Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be pissed off with the old boys network?

82 replies

poshsinglemum · 26/01/2011 21:34

After reading some threads on private schools and bullying I would like to air my views on the old boys network.

Everyone assumes that if you go to a private school you will have better connections and make fantastic contacts and get further in life. That is if you manage to get in there with the old boys network that is.

They were a clique of wealthy, popular jocks basically who would hardly let anyone in. Not many boys at my school were allowed ''in'' and as a women it was worse. to be allowed to get in with them as a woman you basically had to look like barbie.

I certainly was excluded by them and as a result made no decent contacts or nor did I bag myself a rich bloke. More fool me I can hear you say but AIBU to think they are bastards?

Going to private school does NOT suddenly equip yopu with an influential address book.

Just watching the programme on BBC 2 and I jsut cannot see how to change the system whereby these cronies will allow anyone who isn't in their club have a say.

OP posts:
southeastastra · 26/01/2011 22:02

ban politics type degrees and debating skills in public schools

make people live in real world before telling people how to live theirs

Jajas · 26/01/2011 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

gordyslovesheep · 26/01/2011 22:04

I have had NOTHING handed to me on a plate though - maybe that's why I don;t assume I have a god given right to rule over people Grin

scottishmummy · 26/01/2011 22:04

ban debate?thtas good idea duffus.what next burn books

Jajas · 26/01/2011 22:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

southeastastra · 26/01/2011 22:07

ban teaching debate

southeastastra · 26/01/2011 22:08

i can argue about something i feel passionate about without being taught how to do it

Portofino · 26/01/2011 22:09

As far as I am concerned, it should be the clever and talented people who get to be in charge. How much money they, or their families, have should have nothing to do with it.

NeatSoda · 26/01/2011 22:09

Ban teaching Debating??!!

You can't be serious? What, and have a less educated population?

Bearcat · 26/01/2011 22:10

My kids didn't fail.
They worked hard but also had a very happy time there.
I think when DS1 got his GCSE results it was about a 38 per cent rate of 5 a -c grades and only slightly higher with DS2.
There was no 6th form there so both went off to other colleges for A levels.
I think the school really tried to raise their game over the years that my DS,s were there and the quality of the school definitely went up over the 9 years we knew it.
The real shame was that most people we knew would rather send their kids elsewhere but we wanted a local school which did pay off in the end.
Onwards and upwards I would say to that school and to some of the fantastic staff there.

huddspur · 26/01/2011 22:10

The contacts and networking you get through going to a private school can be useful but they aren't the be all and end all. If you've got the intelligence, ability and application then you will go far.

NeatSoda · 26/01/2011 22:10

There are loads of clever and talented people.

Who gets to be in charge? Maybe we should put it to a vote?

Oh, look, we already do

Teaandcakeplease · 26/01/2011 22:11

Ahhh I've answered my own question, the programme is "Posh and Posher: Why Public School Boys Run Britain is on BBC Two" There's a magazine article on the BBC website as well.

huddspur · 26/01/2011 22:12

southeastastra- Ban politics degrees and debating? Shock. Are you serious what would that achieve

FloreatEtonia · 26/01/2011 22:12

Bring back the grammar schools. Etonians are bored that there is no competition anymore! Wink

southeastastra · 26/01/2011 22:13

people that learn to do that naturally?

NeatSoda · 26/01/2011 22:16

Some people are natural swimmers - can we still have swimming classes for those less able?

huddspur · 26/01/2011 22:17

southeastra- Some people would learn maths and english naturally, does that mean we should ban the teaching of maths and english as well

gordyslovesheep · 26/01/2011 22:18

yes Neatsoda it was put to a vote - an no one won - which said a lot :)

MillyR · 26/01/2011 22:19

I'm not sure why this has turned into a grammar school thread, but will comment anyway.

The 164 remaining grammars are less socially selective (in that they take a higher number of children from low income families) than the 164 most socially selective comprehensive schools, according to the Sutton trust.

I find it hard to understand why people can claim that the grammar school system is more socially selective than the comprehensive school system. Where is the research to back that up? My own experiences fit with the research - I have been to two comprehensive schools; one was overwhelmingly middle class and the other way was overwhelmingly working class.

The grammar school system isn't perfect and wasn't perfect in the past, but we should be comparing it to the system we have rather than to some non-existent utopian school system.

It is simply untrue that you have to pay for tuition to get a child into a grammar. Every time there is a thread about it many parents end up coming on and saying their child didn't have a tutor to get into a grammar.

As for the OP, there is clearly a pecking order of independent schools and students within independent schools. I think most people realise that you having an independent school education doesn't make you David Cameron.

ronshar · 26/01/2011 22:20

I wish we had the opportunity to moan about grammar schools. In my town you get to chosoe from a shity school or a not so shit school.
Parental choose does not exist unless you can choose by opening your wallet.

However I am watching the news and I am so bloody grateful I am a woman in Britaina dn not a poor poor woman in Afghanistan. SadSad

LoopyLoopsHasComeBackBrighter · 26/01/2011 22:20

Maybe rather than banning debating we could teach it in state schools?

southeastastra · 26/01/2011 22:20

no but surely if you want to run that country you should be a bit excited by that

quite funny that politicians need coaching on how to 'give a shit' lol

southeastastra · 26/01/2011 22:21

i suggested a gcse in debating on other thread, maybe a btec as well

huddspur · 26/01/2011 22:22

Debating was taught at my school although it was a grammar school