And there you go again Nicole creating the 'generic' state school argument in every thread that you can. By the very nature of where we live we are surrounded by the very socially exclusive schools that you mention. Don't live in the catchment for the remainder good comprehensives. Know the over subscription of those out of catchment we don't stand a cat in hells chance of getting. But you think that I should accept this under some kind of altruistic duty to my community. Or move. Because going to any old failing comprehensive (as the good ones are taken) is something I should be obliged to do, even though my DD will come out social excluded of forming friendship groups from the majority of the ethnic population that attend the catchment school because they don't mix with outsiders (and yes, I am from an ethnic background and am in a position to state how socially inclusive this race is...46 years in this country's worth of experience).
Obviously I don't agree. So, we look at other options. The very location of my DD's senior school means that it's near 50% intake of junior state school children, are not really that representative of the children attending state schools you are referring to. Because of the location.
And therefore, the bursary intake is important in my example, as it is trying to reach those outside of the population who do not live in the multi million houses that much of West London housing stock is worth, but I admit it's still a drop in the ocean. Not denying that.
Why do people go to school open days in the first instance? if it's too see which schools may suit their children on many counts, then based on their location, it may be a private/state, dependent on their needs. What follows are some serious soul searching to make the right call for their children. As this thread shows, the good news is that the right call is often the state school. Do you want to penalise them or exclude them from your debate - because I don't think many of them chose their local state school if their ofsted report was always 'fail/needs improvement' and then say ha, wouldn't that be a fun place to send our offspring'. You might though 
Of course money buys you a route out of. What you don't have the insight to say, but feel the need to judge, is what people are buying themselves out of. I have many needs, some of which you may have right, but not all of them.
We not forced to work in one place of employment, be disgruntled because the leadership will not deal with the jobs worth, disinterested staff who call in sick daily. We have choices, to put up or move on if things cannot be changed, albeit moving on is not so easy all. Why should we make our children do the same if the environment is toxic?
I survived from having my head dunked down a shitty toilet frequently, turned down a scholarship to the local indie (twice) and came out ok. But, I did lose my ability to learn to my potential. Stop being so judgy for making my choices...they are individual to me, not you.