Should private schools be abolished?

[JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam]

Link.

I found this an interesting article. I did not realise that we now have one of the worst social mobility records in developed countries. I find this concerning. I am a fan of the grammar school system having been educated in one myself and having a DC who attends one. I have little experience of private schools though. If I'm honest if I had the money I wouldn't hesitate to use a private school, but that is down to the fact that I realise that it gives a leg up to the students attending, however I realise that this should not be the case.

Should we abolish private schools in the interest of fairness?

No.

Think of all the pupils in private schools now. Do you really think the state system can afford to accommodate that amount of extra people?!

Finland has no private schools and an infinitely better education system.

@PotteringAlong

No.

Think of all the pupils in private schools now. Do you really think the state system can afford to accommodate that amount of extra people?!

This!

No I don't think private schools should be abolished

No.

No, if parents want to pay private they should have the option. No different than paying for tutors, extra curricular activities, health care etc.
Less spending from taxes if people use private provision.

No. I don't think it's schooling that's preventing social mobility. I think it's much more to do with culture, parenting and the benefits trap.

I think the cycle of being in benefits passing through generations and that in this country is normalised to be blended families and not have stable family backgrounds is far more to do with it.

@PotteringAlong

No.

Think of all the pupils in private schools now. Do you really think the state system can afford to accommodate that amount of extra people?!

This.

The last thing the underfunded state system, with it's already overcrowded class sizes, needs is the huge burden of having to suddenly accommodate all the extra pupils that would result from closing private schools.

No. I suspect that should private schools be abolished what we would see:
-a rise in the use of tutors by those who were using private schools
-house price inflation for good schools at an even higher rate than we already have

On a practical note how would we suddenly accommodate all those pupils in state schools?

Yes. Send all the rich kids to state school, and suddenly they will be magically properly funded. The fact that Eton et al have charitable status is frankly a massive piss take.

Yes

No

As with healthcare, we'd do well to look towards Germany.

The German education system used to be good (I think it still is?) Grammar type options for the academically able, but at the same time an equal emphasis and funding for more vocational options. Ideally we'd have similar (with flexibility to move between the two).

Should we abolish private schools in the interest of fairness?

Abolishing private schools won't make it fair in the slightest.

Focus on improving state schools, and in the future private schools can be transferred into the state system. The former is the important part.

Yes. Send all the rich kids to state school, and suddenly they will be magically properly funded.

😂😂😂 I assume you're being sarcastic?

@KeflavikAirport I am inclined to agree that if all the kids of the people in power had no choice but to attend a local state school then funding would magically appear.

I hadn't considered the house price effect. This is already a problem we should be battling, I guess this raises the question - how do we stop this from happening?

Absolutely yes. The education system in the UK holds us all back.

As an example of an independent school that became state funded, see The Belvedere Academy in Liverpool.

Would you rather all those private school pupils moved over to state schools? How do you think those pupils coming bottom of the class would feel knowing their richer class mates are coming top because their parents can pay for extra tutoring?

We would still have a private system, it would just be a lot of extra tutoring.

how do we stop this from happening

Catchment lotteries.

We would be better off working to improve the life chances of socioeconomically disadvantaged children in the state system

No but I think we should abolish Grammar school,s, in the interest of fairness, considering, Grammar schools only exist in a minority of places in the uk
The problem is not all state schools are equal, some are utterly shite and some are excellent, its not a fair system

Private schools are a self fulfilling prophecy. They only take smart kids so they get the highest grades.

Yes but I doubt it will do much without upping tax and investing the money better- people with money will always find a way to advance their children

How do you think those pupils coming bottom of the class would feel knowing their richer class mates are coming top because their parents can pay for extra tutoring

Maybe the rich kids would start coming bottom of the class once they stopped being spoonfed in tiny classes