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?

Does it really make any difference at all, people seem so paranoid about all this diversity stuff, I have a boat and you rarely see any none white or whatever the correct political term is owning or on boats, does it make a difference to me, no, and why not, because I don't see colour, I just get on with life and treat people all the same. Come to think of it I have a lot of black friends, but to me they are friends whether they are black yellow or whatever, what a sad world we live in where you need a certain amount of whatever colour to tick a box!

Oh,! and I went on a cruise earlier in the year, P&O, and there was not one non white person on that as a passenger, watch you don't book a cruise it could really affect you and your family! What a load of utter tosh, people do what they want to do, colour should not come into it, do you want to force me to do something I don't want to because you need a white person somewhere, give me a break!

As for private schools, well that says it all, and by the way I went to one of those!

It makes a difference because school is compulsory and goes on for years, unlike a cruise, and children, to a greater extent than adults, are prone to in group favouritism. Its easy to say you don't think it matters when you are an adult or are somewhere through your own choice or are in the group that is the overwhelming majority.

You get a bit more social diversity if you don't close the doors on anyone who isn't rich and/or very clever, though.

My daughter's school is largely white, as is where we live - not much I can do about that - but definitely socially diverse. The private schools round here do have the chiildren of Russian oligarchs and Chinese industrialists, but that's reflective of the catchment area you create when you create it by wealth.

If you want your children to be diverse may I suggest you send the to a boarding school in India, China or wherever, you will get as much diverrsity as you wish, oh and you could go and live there as well and fill your boots with diversity!

I was thinking of the leafy suburbs type schools, which there are several examples where I am now; especially when looked at in contrast to the one by the edge-of-city large social housing estate. And I'm not just thinking stereotypes in quoting those examples - I'm thinking of the actual difference in %age FSM.

It wouldn't be the kind of diversity I'm thinking of, man.

And yeah, leafy suburb schools could obviously benefit from a bit of mixing up - I don't defend them, really.

My (state) school was lower-middle/working class, can't think of anyone in my year whose parents had degrees, plenty of money around but the only diversity was that the children of the family who owned the chinese takeaway went there ... It's partly that kind of environment which means I chose not to live in a market town as an adult.

Totally acknowledge that not all state schools are hotbeds of social and ethnic diversity. But I do think if you opt for private, you have little grounds for complaining of any kind of monoculture.

These threads are usually full of people getting terribly earnest about how diverse their dc's private school is.

Which always makes me laugh because the last thing you're paying for if you go private is to be mixing with all sorts, is it not?

Manathome I don't think my dd would get a hugely diverse experience in boarding school in China or India she would likely be just one. And many other posters here have said that diversity is not just ethnic, it's social as well and I completely agree. My feeling is that putting my dd in a private that is all white and wealthy would not serve who she has the potential of becoming. Or any other kid. And anyone who thinks that we will educate future world leaders in a socially, racially or ability -stratified situation is sadly mistaken. If we do that, we're going to have more of the same "leaders" that we have today!

Now, if you live in a community where everyone is white, or wealthy, or clever, or poor, or black or whatever, and the schools reflect that, that's fine. There are nations where most of the people are one way, and many parts of the UK that are quite homogenous.

But the site of coming upon this sea of little white faces, mostly with blonde hair, basically on the border of Lewisham/Southwark, just really looked incongruous to me, and wrong, and made me re-examine what I wanted for my dd.

Well you are from another age, thank goodness I am older and beyond all that superficial ethnic diversity nonsense. As I said I don't give a jot what colour anyone is, my daughter has black friends but kids don't see colour, it is the stupid people that are trying to falsely manipulate society that see that, look at the way exams are lowered for certain people, absolutely wrong in my opinion, all it is doing is dumbing down society just like America.

I lived in Nigeria for 12yrs, so do think I know about diversity, would I go back, not a chance in hell, it is one of the most corrupt places on earth, can I say that or is all that swept under the carpet in this day and age as well!

I have my daughter going to secondary school year after next and I am facing some serious choices, but I will certainly not be looking at it in a colour perspective, it will be academic, fun times ahead I think!

I thought most independent schools had rich children from all ethnicitities!

Yes, but quite often they're Posh Forrin. When posh schools tell you how 'international' they are that's code for Posh Forrin. As opposed to Asylum-Seeker Forrin, for instance. (I should probably point out that I think having Asylum-Seeker Forrin kids at school is a Good Thing, this being MN where one can occasionally be ahem misread.)

