To think children mix much less in terms of social class now?

[Creambun2]

When I was at school in the 80s there was a broad social mix at the school, children of parents who worked in the local industry and children from more middle class families.

Friendship groups in and out of school seemed pretty mixed. From experience now schools (especially/mostly at secondary level) seem way more segregated in terms of social class, which I guess house prices and catchment areas play a large factor.

Last week I heard a group of boys on the bus from the "better school" in my area laughing about the "lazy shit heads" who go to the other school (both are comprehensives). Surely it is better for children to go to schools with a good mix of other young people? Meet others from different background to your own?

I think this issue is even worse in areas with the 11+

What are your thoughts on this?

Depends on the area you live, maybe? My DC go to a genuinely comprehensive school and have friends whose families struggle to make ends meet through to those who live in large houses and whose families have plenty of disposable income. They are aware that people come from different backgrounds and live different lives to their own.

My niece and nephew go to a private school, do not mix with anyone outside of it and cannot conceive of the idea that everyone does not live in large houses and (e.g.) go on annual holidays abroad.

My DC go to the local primary school (one has just gone on to secondary). It’s the only school in the village, so nearly everyone who lives in the village attends it (except a few who go to private school).

There is a real social mix at the school. It’s a wealthy village (commutable to London), so there are some very well off families who could afford private but choose not to, and there is also a council estate. Everyone goes to the same school.

However, there isn’t as much social mixing outside school as I’d have expected.

Went to a comprehensive in the North in the 70s The school was really diverse in terms of outcomes. At one extreme there were people who left school without qualifications becoming long term unemployed. At the other a handful of leavers went to Oxford or Cambridge. The more typical mid range achievers did apprenticeships (and did well in life as a result) or did further education then went to minor universities.

I never even knew there was a social class thing in the UK until my brother married his wife and she’s a stuck up snob. Their kids are all privately educated and aren’t allowed to mix with our “yobs

Jeez, are you serious? Your children don't see their cousins?

No they don’t. It started with my nieces when they started private prep school. They wouldn’t invite us to their birthday parties...(they still do it now with their ds) as they didn’t want us to mix with their private school parents/children. Probably embarrassed of us. They never come around (I stopped inviting them years ago, as sil would come and sit with a face on, giving her kids death stare if they picked up anything I offered them to eat).

I think they’re embarrassed of being associated with relatives who aren’t rich like them.

I live in one of the few affluent roads in an area that is generally quite deprived. I helped with a study in setting up a food bank a few years ago and some roads are in bottom 5% income wise nationally.

DS goes to the local comp with a large percentage of FSM. Many of the dc in these few roads get sent to the more upmarket comp a couple of miles away or to the local independent school, which isn't that great.

In the past all the dc that get sent to the other comp would just have gone to the one my DS does. So I agree choice has led to less mixing.

My school was very much like Bolokov some went to Oxford, some did YTS.

I think there is far less social mixing with people from different backgrounds now.