Another Tory idea stolen by Labour

[Mich the Tester]

I think, too, that Bagpuss is spot-on:

Erm, I can't remember the 'constantly being told I'm special and better than others' though.

[Bagpuss]

Erm, I can't remember the 'constantly being told I'm special and better than others' though.

Maybe not in those terms but I expect it was a subconscious thing.
Did they not encourage you? Or positively work on your expectations?

I don't hear many Public school guys say "they told me the best I could expect was a job at ....<insert some dead end employment>" Unfortunately it's common in the state sector. In my experience Public schools know how to get the best out of those who would fall through the net at state school. Bright kids with supportive parents will probably do as good in either system. Bright kids with no support, average, and below average kids, are the ones damaged by state school

[Mich the Tester]

Maybe not in those terms but I expect it was a subconscious thing.
Did they not encourage you? Or positively work on your expectations?

I don't hear many Public school guys say "they told me the best I could expect was a job at ....<insert some dead end employment>"

Well, not really. The job idea was more of a negative pressure thingy. You're a failure if you don't become a merchant wbanker or a solicitor; along those lines.

[Bagpuss]

Well, not really. The job idea was more of a negative pressure thingy. You're a failure if you don't become a merchant wbanker or a solicitor; along those lines.

From an NLP basis that would work better than telling a kid he is destined to be mediocre, Even just to be surrounded by affluent kids would have some effect

[DodgyAgent]

If I have a chip on my shoulder it’s because I went through the private system then left to go to a state sixth form college. Between Common Entrance exams at 13 and GCSE at 16 I learnt nothing more than how to roll a spliff, how to avoid getting the tulip kicked out of me by large, 18 year old prefects, how to look old enough to get served in a pub and how to spot a loose bird who’d do it on first date. Great, but in terms of academic education a complete waste of 3 years of my life and my father's money, which he could have spent on buying a house in the catchment area of a decent state school. When I went back to the state system at 16 it was a bit of a shock to find myself in a group of clever people who actually did some work. Talking with others who went to public school I hear the same thing time and time again.

Private schools are a con. A rip-off. You've been taken in.

I think you will find that things have changed since Tom Brown's schooldays.

[Mich the Tester]

I think you will find that things have changed since Tom Brown's schooldays.

That's what they told my parents when I started.

[DodgyAgent]

That's what they told my parents when I started.

presumably therefore you have had a good look recently at the private system?

[Mich the Tester]

presumably therefore you have had a good look recently at the private system?

No, but I've spoken with people who've sent their kids to the same schools and been quite relieved to take them out again.

[DodgyAgent]

No, but I've spoken with people who've sent their kids to the same schools and been quite relieved to take them out again.

and which schools are they? I am not buying your narrow view of private schools. I have kids with average intelligence (agent genes I'm afraid) in them and they are fantastic. My kids may not be up to much intellectually but for sport, music, drama etc the facilities and attitudes of the schools are very impressive.

[Doggy Styles]

It's very important, that's why I say that state schools need to be able to get rid of disruptive little tulips.

This would make a big difference to the rest.

My daughter is one of the quiet pupils at an average-performing secondary school, and in some subjects she'd lose half of some lessons to disruption. She and a friend sometimes sat and worked in the corridor where it was quieter, with the teacher's permission.

But you just can't get rid of them. I believe that doing so would do more for secondary education in this country (for the 90% who want to learn and behave themselves) than anything else.

I can't imagine what it must be like at one of those poorly-performing inner-city schools, poor barstards.