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Original poster

David Cameron would move house to get his child into a decent school. Why doesn't he just go private

63 replies

jollydiane · 06/04/2010 21:01

In the Evening Standard it said that David Cameron would move house to get his child into a decent school. Why doesn?t he just go private and let a parent who does not have the means to move house have the place ? or am I just being unreasonable?

OP posts:
claig · 07/04/2010 00:38

have you read my posts? they are mostly on education. That is what I am most interested in. Recently I have started posting on AIBU, and you will find me posting on religion and politics. I know a thing or two about politics and am interested in it. Read some of my political posts and you might learn a thing or two. Why do you post on MN? Are you paid by Labour to sniff out Tory activists? If so, they need to review your pay, because you are going after the wrong targets. But at least you are trying.

Goldenbear · 07/04/2010 00:51

Just because someone has political views does not make them a troll. I think it makes for interesting reading and I do not understand why any deviation from the tedious 'play dates' discussions is seen as trolling.

Valpollicella · 07/04/2010 00:56

..education, politics and religion. Oh and AIBU. Spreading your wings far on a parenting site :D And again you assume I'm a Labour activist, sent out to patrol the boards....lol Couldm't be further from the truth

claig · 07/04/2010 00:59

I agree Goldenbear. MN is a great forum, with lots of very clever posters and debating politics and religion and health or any of the other topics helps us to learn different points of view and changes our minds.

wastwinsetandpearls · 07/04/2010 01:00

To be fair I tend to post mainly in education, politics and religion, as do lots of mumsnetters.

Valpollicella · 07/04/2010 01:04

stupid phone! been trying to post for ages. wanted to say good post claig!

claig · 07/04/2010 01:05

Valpollicella I haven't got as much time to post on here as you have, so I restrict myself to certain topics. Those are my main interests. As Goldenbear says 'play dates' are not as interesting to me. I really don't care what you are, but since you have erroneously assumed that I am a Tory activist, I assumed that you must be a Labour activist sniffing out Tories. From what you are saying I can see that you are not a Labour activist, but are just a misguided poster who thought you had hit the jackpot by spotting a Tory.

Valpollicella · 07/04/2010 01:06

also goldenbear, I see your point , esp on a ite like mn

helenwombat · 07/04/2010 01:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

claig · 07/04/2010 01:19

he'd never move, he is a millionaire and has many options open to him. He is pretending to be like parents who do have to move, and that is why he is conning us. But they all do that, that is electioneering.

Aubergines · 07/04/2010 07:13

Cmlaig, I don't think you are a politcal troll but I have noticed that you know a lot about party politics. More than someone with a casual interest. Do you work in politics?

claig · 07/04/2010 07:19

no I don't work in politics. But I do know a lot about it. I like history and politics, because I like trying to understand how the world works. I enjoy trying to figure out what is really happening.

LePastiedelaBourgeoisie · 07/04/2010 07:24

urgh. I can't stand the idea of the tories getting in, but at least when then do, we won't have to listen to cameron's posturing any more. He'll be too busy fucking everything up.

GroveMum · 07/04/2010 08:35

Surely DC should have said he would attend whatever church was needed to get his children into good schools? St Mary Abbotts church is not really his local. Probably has Greycoats in mind as a secondary school for his daughter, should he move to Westminster.

I live a few street away from DC in social housing and don't go to church, only realistic choice of school is Holland Park. Like to see him send his kids there if he really is passionate about state education.

wahwahwah · 07/04/2010 08:43

His children do go to a good (very good) state school. And it is not the closest one to his house (one of his houses). Where's the fairness there? I don't think Downing Street is closer though.

muminthemiddle · 07/04/2010 10:05

Claig made a very good point earlier about how all schools should be meeting certain standards and quite frankly they are not.

It is appauling that people can still buy their way into a decent state education. Lots of parents still cannot afford to move to the right catchment area.

Bonsoir · 07/04/2010 10:07

Why can't people calm down when other parents lead by example and choose the best school option within their means for their own child?

LilyBolero · 07/04/2010 10:14

The house prices prohibit a lot of people from moving into the very small catchment areas for the best schools. In our area, house prices in the vicinity of the best primaries are a good 50-60k higher than outside those areas. For SECONDARY you are looking at a 200k premium to get in. That is simply not manageable for 'ordinary' people, and parents moving into areas in this way simply perpetuate the problem, and are buying their way into a decent state school.

cornsilk · 07/04/2010 10:17

hewants us to think he is just like us. He is a multi millionaire - this isn't an issue for him.Money can buy anything with regards to education.

foureleven · 07/04/2010 10:23

I can see that he wants to protect his image by not sending his children to a private school. We'd all be up in arms if he openly admitted to having the money to do this.

However, by saying he'd move house to get his kids in to a good school is just as bad in my opinion. The rest of us, most of us, dont have the option to do that for financial reasons and I beleive that with the amount of tax and NI we pay we should all have a good local school for our kids to go to.

foureleven · 07/04/2010 10:25

Add to that - my daughter starts primary in September and there are 4 local schools, one is great, the other three are crap! really really poor ofsted reports. Everyone is clambering for a place at the good one of course. I shall be mighty pissed off if she doesnt get in and has to go to a rubbish school what with the amount of tax I pay etc

Willabywallaby · 08/04/2010 06:56

Around here people move into certain areas to get into the 'best' primary schools. We didn't get our son into any of our 3 choices, one being our catchment school. This year you had to be within 0.55 miles to have got in, we live 0.9 miles away. And the school he has been allocated to is at least 3 miles away and under special measures.

We had to make the decision to take up a place at a private primary last October and pay a terms fees. Good job I got a well paid job the following month. Although it's a shame his best friend will be going to the state school.

We just have to hope he gets into the grammar in 7 years time because our secondary state school options are just as poor as our primary option.

So my point was that round here moving house doesn't always help.

Bonsoir · 08/04/2010 09:37

Well, yes, the cost of things in general prevents a lot of people from upgrading their lifestyles. Why do people think that communist principles should be applied to education?

Triggles · 08/04/2010 11:38

The only problem I have with allowing people to move around to get into the "best" schools is that the "poor" schools just seem to get worse and worse. I'd be far happier if they spent some money upgrading and improving the lesser schools. But I suppose that won't happen....

theQuibbler · 08/04/2010 12:07

Of course YANBU, Cameron doesn't have a clue.

I'm actually surprised that the Cameron children aren't at Wetherby or Pembridge Hall. I thought he would have the courage of his convictions. (On second thoughts, perhaps, that's an unlikely scenario).

He's repeatedly said that state school education is, on the whole, not very good, so why is he putting his children through that self-same system?

Ah! of course, that would be to appease the critics who suggest he's an out-of-touch, toff, cushioned by inherited wealth and favour.

God, he really is a spineless, oleaginous, craven fool.