Michael Wilshaw tells private schools to do more for the state sector

[muminlondon]

www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2013/oct/02/ofsted-michael-wilshaw-independent-schools

He's not afraid of being disliked, is he? He gave a speech to the heads of private schools telling them to sponsor academies in deprived areas - only 3% do so.

My favourite quotes are:

'... think less globally and more locally, "less Dubai and more Derby"'

'What might you say to parents who think that noblesse oblige is the latest perfume from Chanel?'

'Your pensions, many of the public may be surprised to learn, are subsidised by the taxpayer. Most of your teaching staff were educated at public expense. The independent sector gains 1,400 teachers from state schools every year.'

handcream - I think you are being selective in your interpretation of the meaning of wealth.... If you can afford £60,000 per year in school fees and to live near London, then regardless of whether you have money left over to travel first class on an aeroplane or run a nice car, or whether you can only afford this because you both work full time, you are exceedingly wealthy by the standards of the vast majority of people in this country. You may not feel wealthy having paid all that money over, because it is no longer available to spend elsewhere, but the fact is, you have all that money available to you to spend on something other than basic housing and food, and it is an awful lot of money.

If one can afford, let them buy Prada shoes. If not, then the ones from Clarks or M&S or Payless will do.

If one can afford, travel in first class by all means. If not, travel by 'no frills economy' class.

If one can afford it, by all means send the children to independents or super-expensive independents, finishing schools in Switzerland etc. If not, the State Schools should be able to provide good education.

Why should there be compulsion on independents to admit non-affording pupil? Even if fees are waived, there are too many other expenses to think off, including braggings by the children of wealthy parents, even if not exceedingly wealthy. Also don't forget to have a good car and change it every three or four years. By the way what is this 'wealthy but not not exceedingly wealthy' thing? Where is the limit?

Sorry, I don't buy socialist ideas. Don't think that since every one can't be rich, so every body must be made poor.

So, what is exceedingly wealthy. For me that means earnings of £500k plus per year. £200k in London if both parents are working is not exceedingly wealthy but I guess if you arent working, or working part time on mimumum wage....

On that level, certainly some can afford to pay for private schooling or tutoring or music lessons or keeping horses; sure they wouldn't be asking for bursaries.

Perhaps the top 2 fifths of households by disposable income should be called "wealthy". That's every house with disposable income over £24k

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/household-income/middle-income-households/1977---2010-11/rpt--middle-income-households.html

Blush if you're wealthy

I really have nothing to say....

All I can say its relative as if I compare myself to the lady who throws away my rubbish...I am extremely wealthy but if I stand alongside Li Ka Shing Im extremely poor.

What is important to understand is that everyone has a job. They all deserve our respect. I always say good morning to my subordinates and I do make an effort to remember names and stories. That is what a good education should be about. I hate this exam orientated world where we are fixated by exam results. I do understand though that if you don't get the results you won't get an interview.

The thing is a high exam result does not make you a good leader..

Kenlee is right. We are very comfortable, however between us we couldnt fix an outside light on the drive, rang a few people who said they would turn up and then didnt etc. Eventually got a recommendation and the guy turned up this morning. As we live in a very dark lane with no street light I could have kissed him.

He looked about 15 but certainly knew what he was doing. Got my proper coffee maker and and posh biscuits out as he deserved it. Sometimes he says he doesnt get an offer of a drink and someone a few weeks ago refused to let him in to use the loo because 'she had valuables'!!

Also, the bin men, what a great job they do, yet I have heard of people shouting at them and demanding this, that and the other.....

Funnily enough, the wealthier you are, the higher you tend to set the point at which you think the term "exceedingly wealthy" applies.... I would say setting the ceiling at £500K a year is setting it exceedingly high. It all depends on whom you are comparing yourself with, really, doesn't it? Clearly I am not exceedingly wealthy by handcream's standards, but I feel wealthy and lucky, because I am comparing myself with people who are a lot less well off than I am, because in general I live amongst people who are less well off than I am (and this is a nice area with high employment).

I put the bar at £500k because what if you earned £1 million between you. Exceedingly, exeedingly wealthy...

Sorry - if you can afford fees then you are wealthy. Can't believe anyone is really saying otherwise.

As mentioned there is always someone wealthier than you. Unless you are Bill Gates, of course.

Actually - probably even he thinks that he is not wealthy in comparison to Carlos Slim. £10billion more is really an exceedingly large amount.

excuse my maths: Not 10 billion, only 6!

Rabbit I think that's true.

DH and I are by any standards 'wealthy'...but we don't see ourselves as owt special or swanky.

I would never describe myself as rich. Because it somehow doesn't sit with me.

Sorry - if you can afford fees then you are wealthy. Can't believe anyone is really saying otherwise.

Up here in the north you can get a place at a primary aged private school for around £6k per annum and at at least June decent school for less than £5k per annum. Affording those levels of fees for one child does not necessarily make someone wealthy. They could be foregoing an annual holiday, meals out, new cars, buying clothes at charity shops, have a small mortgage or no mortgage etc. having £5k / £6k a year to spend on education does not necessarily equal wealth.

June = one. Not sure where that typo came from.

Why isn't Wilshaw asking successful state schools such as the London Oratory or Tiffins or the Grammars or Hills road sixth form to sponsor struggling state schools?

