I was loving the positives coming out of this thread, having seen so many threads on MN that made me sad to be sending my dd to our local comp. We, theoretically, could have sent dd through private education, but we'd have been seriously skint and I'd have had to go back to a job I hated instead of taking on a more socially responisble, poorly paid job.
The primary schools around here are lovely but the comp is average with a very mixed intake. It has knife crime, drug use, some bullying, but the Head deals with these issues effectively and the majority of parents I know who have kids here are happy with the way things are dealt with.
I went to an innercity comp with very little going for it back in the 70's. It became an Academy some years ago and recently merged with another failing secondary school. It is failing to reach the ground floor minimum attainments in some areas and though it's making improvements with teaching and behavioural management and I suspect it's worse now than it was then (and it was pretty grim back then!) It's very much the kind of school that would worry you sick if it was your local BScomp. And on a socio-economic footing I can't imagine many folks living around there who could contemplate private education under any circumstances, no matter how sensitive or bored their children are.
Education, like social standing, is a lottery. You get born into an area or a life and you have to make the most of what you've got. Hearing some people say how well their kids have done at a struggling comp is news to be celebrated. I really don't see how it's smug to say that. I think it highlights that with the right support and the right attitude, your kids can do what they want to. Thanks OP for starting this thread.