Diversity in Independent Schools, SE London

[SlimSchadey]

Hello,

I have been going to open days at some SE London private primary schools that are meant to be very good. What I have noticed, above all, is that there seems to be no racial diversity at all -- all the students, teachers, administrators are white with a light smattering of SE Asians, perhaps. Do schools make an effort to enrol a diverse group of students and families? Is anyone else bothered by the idea of a school where essentially all the children are from the same type of background?

Yes, I think you'll find that lots of us SE London parents are concerned about the ethnic diversity of our children's primary schools.

That's one of the many reasons why we've opted for the state system.

I live near St Dunstan's, and my dd has swimming lessons there. It seems very diverse - pretty much the same as our state primary. Couldn't comment on the others

Actually SB is right, of course (I live opposite St Dunstan's); it is unusually reflective of the ethnic demographic.

I wouldn't say it would particularly 'bother' me.

We live in leafy suburbia, in southern Hampshire and the DSs primary and secondary schools sounds just like the private primaries you've described: very white with a few SE Asian kids. Don't know why, in particular, though people do move to get into the catchments.

I would really love for dd to go to state, as I did, although in another nation. However, the primaries where we live are exceptionally oversubscribed and not particularly high-performing. We are the wrong faith for the faith schools open for us here (RC or CoE). I am really, really torn -- I thought going private would be an easier choice, and I was absolutely shocked at the absolute lack of diversity that I saw. Back to square one!

the point about private schools is that it is not representative of the community - it is representative of wealth and not they make no effort to enrol diverse groups of students and families - nor do they accept SEN students easily

you will find a higher proportion of caucasians, and actually blondes for some reason, at these schools

They can't all be over-subscribed, though: the local authority has to offer your child a place somewhere.

I guess the thing to remember is that even if they don't look high-performing with regard to SATS, your child may still do exceptionally well there. The oversubscription may be more of a problem, of course.

But you will get a place: you're legally entitled to one.

It's a bit different in London, which has a large international community, and where private schools are normally just as diverse. And a flip side is that very narrow catchment areas mean some state schools are not particularly so.

And white isn't synonymous with British. If you want the actual ethnic breakdown of a school, you'd better enquire.

where in SE London are you?

have you looked at

schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/

to find schools

and have you actually gone round the schools to see

In our area some schools talk a good game and are extremely popular but other schools are just as good but a little quiet / less good at the marketing and so are less over-subscribed

private schools are not "just as diverse" anywhere - that's simply not true

FWIW, pretty much all the DCs at my DSs' schools are from similar backgrounds, though most are white, many are non-English white; there are a fair smattering of Indians and Chinese- but we're all pretty much the same: parents in professional jobs, wash the car on Sunday, walk the dog through the woods, whilst the boys are on the skate ramps.

However, a close friend's DD attends another nearby school which is 100% white but the DCs hail from '5 bedroom/acres of land' houses through to sink estates with every social problem under the sun. Very diverse. Yet completely white!

Personally, I don't require my DSs to go to wildly diverse schools. I believe they are well taught about other peoples' belief systems and ways of life, they get 'the facts' from the horses mouths at Sikh temples, Hindu temples, mosques; they learn about Hannukah, the Haj, and the various Stations of the Cross. They have friends and classmates from single parent families and gay partnerships. We have taught them tolerance of people who don't think the same way as we do, or who 'look' different'. I actually don't think they have to be surrounded by diversity to appreciate it.

I live close to Bermondsey and am looking in the SE -- so sort of Blackheath, Greenwich, Dulwich area. The states right here have many, many children in care, sadly, and many of them don't seem to have a stable home situation. I've spoken to parents with children already enrolled and was told that they find their children get very little attention as the teachers are busy dealing with kids who just can't sit in their seats, etc.

I guess that I always thought that part of the private school fees would go toward making the experience and opportunity available to families who might not be able to afford it. It seems that what I'm learning is that it's not this way in the UK. Or maybe I'm just looking at the wrong schools!

Try looking at the ones in central London - especially those which have the children of eg international bankers and businessmen.

ProperLush - but if you live in a highly diverse demography, but are educated in isolation, you are learning about the people you live next door to, not with them. You say the schools you talk about reflect the community around you - the whole point is that an all white school in SE London hardly reflects the community as a whole.

" I actually don't think they have to be surrounded by diversity to appreciate it."

Oh

My

God

and you said that with all sincerity didn't you? Not even an iota of hint of irony in your entire post

Slaps own head and despairs

When we were in London, my DCs white classmates were from Russia, Estonia, Greece, France, USA, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Australia, Ireland and Portugal.

That wasn't a private school in SE London, but I think it's wrong to assume the white community is either homogenous or indigenous.

Obviously it's a good thing to have diversity in the school, but the school is a business. Why should they advertise themselves just to fill somebody's idea of a 'correct' quota?

They take the children who (or whose parents) wish to be educated there, and educate them.

They could hardly put up signs saying, 'Open Day Thursday, Nigerian/French/Venezuelan Children Preferred' could they? It would just become ridiculous, and they might end up with more complaints about 'positive discrimination'.

They take the children who (or whose parents) wish to be educated there, and educate them.

If they're rich enough, obviously.

I can't believe anyone would seriously get hot under the collar about lack of diversity in private schools - of course there won;t be as much diversity! And even if you get more children of rich familes with different ethnic backgrounds, that's still not reflective of wider society. WHy make a fetish out of ethnic diversity, when you're happy for social diversity to be narrowed?

Ridic.

It is, actually, quite important to me that my children's wildly multiethnic background has some echo in their school environment.

Fortunately, in their Lewisham school, they're rather typical.

In my children's private secondary schools there are many more black and Asian children than we ever saw in the state primary.

In London I have noticed a lot of Asian children at the super selective grammars, such as Tiffin and Henrietta B. Why would they go private if they're clever enough to go to these state schools?

Social diversity isn't a strong point of the state sector either, and probably never will be unless you are in an allocation by lottery area.

Me too, MotherInf.
And actually, the coralling of children into a demographic defined by their parents ability to pay creates a sort of isolation of it's own. My children are growing up in a multi-ethnic world, a multi-ethnic, global, metropolitan city and I want that to be part of their social experience.
And Elaine: if your children are of an ethnic / racial minority it makes s difference. IME.

EdithW - it is on my part of S London! Where social housing is back to back with conservation areas and £1m houses, complete mix of racial and cultural backgrounds. Such is the community, so is the school! And very successful it is too.