Shouldnt equal education be available to everyone?

The school system in Scotland is very different to England. Yes there are private schools but the state system is very equal. No selective schools or exams to get places in schools. Most children go to their local high school. Some are good and some are bad but they all offer the same educational curriculum.

Why keep doing, a very old system, just because it has been done that way before?

Because most of our prime ministers come from this system, they have benefitted and want the same for their children.

Even if you abolish private schools, there will still be areas with 'better' schools, you can probably guess which ones. The ones that recieve generous donations, have 'powerful' people to answer to parent wise and will be inaccessible to those who cannot afford to live nearby. The difference is that they will also get an equal share of the state school pot, which takes it away from others. The real issue is that there needs to be real funding in schools, not just a token few extra million, and working conditions needs to be made better for teachers so that there are actually enough to go round. Absorbing the pupils of private schools would be challenging and put more pressure on an already weak system.

But OP there are gymnasium in Germany aren’t there? So like grammar schools, and more technical schools? And there are American International schools in Germany in large cities and Catholic private schools in cities like Cologne. I know there are some boarding schools and I also know of German families who send their children to English boarding schools for a year to improve their children’s English or to the schools like Aiglon or Le Rosay in Switzerland.

Different people have different opportunities.

you do know that most other countries do not have as many private schools as the U.K?

You don't mention what country you are talking about. But I do know that the UK has only about 7% of it's students in private schools. In Australia where I live , 40% of kids go to private schools ,and in the USA, 10% of all kids do so.

Your assertion is far from accurate.

I think the problem is society isn’t equal- those who can afford it live together in more affluent areas. I grew up in a grammar school area where there was 3 tiers of education. Where I currently live there isn’t the same system but the gap is caused between those in catchment and those not meaning you have very affluent schools and those with significantly higher levels of deprivation. Then add private schools in which provides ‘choice’ for those who can afford it- but such is society?

you do know that most other countries do not have as many private schools as the U.K?

One of the reasons UK private schools host lots of international students

Plus in areas that offer grammar schools. I don't believe you actively have to opt in for your children to sit the exam? So its not a case of children feeling their 'less' if they don't pass? They don't have to do the exam if they/their parents choose to decline. Just the same as nobody has to apply for university, nor do they have to attend 6th form if they choose to go down the vocational route instead.

OP won't specify the country... Presumably because they'd have their own shortfall in regards to some service provision? Which is frankly to only be expected as no country/economy is rich enough to cover all the bases without something having to give somewhere. There is nothing wrong with wanting or expecting more, but you literally can't facilitate every expenditure without something having a shortfall? Be that privatised vs public funded healthcare or schooling. There will never be enough money generated to provide a level playing field for everyone, because there will never be enough money in the pot. People might not like it but its true.

Which country did you live in?

OP, you sound very controlling. You have decided you know better than an entire social system built up over centuries, and you threaten people who disagree with you with the report button.

I, like juansheet am a single mum, absent dad, and I send my ds to private school because it allows me to work. I can rely on them to care for him if I am late home, get caught in traffic or have to travel overnight occasionally.
I don’t have holidays or expensive clothes, I drive an ancient car, And that is my choice.

Before you criticise an entire country, take a close look at where the leaders of the country you just left, went to university! You might be surprised

But didn't John Major not attend university? So he was definately not one of the 'old boys club', regardless of how well/not well he performed as PM it certainly didn't hinder him and as a Conservative to boot. So the argument is still there to state if you want it enough you can achieve it without the 'leg up' from private schooling/money. I believe he attended a grammar but clearly got in on educational merit vs parents finances?

Certain independent schools in this country definitely entrench privilege & power. There is a mumsnet thread titled eton v harrow, discussing how fiercely loyal old boys are to each other - all boys of course. Wonder how our prime minster would have done had he gone to the local comp.

That being said my sen child is at a private school and I am so grateful for that, the state system would have destroyed him.

