Private school underperformed I think my friend should get a refund. AIBU?

[Rambler96]

Friends daughter did her A levels at a posh girls school in Shrewsbury and failed to get the grades she needed for her university place. Now all the results are published, it looks like the school has massively underperformed for some reason. I think she should get a refund on some of the fees.

Thanks

Yes I think they should, along with private nurseries, or private children’s homes. The state should ensure the safety of children.

OR the schools could fund it... just as they fund the ISI now I suppose, but I think to be truly independently inspected it should be exactly the same as state school standards... but then perhaps private schools would be forced to hire people with teaching qualifications over people with the right accent. Dfriend of a friend is Head of dept the boarding school she went to and she's never had a teaching qualification! She does have a degree but not in the subject she teaches/runs now. But she is willing to live on site, her brother knows the head from his school days and has zero life outside of the school so I suppose that'll do.

Independent schools ensure the safety of children as much as state schools do.

Are you suggesting that there haven't been safeguarding concerns in state schools? Which have passed Ofsted inspections? I do hope you aren't because then you would just be lying.

Independent schools are thankfully independent from the state. That doesn't mean they don't take the care of children at those schools seriously. 🙄

"private schools would be forced to hire people with teaching qualifications over people with the right accent"
That's just fucking bollocks and you know it.

Like I said, state academies don't have to employ qualified teachers either.

Your a very bigoted person.

So now to add to Schrodinger's schools complex:
On 1 hand: boo hoo, evil independent schools provide so much privilege and advantage

On the other hand they are now a cesspit of safeguarding and bullying issues as well as having crap, unqualified teachers, worse results etc

It's amazing how some people can twist their minds to make both of these difference viewpoints true!

If independent schools are this shit then why do we need to get rid of them? Let them fester in their nest of inferiority and leave them alone. Why try to destroy them if they are truly this shit?

A friend of mine teaches at an independent boarding/day school. She is head of department, and not only does she not have a teaching qualification, she doesn’t have a degree either. It’s a very successful department.

I think most people would be suspicious of someone who only complains after the grades are received. If the education was so "poor" why didn't your friend notice earlier? Surely there were warning signs at GCSE?

It seems a bit money-grubbing to ask after the grades are not what she thought she was buying.

But on the other hand, private school tuition - small classes, and individualised attention - often inflates parents' and pupils' understanding of their ability. When marked anonymously in the context of the whole year cohort nationally, the ability may reach its more realistic level.

The Sutton Trust estimates that a paid-for education adds about a grade to an A Level eg a student who might have achieved B at a standard comprehensive, can squeal through to the A grade with the sort of intensive tuition & coaching, small classes, and individual attention in a paid-for school.

Where did you get that from? The state should be concerned about the safety of ALL children and fund the inspection of all services involved with them.

Independent schools are thankfully independent from the state. That doesn't mean they don't take the care of children at those schools seriously.

Nor does it mean everyone in them does. There are plenty of examples of safeguarding failures both in the state and the private sector. Not wanting your safeguarding policies and procedures checked by the state would be a big red flag. Being able to opt out of having your safeguarding policies and procedures checked would be a huge magnet for people will mal-intent.

Was this the same cohort that tragically lost one of their year? I heard the head mentioned her on speech day or prize giving or something at the end of term. If so, nice touch. Awful for everyone.

The state don't give a flying fuck about the children in independent schools, they've made that very clear.
Again though Ofsted already do it for nearly half of independent schools.

Outside of safeguarding you can't apply the same criteria because they aren't run in 1 uniform way ie they don't have to follow NC and have a lot more freedom. Which is why many of us choose them over state. I am sick of fashionable government dictats in education.

Yup! Like someone eating a meal in a restaurant THEN complaining about the quality of the food and not wanting to pay the bill.
Perhaps OPs friends just checked out, threw some money at the situation, then paid little attention to the child's education. I know exactly how my gets are doing in school, what their stronger and weaker areas are, what they need help with, how much homework they have and whether or not they're doing it as well as independent study.
The best thing now is to get that kid a tutor for resits, or have her do a foundation/access course and move on with her life.

ah yes, of course! I forgot private parents are now claiming that their kids are somehow at a DISADVANTAGE in life now because of their privilege 😂
Probably something parents should be thinking about then, before spending the annual equivalent ( and then some) of the average take home pay on fees...

People can spend their money however they like

The state doesn’t have control over us on that …., yet!

Furled by envy and vote winning capability

Obviously
because they are in fact quite the reverse as parents of those that use them have experience of.

And those that don’t really know very very little

Where have I said they are at a disadvantage?
Stop twisting what ive said and putting words in my mouth
I clearly said that the state ie this government doesn't care about them. I can't see how you can refute that.

But how can independent schools confer privilege when they are so shit?
Schrodinger would have a field day with you

with such a small cohort it is perfectly possible that they ALL just weren't that bright or motivated or did enough work. Which is why there won't be refunds, esp. as they won't want to see a precedent.

You can’t have it both ways if you bail out of state provision to go private there are upsides to that but you can’t then expect the protections provided by the state either !

Er, I assume you're referring to the Schrodinger's Cat theory which quite literally says the 2 things can be true at once 😅

But how can independent schools confer privilege when they are so shit?

I agree and @CompoCompoComp why do you feel so strongly about private schools when they are, according to you, inferior to state schools?

Why does anyone using private schools care about what anyone else thinks of their choices???

CompoCompoComp · Today 17:17
Why does anyone using private schools care about what anyone else thinks of their choices???

I’m sure they don’t care, but you obviously care about their choices. Why are you so invested in something you don’t use and anyway is inferior to the state option?