Separate Private Schools board please

Yes, it's time that this disgusting prejudice against kids at private schools ended. You never see any of them in Parliament, much less the Cabinet, or taking up executive positions on boards, or senior places in the judiciary. Man the barricades!

No Wallison. Segregation is not being allowed to sit at the front of the bus no matter how much money you offer.

I'm considering a private ed for dd....I always read the threads with interest....

I don't think this is a good idea. People might want to consider and compare state and private. I really wonder what the OP's motivation is.

I prefer the idea of specific school discussions being elsewhere but don't see a way of doing it. I now hide the whole topic instead.

Inevitably, you are going to get specific requests for information about specific schools more when they are about private rather than state schools - because there are less of them, because people from across the country might know of or about them (esp if they are boarding schools), and because there's usually going to be more choice involved.

It would be quite helpful if you got the same kinds of response to 'Sirius Academy, Hull - anyone know anything about catchment areas?' but realistically that's not going to happen, because there is going to be a much smaller handful of posters who have anything to offer on that. In a way, 'School Review' might be useful, but would inevitably - I imagine - end up mainly reviewing private schools.

Also, many private school threads are, implicitly or explicitly, also about state schools (state til 8, private or state for gifted dd, should I let GPs pay school fees) - I wouldn't like to see all these shunted into a corner, and I don't think we need any more boards on here to be honest.

All that said, I don't think it has anything to do with OP having a chip on her shoulder or being an inverted snob - just some days it's tiresome when there are a lot of very specific threads on which you have little to say!

"I think it would be a good idea to have a separate Private Schools board... it doesn't clutter the general education thread.... It is not discriminatory whatsoever."

Yes, because those who seek private education are by definition those who are cluttering. I just drive a car. It's everyone else who creates traffic.

Don't be daft and you need to remove the chip off your shoulder, it'll give you back problems!

I am pleased the idea is a "Chippy One" I actually thought it was a suggestion from some Private /Public School parents.

Surely part of the joy of MN is that you can read about other people's points of view, lifestyles etc and not just be locked in your own little bubble of what you know, where you know?

Please don't do this Mumsnet. It's just reverse snobbery and would not be fair to people trying to decide between the sectors, or who have children at both state and independent schools.

Agreed. I don't want to know that other people can relax at home all day and don't have to work to pay school fees because they were lucky enough to be born into a religious family and hence have access to high quality education for their children for free.

Can we have a separate board for faith schools as well, I find it offensive that these schools are inaccessible to me even though they make up the 4 closest schools to our house. The next closest is in special measures and is my only state option.

Or maybe I could just hide the threads that bug me! I would hate to see a separate board for private school, it just promotes segregation.

Talk about envy, bitterness and a huge chip and a touch of stupidity all blended together, makes for a really disgusting meal. This has made me quiet furious! Reverse snobbery at its worst.

OP you're an incredible snob. What right do you have to sneer at and patronise those that have nice houses and send their children to public school? Aren't they allowed to ask for the opinions of others? Showing yourself to be more than a bit chippy I'm afraid.

This kind of reverse snobbery makes me furious. If I requested a separate board where people on benefits could go to discuss budgeting so I didn't have to see conversations about issues that I don't have any experience with I would probably be banned from the site. So why is it OK for you to do this just because those that you're targeting have money? We all want what's best for our children, so surely everyone has a right to post on the SS board?

yes that's what I thought - and there are plenty of Fathers interested in their children's education.

What an idiotic thing to say! How does a thread about Eton stop you from discussing GCSEs and bullying? People post in whichever thread they want, its an open forum.

Discussions about Independent schools are exactly where they should be, under "Education". What a cheek!

The original post fairly reeked of reverse snobbery too.

My son is in an independent secondary.

"Belgravia" crowd does not resonate with me, and just shows the prejudices of the OP.

There are lots of parents like us who opt for independent education, who live in ex-council/modest homes (not mansions in Belgravia, ) drive normal cars (as opposed to Luxury cars), etc. For one reason or other, private school has turned out to be the best option even if it is a financial struggle. I myself had to swallow a few camels and re-evaluate my principles in the process.

secondary education is secondary education and many of the issues are the same whether children are in independent, grammar or state. Many people consider all three, have children in more than one type, swap between them.

So I think this is a bad idea.

It's a daft idea.

I am not a private school user by the way, but I'd still rather the posts about private schools stayed here. I don't think I'd want anything that reinforces the pernicious idea that private/state school parents (and pupils) are fundamentally different types (classes!) of people, and I think a separate board would (subtly) contribute to that idea.

I think it would be a good idea to have a separate Private Schools board. It will make it much clearer to people with questions re private education and it doesn't clutter the general education thread.

It is not discriminatory whatsoever, nobody is forbidden to post, the boards are just organised in a different way.

Education is education. Apart from the admissions process and the fees, what else is different exactly? Why is it any more onerous for the OP to ignore threads which relate to specific independent schools than it is for parents with no DC in state schools to ignore threads which relate to admissions, preferences, appeals, etc etc?

Utter nonsense.