Posh and Posher: Why Public School Boys Run Britain

[TapselteerieO]

Did anyone see this?

I have just watched it and thought there might be a thread here about it. Sadly I am not surprised that it happens but I am still surprised by the statistics.

(Going to get dc from school so might not be on here until later.)

""I would have been shocked""

Good, ille try again then.

I haven't read all the thread, so - apols if someone else has pointed this out...

It was in the newspapers recently that a survey at the University of Bristol showed that a higher proportion of graduates who had gone to state school and come out with 3 'A' grades, went on to get Firsts, than did ex-independent school pupils who started at Bristol with 3 'A' grades. Fifty four per cent of the state school kids with 3 'A' grades got firsts ( I forget the ex-independent school stats, but there was quite a difference.)

That's good, then, isn't it? Take away all the extra prodding and pushing and polishing and - state school kids are NOT 'worse' - far from it.

God only knows why we have gone back to the 1950s in our political leadership - or indeed, why we have made so little progress generally in getting 'representative' politicians in parliament.

If there was, say, a one-year 'Life in Politics' practical course available and widely known, maybe a broad spectrum of people would apply. It could be a recognised entree for career politicians.

But, to make takeup across a broad spectrum feasible, free higher education would have to be made available to all.

Now, which forward thinking politician would like to work on that?

The country would be eternally grateful.

dotnet I think you answered your question about why the elitist/rich/public school educated/mostly men are in the most powerful positions in government - here when you said

"But, to make takeup across a broad spectrum feasible, free higher education would have to be made available to all."

Hey ho, TapselteeriO - one day we'll get it (free education) back again. We must, it's vital. I do believe it will come back one day.

Meanwhile - poor, poor students, this government has betrayed them shamefully.

Dotnet
I think the newspaper article you referred to on Sunday was the Daily Telegraph

"Pupils from private schools achieve higher average A-level results, but high-achieving state school pupils do better at university.

Undergraduates who obtained three As at A-level were 54 per cent more likely to gain a first-class degree if they attended a state school than if they were privately educated, according to the study."

Not quite what you argued.

Hi Lilymaid - sorry about what I'd remembered about the '54' figure - but it's interesting (and impressive), isn't it - if ex state school pupils who got three A's at A level are fifty four per cent more likely to get a first than their equivalents from fee paying schools!

So, for every three ex state school, 3 'A' grade pupils getting a First, only two ex public school coming from the same academic starting point, will (have I got my maths right?!)

Actually Lilymaid I'm sure I didn't see the Telegraph at the weekend - it might have been in The Observer that I saw the piece, I'll have another look, anyhow. Thanks for putting up the Telegraph piece.