In Defence of Private Schools

Taxi,maybe only comment on subjects you have some knowledge of,your post is almost complete and utter tosh..virtually everything in it is wrong..From your first sentence where you state incorrectly that bursaries at 13 are only available to boys who can pass common entrance or scholarship,you do not need to go to a prep school,you do not need to be paying prep school fees, they do not all have glowing academics or co curricular indeed the new sixth form scholarships are aimed at boys who haven't got the best results but have potential that they maybe need help fulfilling
Eton really doesnt need to buy in talent,its not Harrow
Bertrand-Try harder ,its good for you, but top of my head and for one example try googling -Hasan Patel

Both Harrow and Eton have pretests where state school boys can apply. The bursary used to cover 2 years at an approved prep school, though presently I can't find anything about that on the website. Eton also sponsors a state boarding school.

The point about Eton bursaries is that they are only available to candidates who at 13 can pass common entrance or scholarship exams. This rules out anyone not already at a prep school so means they are not open to anyone whose parents are not already shelling out between £15000 and £30000 for a prep school.

They have three or four (I think) for boys from the state system. But these are for highly intelligent boys who almost always have an outstanding extra curricular talent - so again boys who would have done well anywhere.

Some bursaries go to ex cathedral choristers - where the boys are already receiving subsidised education (in return for an unpaid working week) and where choir school prepares for CE. But these are boys Eton needs to maintain its high profile musical offering - and they will be expected to put in the music hours during their time at Eton if they are to retain their bursary. So the school is buying in talent to sustain its own reputation rather than offering a free education to genuinely deserving cases.

So lets not be taken in by the needs blind narrative.

Could you point me at them? My google skills have failed me.

Bertrand,its really not difficult to find out about some of the boys on 100% discounts,theres been plenty in various papers..

Yes, so would I, Bertrand. I have a suspicion that it is '(relatively) poor middle class' other than anything else. That's probably not surprising, given that I imagine it simply wouldn't occur to most people to apply for Eton for their son

I think that's probably more true of Eton than any other school, simply because of its image, but I suspect it's true of all independent schools.

And the Etonians on bursaries are still paying about 25,000 a year. So not really particularly inclusive!

I’d be interested in the backgrounds of the pupils paying nothing.

Not bad. lol.....go and look at the accounts of other big name schools that dont get half the grief Eton does,.schools like Westminster ….as I said only Christs Hospital compares..

Its now over 90 pupils paying nothing..

I think any discussion on private education needs to recognise both the diversity of private schools and the reasons why people use them. I never imagined I would send my DC to private school. Both me and DH are state educated and very committed to the principles of a good state system. However, our oldest DD has mild SpLD which were not supported at the generally good comp she attended, and she became increasingly distressed, anxious and depressed. With a very heavy heart we sent her to a small private school where she has thrived. For us it wasn't about maintaining (or trying to gain) privilege, but trying to support our very distressed DD. Will she get advantages through influential contacts etc.? Probably not at this school as the parent profile is pretty broad with very few real high flyers and the kids tend to be those who are of average ability but for some reason or another wouldn't thrive in the state system.

Obviously there is an element of inequality because we can afford to send her and many other parents with kids with similar issues who would benefit can't. However, she was already disadvantaged by her learning disability and until state schools can truly support those with extra needs they will be perpetuating a different type of inequality.

I see from Eton's website that they spent £6.4m in 2017/18 on scholarships and bursaries. 254 boys have means-tested bursaries (averaging 65% of fees) and 82 paid no fees at all.

No doubt it's a rich school and perhaps they could do more, but it's not bad.

Are there any countries - outside North Korea- where there are no private schools at all?

Sorry that should read - not sure where the idea that there are no private schools in Finland comes from -

www.expat-finland.com/living_in_finland/international_schools.html

Not sure where the idea that there are no private schools cones from. There are loads.

Eton’s bursaries are interesting. IIRC, you can start thinking about applying for one once the family income drops below something like £100,000pa.

Nolans - hmm....I wonder where John Snow’s children went to school.

Mr J Snow on channel 4....no of course he didn't mention it,the interview was awful,

The boy is indeed in an awkward position,I would hope he isnt getting any grief,its not his fault,but I certainly imagine parents evenings etc are interesting
Eton is such an easy target but in reality its an awful target,I doubt if any other school beyond Christs Hospital does more in terms of bursaries ,let alone partnerships with state schools etc,

Just because the state sector is unequal and unfair - or some state schools more equal than others - does not mean we should give up on moderating all injustices where we can. Private education is a very obvious magnifier of existing social inequality, and there are some straightforward remedies on tap; charitable status removal, VAT imposition, whathaveyou.
Abolition/confiscation might be more complicated and maybe not worth the political aggro. Getting to grips with/properly funding the state sector is a higher priority in my view. I'd love to see the day when private schools only made sense for those, perhaps, with very special needs of some kind, and were easily outstripped for everyone else by a dynamic, well-funded and wholly-inclusive state sector, working as a national team to share best practice for all (and not in petty competition with each other for the most able pupils, like the private schools, and state schools in some places, currently are).

How often would you like people on the left to agree that Abbott and Chakrabhati are shockingly hypocritical? People always drag out these two as if it’s some sort of revelation! Incidentally, Cameron did the Church thing- which considering he has said that he is not a Christian is, in my book, just as bad. If not worse.

Shami your son tried to get into Eton, he failed and is now at Dulwich.."posh boys"..give me a break...The utter hypocrisy of these people..

Nolans I agree. Did anyone take her up on her hypocrisy? I feel a bit sorry for son actually, as I guess his school friends’ parents will be saying exactly the same.

The old ‘we work hard for our money’ shit. Was waiting for that to be rolled out. And the point is to try and get all schools up to standard but this is also never going to happen in the shite system we have now. Why should only the rich and entitled benefit from a great and privileged education? Yes, I understand it will involve a lot of money being thrown at it but most things do if they need to be improved and surely the education of our children is worth it?

Well yes Bertrand most live here during parliament and send their DCs to school in the capital. It is a London based job with long working hours and very few are able to make it work unless the family moves with them. I am very fortunate because I work from home a lot hence posting nonsense on MN when waiting for skype meetings but not everyone has it so easy. Hence MPs expense allowances for running a second home and moving their family here etc.

“Those insisting that politicials send their DCs to state schools need to remember that they always choose the same top performing London schools for their DCs, Grey Coat or The Oratory”
I don’t think all politicians live in London, do they?

Those insisting that politicials send their DCs to state schools need to remember that they always choose the same top performing London schools for their DCs, Grey Coat or The Oratory. And despite both being oversubscribed and the parents living miles away they always manage to get a place. No politician's child will ever attend a bad school in any sector. I believe that once Cameron left office his DS was quickly shipped off to St Pauls juniors? But he is most likely to follow daddy and move to Eton at 13.

I don't actually expect any better from the Tories but so called socialists like Shameless Chakrabarti and her sons attempt at Eton infuriate me. "People before Privilege" my arse.