Are Londoners more intelligent?

[tothinkofsomething]

My Dad made a big thing when we moved out of London ( Zone 6 type expensive green Commuter belt area). We moved into North Hampshire. He basically was saying that outside the magical barrier of the M25 that the level of education is a lot lower. My Dc are just at the start of their school journeys and I have nothing to compare to. But his thoughts were that if my DC was top of their class in Hampshire that would be lower than in London. I'm guessing this depends on area of London? Also our estate agent said we shouldn't move out as we would struggle to get back in.

Yes, of course*!

• I am a born and bred Londoner.

I live in London and I can tell you that I see multiple cases of stupidity a day.

I fromm the north and I are two stewpid to undastannd thiz kwestchun.

London, the place that thunk up “innit?”

Yep, they’re all brilliant there.

The serious answer (sorry!) is that schools in London get better results than schools elsewhere in the country.

This is more do do with funding per pupil than anything else though and has supposedly been evened out in the last school funding review.

I’m from the north and I’m thicker than a whale omelette.

In London you have the option of visiting all the museums and cultural events, so kids can just learn a bit more without realising that they're learning. Doesn't mean you can't do that without being in London, but it can be a bit harder.
What's this "museum" of which you speak? Cultural activities? Is that when we gather round the fire and make shadow puppets? I'm in Scotland so our intelligence must drain the further north you go.

Speaking as a Londoner

WTAF?!

Yes, very intelligent indeed.

After all, they pay a king's ransom to live in some bog standard house or worse. Many of the areas have higher crime than other places, everywhere seems to be overcrowded and much of it is dirty.

Yes, super intelligent to live in-and pay through the nose for- what is fast becoming a by-word for a shit hole, sadly.

Many can't spell either!

@hobbyiscodefordogging

I don't know about London, but I think I heard that Hampshire is well below national average intelligence. Or something about leaving an important part of one's brain somewhere in a field in Hampshire.

You’re correct, but it’s the Ampshur accent that does it. Every time you say the word “Pompey” you lose 5 IQ points.

Obviously not. They're paying more for less. Extortionate housing costs for what's often tiny spaces and a lesser quality of life.

Of course there'll be more high achievers when it comes to school results... because there's more people.

Sorry, cross post @LadyFelsham!

But you've said it much more succinctly than I!

We may talk like wurzels in Bristol but we do have 2 universities, several private schools that have entrance exams and loads of highly specialised industries.

I was also under the impression that there had been huge investment in London schools, which had raised the attainment level above many other areas of the U.K.

@AcornAutumn

Speaking as a Londoner

WTAF?!

Yep. Born and grew up in London. I share your

My extremely cynical mind suspects OP isn't a Londoner at all. Their agenda is to stir up anti Londoner sentiment. Always easy to do with an inflammatory statement that plays to the false stereotype of 'snobby' Londoners.

Dear God is this a joke???

@Stripesnomore

I was also under the impression that there had been huge investment in London schools, which had raised the attainment level above many other areas of the U.K.

It's part of the initiatives aimed at tackling the serious problems with gang violence in London. Provide an alternative to gangs for the very deprived communities in London (good schooling).

It's, of course, a disgrace there isn't equal spending across the UK.

@hobbyiscodefordogging

I don't know about London, but I think I heard that Hampshire is well below national average intelligence. Or something about leaving an important part of one's brain somewhere in a field in Hampshire.

Surely the people of Hampshire have assimilated all those important parts of brain that many posters probably left in their fields?

This is a great thread.

Us 'ere country folk are simple folk. We don't need no fancy schooling.

The bright ones left London a long time ago. You won't find Yorkshire folk spending a shit load of cash on anouse when you can get one in Rotherham for £6,000.

What does your dad mean by "intelligence"?

There are regional variations in average IQ. Very roughly, IQ goes down the further North you go until you get to Scotland, where it goes back up. But the exception to this is London, where IQ is slightly below average! (see here)

London schools have been one of the best performing school regions recently. However, his has been attributed to several factors including demographics - ie more London kids are from the types of families that tend to do well in school, in which case you will have taken your dis/advantage with you.).

In any case, these are all averages across large populations. There will be far more variation within than between. You can't make any kind of useful generalization about the peers your DC will have at his current school compared to his old school based on the averages between his current region and his old region. At the very least you'd want to look at where the two schools ranked within their respective regions. And even then, it tells you next to nothing about your DC.

I don't think he meant it like that. There are many factors here why London might be the best choice for kids but it's not because that London is intelligent My in-laws live up north and we live in London. So I can see the difference in the opportunities for kids. So here are my observations

• It depends if you live in a major city or in suburbs. Major cities have much more going on culturally and socially. Kids might have more exposure to other activities which would cultivate their intellect. In that way I don't see much difference between London and Manchester. But if you go in towns near by then there is not much going on. Even as an adult I get bored there.

• London is supposedly more diverse and attracts intelligent people not only from within the country but from around the world. Ofcourse if you are around more educated intelligent people it does rub off. Highly educated people are also quite smart and intelligent and they also push their kids towards more activities and can be more involved in their education. This is not to say that less educated are not that smart. They can be and can be very involved in their kids education. I read a research once that kids who are from educated families have a higher level of vocabulary because they are exposed to more material in early ages as compared to kids whose parents weren't that educated.

• Quality of schooling in London depends on where you live. London has some of the most deprived boroughs. Financial status also has an impact on a child's upbringing and education. Kids who don't have to worry about next meal, or their housing situation or home environment can focus much better on their education. I live in one of the deprived boroughs. It's not as rough as others but we have lots of children who eat when they are at school. In order to get the results up some of the schools are using rote system which kind of nullifies the whole purpose of quality education. In that sense I don't see difference in living any where if you can afford best education and opportunities for your child.

On a personal level, my husband was brought up in the north he does feel that he didn't get the opportunities that we are able to give to our child and he comes from a highly educated and settled background.

I've never been so happy to be a northerner, absolutely batshit post 🤣🤣🤣🤣