One of DP's posh mates was telling us with great pride how International his daughter's school was. We studiously avoided pointing out we got that round here for nothing .

"I just LOVE how mixed Tarquin's new school is- there's a charming boy who'll be the Fon of Bafut one day- and at least three Maharaja's sons. And I do believe that in one form there's even a boy who's grandfather owns a shop. What was his name? Oh, yes, El Fayed- that 's it. So important for them to learn how to rub along with all sorts......."

If you live in Bermondsey, you are unlikely to get a place in say a Dulwich school as they are all massively over-subscribed.

However, if you are a practising member of a faith other than CofE (don't know if this is true for Catholic schools, but may be), then you may be eligible for a place in a CofE school - look at their admissions policies - that is often a higher category than proximity to school.

motherinferior - which school do your children go to? You must be very local to me! We have recently moved to the area and would be interested to get any info on the local schools!

Re private schools, I have to laugh at comments like seekers , there are loads of kids at private school where the fees are funded by corrupt foreign officials, or corrupt, drug smuggling and fraudulent parents here, as long as they pay the schools seem to turn a blind eye to the source of the funding of the fees whether ethical, criminal or not.

As I said, I went to a private school and with sons of gentry, OK it gave me a good grounding and made me more self confident I guess, but what I didn't get was to meet with riff raff and poor people. Through my life I have met both and I must say I would rather spend time with a genuine poor person than an up their own arse son of a scammer, but riff raff, you can keep them

" I actually don't think they have to be surrounded by diversity to appreciate it." (Your quote back at me) "OMG! 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"

all Q from Activate

OK, I went to an all girls Grammar in Wiltshire in 1973. In a school of 1200 girls, there was one black girl. One. No Asian girls at all.

I find your idea that those facts could only lead to me forming the Central South of England Ku Klux Klan - because, let's face it, the absence of diversity in my school can ONLY turn educated, middle class children into rampant racists, can't it?- DEEPLY OFFENSIVE

You are an ass. I do not surround myself in, say Islamic Art. But I appreciate it, have some understanding of it, and celebrate its existence. I do not immerse my family in a primitive animalistic Amazonian tribal cult. But I understand from whence such cultures emanate and their value to those that practice them.

I do not surround myself in, say, the lives of those way less fortunate than myself. I do not need to do that in order to appreciate that their lives can be nigh on unliveable but the 'blame' partly lies within the separatist culture of the modern UK to appreciate that the UK's problems are not the fault of single mothers on welfare.

Maybe that's all because I am clever and you are evidently not.

Wow! MN is not just full of dumb blonde mums then

i must say joining this forum is giving me a great insight into being a minority

Actually, wrt hair colour, the number of blonds and blondes in some private secondaries is freaky IME. As referred to in two posts above.

Sorry I misread, I thought she said blonde mums like her coming out of the school

Dear ProperLush

oh I'm not going to even bother - you are clearly unable to see past your "we can teach diversity we don't need to experience it" and - I'm surprised you didn't say some of your closest friends are black or Jewish or Muslim - you know to give yourself that extra kudos

What I can say is this -- I have many nephews that attend various well-regarded public schools. They are all quite "nice" boys, reasonably clever, solid, all-rounders. Yet despite their IBs, and the fact that they travel all over the world on rugby and cricket tours, etc., I have overheard them making comments about "The Poles" and other groups. They do not concern themselves with anyone who is not of a similar background. They seem to act as if they are entitled to everything.

I've mentioned it to the parents and others in the family who explain it away by saying that because of their schooling, they really don't meet other kinds of people and they expect that once they're out in the world, their attitudes will change.

It would be the tragedy of my life if ds behaved in this way and didn't get to have the opportunity to know many kinds of people.

If you want to experience 'foreign' get on a plane and go somewhere, we are not India, we are not Poland, we are not Jamaica e.t.c. e.t.c. You may think you know the culture but I can assure you it is not the 'real' culture, you need to go see it, smell it, touch it.

Some people thinknthe Indian food you get in restaurants is what they eat in India, well go there you would get a huge surprise.

Where will people experience England when we are one melting pot? It will not exist at this rate as we are changing by the minute. I actually used to like going to different countries to experience things, but now the world is a much smaller place with the ease of travel and the same old Chinese plastic nonsense appears for sale from the Caribbean to Singapore and beyond. I'm not going to be able to change what is happening to this country, just watch my way of life being changed beyond recognition without my consent or choice!