My DD1 is ten and very bright. She goes to our local state school, which is rated good with many outstanding features, and is doing exceptionally well there, both academically and socially. She also loves to dance and has been dancing at a local dance school for the last six years. Last week they put on a big show as they do every couple of years. Some of the girls she dances with go to an independent primary - there are not many around here.
Well, one of the girls from the independent school told my DD that her state school is rubbish compared to the independent school and only needs to teach children to read and write as none of them will be going on to university anyway.
WTF?
DD1 made sure to tell me that not all the girls she knows from this independent school are so snobby this way. She is currently preparing to take the 11+ in November to get into the ridiculously competitive grammar school (which I honestly don't really approve of but does seem to be the right school for DD) and so is this other girl. DD is a bit put out that they are covering 11+ preparation at this girl's school but not at our state and that we have to self-prepare.
BTW, both DH and I were educated at state schools and went to university. I really don't understand this kind of class thing here even though I've been here over a decade and this is the first time it's been my own DC affected. DH tells me I used to see it at work in the city all the time, but not notice it.
And just to finish my rant, I can't seem to pick up a newspaper (and I'm a Guardian reader) without reading about how my DC are so underpriveleged by attending a state school. Argghh.