to hate it when people talk about "indie" schools

[gobehindabushfgs]

in an attempt to make it sound cool, edgy and alternative? it isn't. it's private education. it's a right-wing, ultimately selfish decision.

"indie"

Nestofvipers.com

candleshoe Maybe we should just let Simon cowell run the country as he has a nack of keeping the masses happy and feeding them what they want.

Oh yes! 'Indie' is cringey! Makes them sound cosy and edgy at the same time!

All comments about private education as a thing aside, I really cringe when people say 'indi' or 'indy' schools on here! Yes it may be unreasonable as it's no less logical than a lot of shortenings, but it still makes me go Bleeeeerk.

Great idea cantspel - let me know when that's going ahead and can make homeschooling/emmigrating arrangements for my family!!

Look, on this thread, barring the first post, all of the aggression has come from the 'other side'. Really. Name calling and everything. Not everyone. Some of you are lovely. But definitely the most vehement responses.

I only started using indy as a shortening when I started posting on the Times Ed forums as the teachers on there use the term all the time.

No need to book the tickets yet as i think he has turned down the job in favour of taking over the USA instead.
Look for his face on the next print run of US dollars.

"It's the order of the day to slag private schools off on here atm."

No it isn't! It is the order of the day to slag off (delightful phrase!) state schools and how they are to be avoided at all costs, and that people who send their children to them only do it because they don;t care enough about them to send them to private schools!

Just have a look through this thread. I think there are four or five posters at the most defending state schools and questioning the morality of private education - everyone else is either a private school parent or aspiring to be one!

There have been some very sarcastic and patronising comments from anti-private school types, though, Madonna.

Well yes, sarcastic vs aggressive I suppose! Nobody comes out of these threads smelling of roses do they?

"There have been some very sarcastic and patronising comments from anti-private school types, though, Madonna."

Have there?

I've never heard them referred to as "indie" schools. It's very twee. People usually call them private schools.

I don't agree per se with fee-paying schools and wish they didn't exist as I think everyone deserves en excellent, state-funded education, and it IS being selfish to send your kids there...BUT I also don't blame people for being selfish when it comes to their children, and if they can afford it and they think it's the best school for their kids then I can understand it.

Well, the bingo stuff...

I can't believe anyone makes this decision and refuses to acknowledge that it is a political statement. Even if you will only accept that the statement is 'I think this is best for my child and I want it so I'm having it' - that's political!

I wonder if the anti-independent school people would be quite so much so if their only available option were one of the sink estate ones with very poor behavioural records and appallingly low academic standards? One of, for example, the South London schools, with issues surrounding knife crime, drugs, bullying and very, very low achievement levels?

It's that situation which has led me to HE in the past, as independent education is completely out of my reach. Frankly I'd be questioning the morals of any parent who didn't actively avoid such a school and would consider them either very selfish to be sending their child there (i.e. preferring to holiday/own a car/live in a bigger house than either privately or home educate and/or happy to sacrifice their child's education and moral grounding on the altar of their warped political beliefs) or incredibly disinterested and possibly stupid.

Then again there are always the liberal parents who will spurn private over state but who can and do make up for the state's appalling failings by putting their DC into their cars and running them around to Kumon maths classes, MFL groups, additional tutoring in English and piano, ballet and tennis lessons.

I teach in what used to be a National Challenge school in a deprived area, and yes, I would send my children there rather than a private school. They'd get excellent science teaching for a start

I know people will find that shocking, but so be it. I know how much effort we put into teaching all our students, whatever their ability. I'm proud of the work we do.

Ooooh the old local comp is full of knives argument.....

It's rubbish, it really is. The people who really, genuinely, do live in places where the local school is doing that badly are not the people who can buy their way out of it.

It's very reductive, that argument. Do you really all live in places where your house cost 20p and the local school is full of hoods and knives and guns but private school at - by my reckoning, for a cheapish day school - £63 for 7 years is cheaper than moving out of the frigging Bronx where you live?

Or do you, secretly or less so, just want your kids in private school?

ha, £63K that should have been!

All good points and well made Vallhala!

I coach pupils for the state grammar schools - I am not cheap - in fact at £36 an hour and insist on twelve months coaching. I am beyond the reach of many parents budgets. This is to get into STATE schools!

Life is not fair - better get used to it!

£63 for seven years! Lead me to it.

My English is shoddy today. Note to self - must use preview button.

The bingo stuff is funny. And as i pointed out, it would be easy to come up with a lefty-farty version. So why not do that instead of whinging about how horrible all the nasty children are?

I think people are at liberty to make the choices they want to about their children's education. (At least they are until I get into power and abolish private education!) But they need to be honest about the choices they make. I would have respect for someone who had the honesty to say "Actually, I don't want my child going to school with kids whose idea of a piece of fruit in their lunch box is a packet of Jaffa cakes and who start school never having used a knife and fork or opened a book".