Private schools are not a choice

[daddiesrule]

Having read a few threads about private schools recently, I found an article on the DM which wound me up massively. It stated that sending your DC to private school was a choice; am I the only idiot who thinks this isn't true?

It's only a choice for those who can afford it - if your salary is not large enough to cover it, it is definitely not a choice. Why should children who have parents in low paid jobs not have the same access to education as those with parents who earn significantly more?

Secondly, the whole reason state schools are so poorly funded is because of private schools. If all MPs and political donors were forced to use the state sector, I reckon funding for education would increase over night.

It seems unreasonable to justify having a poorly funded education system because some affluent parents have to option to pay to avoid it. This is the opposite of social mobility.

Here is the fee structure
www.purcell-school.org/admissions/fees/

LEAs will pay private special schools fees only if the school is specified in the EHCP as the provision to be made for the child.

I don't know how anyone can be so sure that if there were no private schools then the state education would be better.

I think - in theory, at any rate - that MPs and other policy makers would have a bigger incentive to work at improving state schools if they knew that their children and grandchildren would have to use state schools.

As it stands, the ones with enough money have the option of choosing private schools. And someone who can opt out of state schooling may put improving state schools lower down their priority list.

Of course you’d have to get rid of private schools to prove that theory.

After getting rid of private schools, will you try to get off of grammar schools too? So everyone could be equally bad.

Unfortunately you are overlooking two facts. Firstly there are many 'choices' in life that are only open to those with money. Even having a child can end up requiring thousands if you need IVF and the less wealthy who don't succeed with their one NHS chance might have that choice taken away. Private healthcare offers myriad examples.

Secondly, in many areas, the choice is still financial. The wealthiest couple I know send their children to state school because they could afford the million pound house in the right catchment area. A small private school can actually be more affordable than that.

If all the independent schools closed the state school system would fold overnight.
It would be in a much worse state due to the huge volume of extra pupils. It would buckle and break.

Those parents wouldn’t suddenly be willing to pay for a state school, why should they? They would be paying twice, once through taxes and then again... this would never ever happen.
The private school sector helps the state school system by alleviating pupil numbers considerably as the government understands, saving the country billions ( by the way private school parents still pay for schools that they don’t use through taxes, and do not expect rebates)

Underclass? Are you for real?

romany your post is truly offensive.

Apologies if I offend, what other word should I use.
I class myself here btw, I'm not working and we live on breadline.

I have reported my post, apologies again. Can you tell me the correct term springwalk

What other word should you use??
Do you even need to ask that question?

You have just illustrated concisely everything that is wrong with our country.

(I speak as a parent of privately educated children, and I have never ever come across anyone that would say such a thing)

I think the word you were looking for is state educated children romany

A state system that produces bright and articulate children, that go on to do great things as well.

I am astonished by your post, and I can very glad you are getting it deleted.

Eh?

So since when was state educated considered a class
I obviously do have to ask the question, but I'm sure somebody else can explain in a civil manner.
What's wrong with this country are snotty people who pick on folks English, but aren't prepared to explain or offer alternatives.
Yes, you are a parent of privately educated children, not sure what that has to do with the price of meat.

You said that if privately educated. children were forced to go to state school they would choose a governess rather than go to school with the underclass / wc

So what did you mean by that?

I meant if they can afford private they are likely to afford a governess rather than go state.
Closing private schools won't necessarily make state schools better.
I referred to the offensive name because I thought it was a separate class, the term is used a lot where I live, and refers to those on benefit on or just below the breadline. I didn't know it was unacceptable. Thank you though, I will put others right, it's how I've termed myself.
Apologies again. As soon as you said I reported, but I still don't know how it's unacceptable. Mnet have removed and I didn't doubt you I'll google.

I am not sure where you are based but in the UK that is an offensive way to describe anyone.
It makes a group of people sound like they are beneath everyone else.
It is never used because of this.
Generally working class has been dropped too. We are all mc now. At least we ought to be.
Governesses are very hard to find at the best of times.

Dapplegrey

I happen to think the gentleman you erroneously have in mind is a duplicitous toss pot. Equally, I believe the leader of the Labour Party ito be a duplicitous toss pot. I am nothing if not fair.

Incidentally, the name refers to my cat, Jeremy Rees Moggy. Who is odious. As well as malodorous. He prays on the small and week cares not a jot for public opinion, throws his lot in with those for whom he secretly feels nothing but disdain when it is to his advantage and is the consummate arse-licker. Oh, hang on, I see why your confusion has arisen ...

Some Local Authorities also pay private Special School fees.

This is a totally different issue. My son attended a specialist school paid for by the local authority, because that was the school that met his needs. I would much rather he had been able to access the curriculum at our excellent local comprehensive and then gone on to university, unfortunately his disability meant this wasn't the case.

I must learn to spell check. Also I have lost my glasses. It would help if I could see.

If you close private schools parents won’t pay for governessss those who have serious money and those who influence policy will send there DC’s abroad to get the education they want (as many from Asia Russia and even parts of Europe including Finland etc are currently doing). They don’t want to send their DC’s to state schools.

Of course, I hadn't thought of them going overseas.
We wouldn't use state schools either, not because I think they are beneath us as we live in a poor area anyway, they just don't suit all kids whatever their parents earn.
There should always be alternatives, imo.

I’m not saying the MC’s struggling to pay fees sending their DC’s to send their local independent day school will send their DC’s abroad they probably don’t like the idea of boarding or have the money to do it they will probably send their DC’s to the state sector. But those who have the sort of money to influence political thinking who are cheerfully stumping up £40k+ a year in fees per child who are probably not-resident in the UK all the time with second third or fourth homes in other countries will not hestotate to send your DC’s to the US or anywhere else to get the education they want,

Who cares about the 0.01% of Super Rich rip off merchants ! Those who think (Only little people pay taxes ) Are the children of these people, the 'idiots' who go on Rich Kids go skint and think if you drink a £10 bottle of wine you will die from poisoning .

What relevance does the habits of these Public School parasites and imbeciles and their families have outside Chelsea , Monaco or come to think of it the remaining 99.99% of the Worlds population.

Romany . There is nothing wrong with how you describe a section a certain section of society.. Many of them have no interest in Education and why should they ! Now matter how hard they work or try their horizons are limited to a job in a call centre .

Are there any really small senior state schools? All the state schools around us are HUGE.