There is the argument if they didn’t exist it pressure politicians to improve the state system. But that doesn’t seem to be the direction this country is taking. Lack of social mobility isn’t a good thing.

There shouldn't be selection at 11 as there is in some areas. Horrible that some kids are made to feel failures at that stage and comprehensives can cater perfectly well through setting for the brightest students. As for private ...meh..... Don't think we can do much about that ... But yes you are right all kids should have access to the same education. It would mean all comprehensive though as I doubt the taxpayer could afford to pay for Eton to take over and set up its system in all our schools 😄

I just feel there's no clear answer. Deprived areas will remain deprived because there isn't room for development in some cases to increase them. In some areas primary school and comprehensives have had to close due to low numbers of children attending as there genuinely isn't enough economic income in the areas to encourage families to not move. There really is no point in massive cash injections into funding education in areas where there aren't enough children to make it viable. On the other hand families that can't afford to leave, then have to pay a premium in bus fares to transport their kids to the next nearest school if they aren't eligible for free passes. In my mind being able to even access schooling for your children comes as a higher priority than arguing they may not have access to the same level of private education accessed by some.

Thank heavens we do have an independent sector. I sent my youngest DD to private school because she was being beaten-up on a regular basis in her state school , just for having red hair !. The difference in standards , on just about every level, between the two schools was shocking. And whereas her private school took pastoral care very seriously her state school told me there was little they could do , and it was the Police who suggest the private school to me. So you won't find me buying into you utopian world of a perfect social society.

There are good state schools and bad state schools. The worst performing state schools tend to be in poorer areas. Abolish private schools there will still be disadvantages for those who are on low incomes.

Does the country you came from OP have such a wide demographic as England?

I sympathise with your view, OP. But the system is very entrenched, and this government is very right wing.
I admit to "playing the system", with a child at private school on a scholarship. It has given her opportunities not available to her in the state system, and she has thrived on it. I would prefer to see the end of the private school system, with a good comprehensive system with plenty of setting. As far as universities are concerned, having some with higher expectations attracting brighter students may be a good thing? If they charge the same, as currently.

You are very confi. There isn't a UK education system.
Scotland, Wales, NI, and England have their own completely separate systems.
Which one are you attacking?

You do realise that there is enormous variation between state maintained schools, let alone state maintened and fee paying schools?

But where is this extra money going to come from? The government isn't going to generate an extra pot of X billions to do this. So effectively if it was argued for then taxes would increase and the hardest hit people would be those on NMW, or just above the threshold. Taking extra money from those who need it most isn't going to benefit children either.

state schools are all equal in the country that I just left.

North Korea sounds like a wonderful place

FWIW, OP, I completely agree with you. The levels of inequality in this country (in everything, not just education) are astounding and wrong.

Unfortunately, the majority of posters here will disagree with you because MN's demographic is mostly middle class white women who benefit from that inequality.

What country was it you came from OP? You seem to be ignoring everyone who has asked. Why won’t you say?

In my local area the state schools are very good. However, they're split in to religious, emphasis on science, emphasis on sports. They do come out with very good results and I'd imagine parents/children make their selection based on what they offer. The point is no one school can always offer everything as there really isn't the funding avaliable and they prioritise what they can. So yes, if your child wants to have the opportunity to play rugby (often considered an elite sport vs football), then yes they can. Or if they want to focus on science or benefit from a great IT department then they can. You could argue that everything should be offered to a top notch standard but there really isn't enough money, and if you want that you need to be prepared to fund it yourself.

My son goes to what is in my view an excellent state school. I can assure you that he does not feel segregated or inferior in any way because his poor old single mum can't afford private education. He is not in a 'poor' school.
He is in a school which meets his needs and has got the best out of him. He is having private English tuition in the last few months leading up to GCSEs. Thats not because of any deficiency in the school, he has additional needs and just needs a bit more.
The vast majority of children in the UK go to some form of state school, some are good, others not so much, just as with private schools.