% of kids at private school in sixth form

[foodfairy]

Was chatting to a friend the other day and the usual statistic about 93% of kids going to state school came up and how Oxbridge takes a far higher number of private kids.

But then I wondered surely that 7% number is spread over all school ages. But I would imagine more kids go private the older they get? And there are less children in school at 18 than 8, more of whom will be privately educated as they are less likely to drop out?

So those oxbridge figures which I think are around 50% coming from private schools maybe not quite so skewed?

Just curious. Any answers?

Do grammar schools also offer a more "academic" range of A levels, suitable of university entry requirements? Maybe by excluding some of the softer options at A level, young people automatically study subjects relevant to university courses.

Also, just as a matter of interest, how many pupils at secondary school study Latin/Greek to A level if these courses are offered?

And if you also stripped out the posh comps in areas with £500k houseprices or which are comps but with some selection you would find even fewer normal comprehensives within the Oxbridge stats. The abolish grammars in the 70s where I came from.

I think the percentage of children in private schools in the sixth form is nearer 18% but as someone said that is ilkely to drop when more children are forced into staying on at school.

At sixth form level all state provision is selective...you are generally not allowed to progress to A-levels unless you have good GCSE results.

So, whether you are in the sixth form or a grammar school, a comprehensive school or a private school, you have been selected to ensure you can cope with an A-level course.

Can people remember that state comprehensives get some very good results...in areas where there are no grammar schools (most of the country) the cleverest children will be at the comprehensive school.

As a comp. educated child who went on to Cambridge, I believe the biggest problem is lack of encouragement to apply. However, I'm not sure that it's necessarily the best university to study and actually - 15 years on - have been feeling very negative about it!

It was competitive and not very supportive. I got a first class degree despite that, but could imagine having had three much easier years at Bristol or Durham!

Is easier better then builder?

Yellowstone - since as an adult I do like to have an easy life - would much rather garden and play with my children than work - then I feel I wasted four years working too hard in a competitive atmosphere!

Tbh builder you could have had an easier life by settling for a 2.2. Best of both worlds.

You can't decide what degree grade to settle on...it's not that easy to plan a grade....

I did an average amount of work, never working weekends but working pretty hard during the week.

But builder if you did an average amount of work 5/7 only, where's the problem? Doesn't sound like it was overly pressured, in fact it sounds quite a doddle.

Comparable to gardening and kids I'd have said.

For me, anyhow.

It's an unfair system , favours the rich . Private schools should be shut down . I can even live with schools that select pupils based on academic ability , but based on how much mummy or daddy can afford to pay is not ethically correct . Your kids will benefit though , the system is geared for private school pupils too excel . 40% of kids at Oxbridge are from the 14% % that go to private 6th form / college . It's the land of opportunity look at Kate Middleton , she forced herself on to a balding future king . Now she has become a baby making machine that the state funds .

It's also the case that the brightest students are more likely to go to sixth form as they are attracted by high scholarships at that stage. (The school is only giving away two years schooling and getting a student who is likely to increase their oxbridge stats).

So, whether you are in the sixth form or a grammar school, a comprehensive school or a private school, you have been selected to ensure you can cope with an A-level course.

Errr yes but you've been selected a lot more at some schools rather than others. The top schools will only allow you to stay if you're likely to achieve top grades. A grammar local to my mum actually chucked some students out midway through their A-levels as they were looking unlikely to achieve As or Bs.

I have been told that while it is about 7th overall, the percentage of Reception children in an independent fee paying school is tiny, whereas at other points it is a lot higher, with about 20% of kids go to an independent fee paying school at some point in their education, with that percentage varying across the country. So the highest concentration is in the South East, but in Grammar School areas there is a preference towards paying for Years 3 to 6, whereas in other areas the preference is for sixth form. I don't know how true this information is though. Given the way fees keep going up and scholarship fee reductions have become token gestures, I can't help feeling there must be a lower percentage now than 20 years ago.