to be amused that the more exclusive a school is..

[seeker]

.. by faith, fees, ability, aptitude..whatever- the more diverse a community the school's parents say it is.

seeker don't you have anyhting else to bang on about?

Seriously, why do you care?

So you know the school your DD attends and the school you want your DS to attend isn't diverse. You know there's a school more diverse down the road. But you dont want to use it.

Are you really atking the moral high ground? I mean, really?

The ONLY inclusive school is a non selective, non fee paying in an area where more than 95% of the catchment children go to it and the catchment is varied.
They are few and far between.
In fact I cannot think of any.

In our city, there are no independent schools, there's one Catholic grammar at the very south of the city, which also takes kids from outside the LA if they are Catholic and pass the test, there are no places for non-Catholics. All the others are state comps, and at the north end there are three fairly close together. While everyone may not go to the one of those immediately closest, it makes little difference, as most people are in catchment for at least two of them.

On the downside, the only 'good' school is also at the very southern end of the city, in the 'nice' area.

For us it isn't a case of the school being diverse in all aspects, but it is the case that DD's school is as diverse as our local catchment school. But then I wouldn't class DD's school as exclusive either.

And anway is diversity the be all and end all? Really?

Folks on here are endlessly banging on about the education systems of Finland and Belgium, and they have very little diversity of social class. Much less than the UK.

I'm surprised anyone on here doesn't know what seeker's point is. It's the same one she is always banging on about.

I did say I wasn't well!
I was the linking in with faith and aptitude that confused me.
I can now see through the confusion and see the thread for what it is.

Is only socio economic diversity valid diversity then?

Does diversity not really count as diversity when it's about different religions, cultures and ethnic backgrounds?

Of course it does. But in a private school the class similarities are going to be much stronger than the cultural, ethnic and religious differences

I live in south London. My children go to an ethnically and economically diverse primary and DD1 starts at an ethnically and economically diverse comp in September.

I would, of course, prefer that the UK were not so economically and socially diverse. As it is, I'm pleased that my children's school reflects the wider community in which they live.

I would say that DSs private school in London was mire diverse than his state school here.

In London all you needed was a fat cheque book. Here you need LOTS of proof you live in the very small, very rich, catchment area.

I think probably enforced catchment areas are more selective than just fees.

I disagree with that. My private school introduced me to other pupils who came from Nigeria, China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and those are just the ones I knew well.

And I thought you were talking about all 'exclusive' schools, not just those that are private.

Seeker the combination of my and DH's family is more ethnically and economically diverse than some schools (possibly your daughter's grammar). DH's family in North Africa don't even have running water every day and the only reason they have any water at all is because DH and one of his brothers paid for it, DH is muslim, I am christian, both my dad and DH were immigrants. I was the first person in my family to go to Uni and my grandfather worked in the coal fields.

I suspect my children may understand diversity better than some children who go to grammar schools and ride ponies.

That doesn't make it true of all selective schools though Turnip. My ds's GS is very diverse.

seeker here is some fuel for your anti independent ed fire. At my DS super selective big name boys only full boarding school there a lot of ethic diversity but as only the super clever and articulate are admitted not many inarticulate working classes I'm afraid!

Not much economic diversity no, but a lot of cultural diversity. It makes lessons very interesting hearing the different viewpoints.

dd1's school is seriously exclusive. it costs far more than the vast majority of people could possibly afford (we are a very high earnign household, and cannot afford the fees). it is also almost impossible to get into. yet it has the most diverse range of pupils you could imagine. economically, educationally, religiously, culturally - you name it, the diversity is there. it is entirely possible to have an exclusive school and diversity.

just because you have not come across it, seeker, does not mean it does not exist.

So, all in all, the OP's point has been proved. Only at the poshest and most selective schools will you find, Seeker, a cross-section of UK society in all its rich (or even not so rich) and glorious variety. While at the same time, it doesn't matter if you don't because Diversity Doesn't Necessarily Equate To Diversity.

I think that just about wraps it up...

what I find most amusing is all the posters who can say with absolute authority that there is not diversity at these exclusive schools, without even knowing which schools they are.

because of course, it would be impossible to take the word of posters who have experience of the schools about which they are posting

Lol. Agree silver frog.

Does this only apply to private schools then?

Many state schools are also very limited in their diversity too.

seeker I too am struggling to work out what you trying to prove here. Anyway if I said my DS's school was not only ethnically diverse but also has children from a wide variety of economic backgrounds you would tell me it doesn't even if I then gave you the figures for the numbers currently receiving substantial bursaries.
We all know you are against independent ed. so it wouldn't matter what anyone says you are unlikely to move from this position.

Seeker - I don't know your background, other than your views on private education.

You talk about diversity etc. I worry whether my sons will face discrimination because they have muslim names - will they be a bit less likely to get that job interview or work experience. I hate the fact that the BNP would happily kick my DH and sons out of this country if they thought they could get away with it. I feel sad that sometimes DH hands the phone to me for official phone calls because he thinks he will get taken less seriously because he has a foreign accent and that he and his friends end up doing semi skilled jobs in this country because their degrees aren't recognised.

You seem happy to sit on high making judgments about others but I wonder how much you really understand about the reality of diversity in this country.

I don't praise my dc's prep school for its diversity. I praise it because it's better. HTH, OP.

Motherinerior I think you are really rather wonderful! Seeker I agree with so much of what you post and although I feel a liitle sad that you opted out of true comp education, I still appreciate you continuing to wave the flag for a more inclusive society.