Contractors are Thatchers children

[Platypus]

Ah, but state education costs an awful lot more per child than the private sector. So the reality is everyone is being taxed extra to subsidise the poor quality service.

Balls. The cost per child per year of state education is estimated to be £9000

It was estimated by Daniel Hannan MEP in 2008 that the full cost of a state education at around £9000 per child per year. This figure was derived by dividing the state education budget of £78bn by the number of pupils in state education.

http://www.parliament.the-stationery...med/me7602.htm

[threaded]

Balls. The cost per child per year of state education is estimated to be £9000



http://www.parliament.the-stationery...med/me7602.htm

Are you say that is less than a private school charges?

Don't forget an awful lot of facilities that state schools use are provided 'free' by other means such a local councils paying for parks and swimming pools. Whereas private schools have to pay a large fee, if they're allowed to use them at all for school activities.

[DodgyAgent]

So you are saying the more affluent would just send their kids to the tulip schools and not do anything about improving them ?

You can imagine the conversation cant you? it would be similar to the one that you would have with a train driver requesting he work overtime at weekends so that you could visit your dying mum.:

Rich parent: "Oh hello, is that the headmaster?"
Headmaster: "yes"
Rich parent: "its posh parent here, I am calling about my Sebastian"
HM: Well what about him I'm busy right now, make it quick.
Rich parent: well my poor little precious is being bullied and he is not happy so I am thinking of sending him to another school if you dont do anything about it.
HM. Firstly is he a man or a boy? I think he needs to sort himself out, play some sport kill a few harmless animals, take drugs and carry a knife and then no one will mess with him
Secondly. You have no choice, you cannot send him to another school so f**k off

[Churchill]

You can imagine the conversation cant you? it would be similar to the one that you would have with a train driver requesting he work overtime at weekends so that you could visit your dying mum.:

Rich parent: "Oh hello, is that the headmaster?"
Headmaster: "yes"
Rich parent: "its posh parent here, I am calling about my Sebastian"
HM: Well what about him I'm busy right now, make it quick.
Rich parent: well my poor little precious is being bullied and he is not happy so I am thinking of sending him to another school if you dont do anything about it.
HM. Firstly is he a man or a boy? I think he needs to sort himself out, play some sport kill a few harmless animals, take drugs and carry a knife and then no one will mess with him
Secondly. You have no choice, you cannot send him to another school so f**k off

You've been on the beer again, haven't you?

I told you last time, you can't handle it!

[DodgyAgent]

You've been on the beer again, haven't you?

I told you last time, you can't handle it!

Ever thought of becoming a headmaster Churchy?

[MPwannadecentincome]

I think it would improve for a lot of kids. Do you really think the comps in London would not improve if everybody had to send their kids to them.

only if the teachers are paid well, motivated, can pay attention to the different levels in the class and can keep the discipline, if they can't then all the kids are challenged in their learning process due to the noise and lost time.

[threaded]

only if the teachers are paid well, motivated, can pay attention to the different levels in the class and can keep the discipline, if they can't then all the kids are challenged in their learning process due to the noise and lost time.

So many people fall for Taylorism. You do know most of his results were faked?

Look, it'll be a captive market. In captive markets the product always fails.

[Coalman]

No. Give me an example of an effective monopoly. Do you think that the Trabant was a car of the highest quality just because it was the only car available?

Why should the provision of education be any different.

As things stand the state education system is run:

1. For the benefit of the politicians
2. For the benefit of the Education authorities
3. The benefit of the teachers
4. For the benefit of the schools
5. For the benefit of the kids

Choice (or the threat of choice) would turn this list upside down

The only thing that keeps pressure on the education system of the state sector is the outstanding performances by the private education system and those few very excellent state schools. Your "level playing field" would have the effect of levelling out such excellence.

Dodgy, I've been following this with interest and agree with some of the points you make, about Thatcher and the education system, even though I disagree a lot with the way Thatcher went about things (breaking the unions was good - what about planning after this was successful - very poor).

I do disagree with you about the teachers comments above. The education system is not there to benefit the teachers (other than the good for nothing lazy ones). The good and conscientious teachers are shat on from a great height by the overly bureaucratic system we currently have. This forces them to work harder producing paper work that does not benefit the education system, just the measuring of it.

This is not just the fault of the government but the fault of overly pushy parents wanting to measure little Tarquins school so that they can boast to their 'friends'.

I do like the idea of the money following the child - even into private education, this would provide an element of social mobility, but is still not enough to cover the average private education costs (£15,000+ per year plus extras for sports, etc.).

[minestrone]

A private education still costs a good bit more than a public on per pupil budget, You cannot simply divide up the amount spent on Education by the number of pupils. Private education still uses part of the public spending in the running of their schools, inspectors, exam grading, exam preperation, health education etc etc.

I think the budget per pupil is about 4 grand for state school.

To simply divide the education budget by pupil numbers then compare that with what a private school is what someone who knows nothing about education would do, i.e. Daniel Hannan MEP

[Churchill]

Ever thought of becoming a headmaster Churchy?

Nope, all headmasters I've ever known have been sadistic bastards - must be something to do with attending(occasionally) an ex-grammar school!