May 16 2007
Schools and social mobility
The big educational divide in the UK is between independent schools and state schools.
The top universities do not want to take a disproportionate number of public school students,?? but end up doing so because the standards have diverged so much. Even after the Universities have made allowance for the better teaching or the other privileges of independent school life, and have allowed for the unfulfilled potential of some from comprehensives, they end up taking three, four or fives times as many independent school pupils than their proportion in the total student population would suggest.
I visit schools on a regular basis. The last time I went to a top public school I was invited by the boys to speak??to their Economics society in the evening. The audience was large, organised by the boys and all volunteers. They listened attentively to a talk that I have also given at university level, and then asked a wide range of well informed questions afterwards. The leading lights of the society wanted my views before the?? formal proceedings on how they might prosecute applications to Oxford University. They were polite, self confident and keen to understand the adult world.
The typical audience in a comprehensive behaves differently. There is not that same independent enquiry, that same confidence, that same interest in how they can strive for the best. I do not want to live in a Britain where the children of the rich can buy so much advantage. Nor do I think the answer is to destroy the good independent schools we have or to seek to prevent people sending their children to such schools. A vindictive attack would merely drive it offshore or overseas. What we need is reform of the state sector, to give the children of the rest of us the same opportunity and the same self confidence.
I look forward to setting and streaming, to create a grammar stream in every comprehensive, and I look forward to more City academies. The most academically gifted young people in the state sector need to be challenged and stretched more. I also want to see more business people and other adults coming into state schools and helping find and fire the enthusiaisms??of??the pupils??. Businesses often complain about a shortage of skilled and motivated people. They can make a contribution by allowing some fo their executives to help the schools as part of their corporate social responsibility.
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John Redwood has been the Member of Parliament for Wokingham since 1987. First attending Kent College, Canterbury, he graduated from Magdalen College...
You have just lost my vote. If I want central planning I’ll vote Labour. You are just continuing with failed Labour policies.
Was this written by a Labour spin doctor. Shame on you!
p.s. “corporate social responsibility” - socialist bollocks! Business is to make money NOT to try to sort out the failing state school system.
Reply: Like you I oppose centralised planning. The main purpose of business is to supply the good or service they provide, enabling them to make money for the owners and provide their customers with what they want.
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“I look forward to setting and streaming, to create a grammar stream in every comprehensive, and I look forward to more City academies”. Sorry John what does this mean exactly? It seems to me, after hearing David Willetts on the radio today, he sounds as if he will evenually abolish grammar schools.
Am I right? If so, as a right winger and supporter of these excellent schools which give hope to those who fall into the trap of not being well off enough to send their children to Public or independent schools, will you express your outrage to your leader that this is wrong wrong and wrong again?
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I think we should head towards a system like what sweden have where everyone has the chance to choose a school that is not controlled by the state. People should have the option of going to a state school though and I think the head teachers of state schools should be elected every 2 years by the parents so they rely on the parents for their jobs and not the government. The government would then be unable to set targets and they would be unable to indoctrinate children. The government shouldn’t have any control over education of children. They have shown time and time again that all they want to do is brainwash children.
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I am not at all impressed by David Willetts decrying the achievements and benefits of grammar schools.
Reply: you can rest assured that I strongly support the achievements and continued presence of our grammar schools, as does David Cameron.
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Most children would benefit from a public school type education, but while successive governments pretend that the classes of 30 plus in the state schools are manageable the inequality will remain.
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Having been brought up through the comprehensive system and later helping to deliver a lecture with the Young Britons’ Foundation at Wellington College I was amazed at the difference in confidence levels and general attention-span of the Wellington children when I thought back to what my peers and I were like. I would have given almost anything to be a part of that system and get a decent chance at a better life than my parents knew, but the choice for me was simple: pay up or shut up. I think it is right that today’s children have more opportunities without money becoming a factor in their education. That’s why I agree with you and also look forward to setting and streaming.
PS: Good luck in the ConHome blog awards and congrats on being nominated.
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Economics society in the evening? You don’t get that in the average comprehensive, come 4:30 the council have opened it up for cookery, pottery and drama evening classes. Perhpas more academic evening classes could be encourages, free for students on free school dinners?
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