Independent vs State Schools

Independent Schools as an alternative to Grammar

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KenR
Posts: 1506
Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 6:12 pm
Location: Birmingham

Independent vs State Schools

Post by KenR »

Interesting article in todays Independent Newspaper by Philip Hensher about the private vs state sector debate following publication of the Oxbridge entrance statistics

http://comment.independent.co.uk/column ... 332000.ece

His main argument appears to be that Oxbridge admissions from the top Public/Independent Schools are rising sharply at the expense of the less high powered private schools.

I liked his following quotation:-
If your kid is bright but you're hard up, or if he's thick and you're rich - you might just as well send him to a good local comprehensive. What this rather interesting chart shows is that, failing the luxury of one or two immensely expensive schools, a good state education is clearly the best realistic option.
Interesting view
habs1

Post by habs1 »

good article thanks

good news for those going to habs. but my point is it still worth paying extra if you got into dao, qe, latymer

latymer achieves great results but the surrounding area is a concern
- or for me anyway
Dr Jalal
Posts: 22
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:03 pm
Location: Birmingham

Post by Dr Jalal »

Interesting article KenR

This is on similar lines as to my article in the Beyond 11+ section.

http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... php?t=1807

Do you think we should take this into consideration when choosing between KES and Camp Hill Boys?
Dr Jalal
Guest

Post by Guest »

The surrounding area is only a disadvantage if your are a new parent or year 7 student. Once the surroundings have become familiar than the true strengths of Latymer take hold and a first-class education for less than you would pay at Habs is yours to enjoy. The reduced expenditure can be used to fund school trips and extra curricular activities that might be extremely painful after the eye-watering fees that you cheerfully hand-over to enjoy the leafy green fields of Boreham Wood, the Habs Brazilian soccer tour springs to mind.

The surrounding area will keep the students feet on the ground and also will encourage them not to wander outside the school. It will serve as a reminder that there are people who are less well off literally outside the gates who don't enjoy the same range of opportunities that are available to them, and they may still get to Oxford/Cambridge in sufficient numbers to impress a Habs parent, all achieved in a mixed state school, in to the naked eye a less than salubrious area.
WirralJW
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 3:34 pm

Post by WirralJW »

I read this article and it was interesting, but I think the assumption that only Oxbridge place offers can be used as a guage of the quality of a school is ridiculous, and shows more than a hint of snobbery.
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