school. As there is a baby boom effecting years 7 and below - they are not even reducing the number of pupils at local state secondaries.

I heard there was a representative of the school on TV explaining why the nearest school was excluded by being "on the wrong side of the railway line".

I wonder if Toby Young's kid will have to apply like anyone else to get into his dads school.

I note the school will not respect the local catchment area so as to allow the middle classes from further away to get in.

Who decides who gets in?.

Outlaw private schools so everyone will be forced into the state system . Welcome to the USSR

'outlawed'?

Are you one of these liberal, tolerant progressives?

"We allow people to buy a top private education"

Yes "we" do and it's about time it was outlawed.

Newwave - the West London Free school has no feeder primaries. And per child funding is the same as any other state school. As there is a baby boom effecting years 7 and below - they are not even reducing the number of pupils at local state secondaries.

hogsback, I don't know how many children from abroad apply for our top schools. But it wouldn't surprise me if diplomats' children and the children of government officials the world over apply to our top schools, just as Oxbridge attracts students form all over the world.

I mention Russian oligarchs, because for them, money is no object. They could choose anywhere in the world, and yet many of them choose our top schools. We must have something going for us.

"We allow people to buy a top private education"

Yes "we" do and it's about time it was outlawed.

"I don't think that spending money on facilities is the key to education. I don't think that computers in every classroom is a necessity. I think what counts is teachers. I don't see why grammar schools should be more expensive than existing comprehensives. I don't think grammar schools need to have smaller class sizes than existing comprehensives."

No need for grammar schools then.

Claig: if we have the best schools in the world, why are they not overwhelmed with pupils from the richest countries in the world: the US, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland etc?

It's interesting that you identify our public schools as being favoured by the rich of China and Russia, nations in which favour and privilege is bought and sold like any other commodity.

Hoggs, BULLSEYE :o

"They don't want Rupert mixing with Jonny from the comp"

Jonny is not the perceived problem. Shannon with the pretty face is the perceived problem.

I believe in academic elitism, not elitism by dint of money.

We have top schools for gifted musicians and gifted sports people. Why can't we also have top schools for children who are gifted academically? Why should this be the only sphere where we don't provide special education? We allow people to buy a top private education, but prevent gifted state school children from playing on a level playing field.

It is due to the "fair" philosophy. But it is blatantly unfair to these gifted state school children, who are just as capable as the children with money (e.g. Tony Blair's and Diane Abbott's children).

Claig: if we have the best schools in the world, why are they not overwhelmed with pupils from the richest countries in the world: the US, Germany, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland etc?

It's interesting that you identify our public schools as being favoured by the rich of China and Russia, nations in which favour and privilege is bought and sold like any other commodity.

I don't think that spending money on facilities is the key to education. I don't think that computers in every classroom is a necessity. I think what counts is teachers. I don't see why grammar schools should be more expensive than existing comprehensives. I don't think grammar schools need to have smaller class sizes than existing comprehensives.