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Original poster

Sam Freedman wouldn't send his kids private

236 replies

noblegiraffe · 19/08/2017 13:08

Because he went to a private school and had no idea that the world of working class people existed until he started working in education.

twitter.com/samfr/status/898845134028029952

I guess it helps that he lives in London where the state schools are great.

(Posting this because I've seen people speculate on here about where he will send his kids).

OP posts:
Lurkedforever1 · 19/08/2017 18:12

Ok, not just crap schools, alsothose in deprived areas outside London with far less funding and less mixed intakes than on a city. Crap might not be a fair description for the dedicated staff of those schools doing their best in the circumstances but still not exactly desirable educationally. They don't tend to attract those with supposedly superior social morals either.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 19/08/2017 17:25

Bizzy I don't think he has an agenda, I think he has developed a social conscience.

OP posts:
Original poster
noblegiraffe · 19/08/2017 17:25

That's kind of the point of it though. Teach First is about addressing educational disadvantage. It takes the brightest graduates and gets them teaching for at least two years in schools that would normally struggle to attract good candidates. These schools are usually underperforming and have to be in areas of high deprivation. TBF calling them crap schools was wrong, I should have said challenging schools.

OP posts:
DellaPorter · 19/08/2017 17:11

I don't think it's at all fair to characterise TF trainees as good teachers 'going into crap schools'

BizzyFizzy · 19/08/2017 17:02

So, he has an agenda?

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 19/08/2017 16:44

Used to be head of research at the Independent Schools Council, then worked for think tank Policy Exchange, then was senior policy adviser to Michael Gove. Now in charge of research at Teach First. Big fan of Free Schools, campaigned massively against grammar schools.

His dad is Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman.

For someone who used to work for the ISC to say they wouldn't send their kids to a private school, it's an interesting character development.

OP posts:
BizzyFizzy · 19/08/2017 16:28

Who is Sam Freedman when he's at home?

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 19/08/2017 16:27

Crap comprehensives are in the minority, most people don't send their kids to one.

But if his aim with sending his kids to a state school is for them to mix with the working classes, he's not likely to get that from an exclusive comp.

OP posts:
Lurkedforever1 · 19/08/2017 13:42

Quite a few public figures seem to take this viewpoint. Not surprisingly I've yet to hear of any that send their dc to crap comprehensives.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 19/08/2017 13:32

He would possibly be more the type to take over the failing comp and turn it around. That's what Teach First is about, getting good teachers into crap schools.

OP posts:
AllTheWittyNamesAreGone · 19/08/2017 13:27

Yes he would if he wasn't able to move selectively to get a good school place, bet they won't going to a requires improvement failing comp

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