There is also the question of access to money. My DS left Eton three years ago. I knew the parents of his friends quite well. Quite a few of them couldn't afford the fees out of their joint incomes but they could:

Get help from grandparents
Re-mortgage their homes
Reduce/not pay pension contributions for a few years
etc

In other words they felt "cash poor" but could still make choices not available to the vast majority of the population.

I think the sector is shrinking in places but hiding it. The 'superselectives' are ever popular. But others - e.g. non-selectives, rural boarding schools and many prep schools? - may be feeling the pinch. A few things have been suggested to be by this thread:

1. Some schools in the private sector are struggling. Many are interested in becoming free schools, whether very old ex-direct grant grammars in the provinces or religious schools.
2. Fees have gone up. Parents don't feel wealthy, although that is very subjective. Many question the value for money.

3.Some schools have had to fill their places with wealthier pupils from abroad. That suggests the domestic market is either plateauing or contracting.

1. Increased transparency in league tables is exposing mediocre performance in private schools as well as state schools. It also reveals much more than before about how selective these schools are, and increases the popularity of the superselectives.
2. We hear about small school sizes being a benefit but as the very selective, results-driven schools have 1,000+ pupils, which gives more possibilities for subject choice and setting as well as greater income, that seems to be a marketing tactic for the less popular schools so they don't get so small they have to close down. I heard that one of the ex-privates turned free schools used to have 200 pupils per year but that has dwindled to 40.

So I'm with those posters who wonder which independent schools could actually afford the help Wilshaw is asking for? They can't admit that in public.

handcream I'm sorry but in my view and I suspect in the view if most sensible people if you can pay what is pushing £70 000 pa in school fees then you are by any bodies standards wealthy I don't care where you live. OK you may not be an oligarch or a plutocrat but you not living on working family tax credit or on even an average wage.

Mumzy Why isn't Wilshaw asking successful state schools such as the London Oratory or Tiffins or the Grammars or Hills road sixth form to sponsor struggling state schools?

To a certain extent that has started to happen. I hate forced academisation as it is so undemocratic but I have noticed some primaries in that position being sponsored/partnered by converter academies rather than chains. And see this DfE press release:

www.gov.uk/government/news/new-generation-of-academy-sponsors-driving-school-to-school-improvement

It mentions Altrincham Grammar School forming a new chain of academies.

muminlondon Michael Wilshaw named the ones that can afford it in his speech I think you'll find. Your average 2 nd rate private school obviously can't afford to do any more than let state schools borrow their facilities.

I don't think it matters how deep your pockets are.. I rather concentrate on how good a person you are. Being rich does not make you a good person or a bad person. In Chinese we have a word translated meaning "family teaching".

No matter how rich you are if you do not have family teaching you are a disgrace to you parents.

What is family teaching ???

1. Respect to your elders.
2. Courteous behavior
3. General manners

Being rich does not automatically instill these values.

That is what most private selective/ Grammer or good area comprehensive school will teach as well as exam oriented results. So just having high exam marks is not the be all and end all. Its the finished product that is created.

I have been berated by a relative on social security saying that I don't understand that they are ill and unable to work. They also have five children to look after. That it is unfair my only daughter goes to private school where her kids go to the local comprehensive that is I quote " Shit". She was on the understanding that because I can afford to send my child to private. That I had a moral obligation to send all five of hers as well...

That is what is wrong with society today....That is why Micheal Wilshaw picked on private schools. So he can misdirect the public away from the main problem. That is the shrinking middle classes and that the poor have no worthwhile menial jobs that pay enough to sustain living. The education system is now more concentrated on examination to tests rather than understanding. Therefore, the level of innovation is getting lower and lower.

This may sound very conservative but family values need to be instilled in all families. Unruly behavior should be stopped. I remember being a wee lad when I threw a piece of toffee paper onto floor. I got slapped on the head by a local bobby and told to pick it up and throw it in the bin. That is what we need today...If a Policeman did that today he would be prosecuted and jailed and if the death penalty was around sentenced to death.

Bad schools yes they maybe many but the crux of it all is unruly behavior...It needs to be stamped out....

For the kids that have real problem well I'm of the thinking that the government should build select schools and hire and train teachers to do that.

How do we pay for it....Simple Don't send our troops overseas to help fight American wars. Sell our weapons to the Americans and who ever they are fighting. I will always support the troops but as many so rightly say its not our war.

I will now get of my soap box and enter my name to run for UKIP ...(jk)

Middle, no I am not living on working family tax credit!

If I was I wouldnt be able to afford the schools that we do. We currently pay just over £50k in school fees. Its two salaries, stopping at 2 children, having them late in life that has really got us to this position.

Of course its not everyone's choice to do this.

Not sure where £70k has come from for a senior boarding school and a prep school boarding school.

I agree with some of the other posters. Why doesnt the state system look at the succesful state schools and see what they can copy from them.

I agree HANDCREAM...let the successful state schools lead the way...

Exactly; MW should help successful state schools join hands with the failing schools nearby. I suspect he is aware that State schools can not put money into other state schools, so probably thought that independents should be the one to sponsor new free academies. More donations from the wealthy parents. Looks like a great idea to him.