If you can afford private education but remain in the state sector cont.

[happygardening]

Thought I repost the OP although the debate has moved on a little .
It's going to be hard to avoid this becoming another state v private thread, but what I'm interested in is a slightly different take on that debate. It's not "which is better?" but "if you think state school is better even though you could afford private education, then why is that?"

The question is based on the assumptions that the DC in question is/are reasonably bright (so might benefit academically from academically selective education), that the state school is non-selective (as most people don't have access to grammar schools), and that you hope for your DC to go to a good university (to make the £££££ fees worthwhile!)

I've been mulling this over ever since I heard some maths professor from Cambridge talking on the radio about the age-old private v state inequality of Oxbridge admissions. He was all for improving access for state school applicants but said that the simple fact was that for maths, even the best state schools generally teach only to the A-level syllabus, whereas the best private schools take their maths/further maths A-level candidates well beyond the syllabus and so the state school applicants are at a huge disadvantage - they simply don't have the starting level of knowledge required for the course.

This made me wonder: with this sort of unequal playing field, if you have the choice of private education, what reasons might you have not to take it?

Would be interested to hear from those who've made this choice - how it's working out, or if your DC have finished school now, how did it work out? Did they go to good universities/get good jobs, etc? On the other side of things, if you paid for private schooling but now regret it, why?

My DC go to a state school by the way.

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I am amused by peteneras' implied argument that Eton is the bees' knees, while Oxford and Cambridge are overrated.

There are many excellent schools in the UK, of which Eton is (presumably) one.

There are many excellent universities in the UK, of which Oxford and Cambridge are two.

Who needs nuance and complexity when we can have sweeping generalisations?

I cannot take the credit marfisa my iPad did it for me automatically. As it gives with its accents it take away with its improbable autocorrects and difficulties in editing what you have already written. :)

Ah, I took it as sure indication of elitism on your part!

Anyway, it's a nice change from the 'scrotes' upthread, and from men waving their penises around.

Yes, a man referring to dicks rattling in a woman's face is somehow both obscene and strangely threatening...

peteneras has been referred to as both a he and a she. You take your pick.

Cheers marfisa :) Elitist makes a change from chippy class obsessed dinosaur as I was alluded to a few posts back.

I hope dick rattling is not all they teach at Eton. I'd expect it at least in Latin as a bare minimum.

peteneras writes like a man, so I have taken my pick.

Please, no reference to bare anything when referring to dicks. The imagery of lots of young boys learning Latin in the nude is too much for me.

Oh god sorry! Such imagery must be disturbing, sorry.

I had more the Life of Brian in my head, where he writes Romans Go Home or whatever it was on the wall over and over to get it right :)

All the genuine OEs I have met have the most impeccable manners. And were extremely literate. Do you think I will be deleted for calling "troll"?

Just to clarify the situation and becasue I've nothing sensible or even "titillating" to add to this thread peteneras I have on exceedingly good authority is a man reading his thread knowing this it seems rather obvious.

Just a quick question:

Since when have people seemingly lost their right to educate their kids however they want to? What's the difference with someone taking their kid out of the state school system versus homeschooling for example?

Is homeschooling equally not wanted???

Because it's all relative. The current public schools are called PUBLIC, because the fee-paying public could send their kids there rather than those that would only allow those of a certain religion, trade, local residents, etc. Plus, the real posh people once used to do homeschooling

It seems to me that the whole argument is more about the perceived class of the person rather sending their kids to the school rather than the actual method of schooling that's important here. Because if posh people stopped using public schools but hired tutors at home like they used to once upon a time... people would probably be annoyed about that, too.

^^ Oooops I meant WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAKING THEIR KID OUUT OF A STATE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO GO PRIVATE VERSUS HOMESCHOOLING?

Because there is not an Old HomeSchoolian's tie that automatically opens doors.

Might be fun to design one, though!

Yes, but in the "olden days", just saying you had a private tutor at home meant that you were wealthier than the "commoner" in public school...

I'd love to design a HomeSchoolian tie!

Ultimately none. We live in a relatively free society and as parents we can do whatever we like as long as we can prove to those in authority our children our receiving an education.. The problem is for those who for a whole variety of reasons cannot send their children to a decent school or even an average one whether it be state or independent ed and who cannot home ed them either. For these children due to their circumstances their future I suspect may not be that great. IMO in the 21 century in developed country this is appalling as a nation according to the CIA world-fact book (my favourite website) we are " a leading trading power and financial centre, the third largest economy in Europe after Germany and France." our GDP per capita puts us 32nd in the world ahead of Finland Japan and Italy yet a sizeable proportion of our population receive an education that even at its best cannot be described as mediocre.

Tasmania - doesn't your point just go to show that it isn't about old fashioned class (you don't need to have class to get into Eton these days...), it's about the powerful contacts you can make and the extra facilities, etc, which are more limited if you are homeschooled. In the past, homeschooling was preferable because it was actually a bit common and vulgar to educate yourself too much - the only education a man really needed was in huntin, shootin and fishin, and what to do if you got the maid pregnant. These days, to retain your status, you also need a high class education - a big change from the past.

"Because there is not an Old HomeSchoolian's tie that automatically opens doors."
I dont know whether I missing something here but I'm remain completely unconvinced the about "old school tie," although having said this I do know a very well known chambers who wont interview Old Etonians (dons tin hat gets in air raid shelter and hides under bed as peteneras is around). But frankly I dont think its got anything to do with what school you went to its who you parents etc are. A friend senior partner in magic circle law firm a few years ago wants work experience for her DS in banking, rings another friends senior partner Casenove and he does a couple of week in his vacation there. She then reciprocates for his DS a year later. Friends son does a bit of works at Casenoves during his gap year ok nothing exciting but he's already got his foot in the door he's known to them they like him. He then leaves university straight into Casenoves. No old school tie as both went single sex they meet through work connections they live in the same roads it all about who you know in life not the old school tie.

Actually, no - a long, long way back, wealthy people did employ experts sort of for mental stimulation.

you don't need to have class to get into Eton these days...), it's about the powerful contacts you can make and the extra facilities, etc But isn't it good that in a way Eton is open to anyone who did good, can afford it and has a reasonably intelligent child? Rather than limit it to those who have titles for example?

There will always be some sort of hierarchy. There is no truly flat society. And a monetary one does seem a wee bit fairer than, say, birth right.

It always makes me smile when people say "oh, no, there's no such thing as the old boy network, it's just a matter of knowing the right people" Er.........

"Yes, but in the "olden days", just saying you had a private tutor at home meant that you were wealthier than the "commoner" in public school..."

Not true, actually- people of quite moderate income had "private tutors". Particularly if you were one of that strange breed that hasn't come up much on
this thread- a girl!

There's a "know the right people" network but what Im trying to say is it that its not so much about school ties anymore.