Why do British royal children not go to state schools like the Scandanavian royals?

Right Fleurpepper. Now, are you prepared to discuss? Or are you going to rudely have another go at me? If the first, I will explain but I am not going to sit here and tolerate the second.

I actually think state education is now immeasurably better than it used to be.

Our DGC are at an excellent state school in a city, where every state secondary school is good and are thriving. My DC went to private schools because the local state schools were so bad.

Had the state schools been as good in the 1980s as they are now, we would never have considered sending our children to private schools.

I’m not sure one can generalise, MOnica. Large classes, several different languages spoken and lack of respect for authority seem pretty commonplace. Of course there are excellent state schools - and some that are pretty dire. I went to good state schools, as did my son, but I wouldn’t say they would necessarily be the norm nowadays, any more than they were then.

Callistemon I went to a state school that took boarders its quite common up here for children to be sent to schools a great distance from home so they need to board.
There are no reasons where these ordinary families should have to pay to educate their children just because the school is on another island or 3 hours drive away.
Private education is one of the support systems of the divisive class system.Its well past time it was stopped ,if the current government are example of the attitude and lack of care and responsibility for anyone who isn't a millionaire...at least then we'd be far better off without them.

Interesting, Paddyann. I did notice when I watched Shetland (I know it's fiction of course) that the school had boarding facilities.

Worth noting that not everyone who went to Eton is like our present PM, though.

The lovely Bill Turnbull, who died this week was an old Etonian.

I still think it has a lot to do with upbringing.

M0nica

I actually think state education is now immeasurably better than it used to be.

Our DGC are at an excellent state school in a city, where every state secondary school is good and are thriving. My DC went to private schools because the local state schools were so bad.

Had the state schools been as good in the 1980s as they are now, we would never have considered sending our children to private schools.

I think it's very patchy M0nica. Nice that your DGC are at a good one though.

paddyann54

Callistemon I went to a state school that took boarders its quite common up here for children to be sent to schools a great distance from home so they need to board.
There are no reasons where these ordinary families should have to pay to educate their children just because the school is on another island or 3 hours drive away.
Private education is one of the support systems of the divisive class system.Its well past time it was stopped ,if the current government are example of the attitude and lack of care and responsibility for anyone who isn't a millionaire...at least then we'd be far better off without them.

Private education is one of the support systems of the divisive class system.Its well past time it was stopped ,if the current government are example of the attitude and lack of care and responsibility for anyone who isn't a millionaire...at least then we'd be far better off without them.

Your opinionspaddyann54 and your bias. Not everyone will share them.

Blimey! I’ve just read through this thread and I’m exhausted. I agree (with some of you) that it’s a shame public and private schools exist. It would be wonderful if state schools were of a high enough quality that public/private schools were forced to close. My children were lucky and attended excellent state primary and secondary schools. Just to say, there is a state boarding school in Burford which mainly caters for children of military personnel.

The most divisive thing is and has always been wealth. Wealth gives you choices, where lack of it deprives you of many choices, whether it’s choice of school, choice of holiday, choice of home or choice of food or even simply choice of devices. How many things that we have by choice, would we be willing to give up just because it isn’t fair that we can afford it and others can’t? Second homes for example, when some can’t even afford a first home.

We need the state school provision to be more equal- however you define equal, and better funded. I don’t think anyone disagrees with that, but do we all agree that we should have no right to choose?

What I don't understand is, if parents are signing their children up for independent schools before they are born, why aren't they prepared to even give the local state school a try? If their minds are made up on different criteria, not just the education, then that choice should be theirs.

Sorry to say it Joseanne but from my experience of family, friends and acquaintances over the years a lot of it is as simple as snobbery.
A member of my family (state school educated) is at an RG university and has heard plenty of comments about the need to mix with students from independent schools because "they have the contacts".

I expect that is very true by the time the children reach secondary school age Mamie, but when a child is yet to be born few parents are concerned who the eventual playmates will be.
We hadn't given any consideration to snooty La-di-Das when we signed our kids up, just the great facilities and the promise of a great school/parent partnership.

Have to say that I do know plenty who have gone to independent schools from the start for just that reason.
I was at independent schools throughout (first time I set foot in a state school was my first PGCE teaching practice). I would say about three-quarters of my school friends opted for independent schools and their reasons were clearly about mixing with "the right people".

Mamie

Have to say that I do know plenty who have gone to independent schools from the start for just that reason.
I was at independent schools throughout (first time I set foot in a state school was my first PGCE teaching practice). I would say about three-quarters of my school friends opted for independent schools and their reasons were clearly about mixing with "the right people".

Oh well, they would have been very disappointed with my credentials as a parent in the private sector, coming as I did from an inner London comprehensive (and who had mixed with a few criminals and down and outs in my time).
Luckily all the independent school parents I encountered were happy to mix with me for the right reasons.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-987907-dreecekb95nap-110923-side-vg05.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-409353-varenneshouldernba-112562-front.jpg

I rather fancy these and a parka for £4,500 for this winter but can't afford them. Should I stop others buying them because they can but I can't?

I'll lend you my smelly Barbour bought in 1990 Callistemon if you don't mind my cast offs! I wouldn't want to offend.

Thank you, I'd be very grateful. My Berghaus waterproof jacket seems to have shrunk (not saying your Barbour will fit me she adds gphastily!).

Hastily?

I'm multi-tasking.

DaisyAnne

paddyann54

Callistemon I went to a state school that took boarders its quite common up here for children to be sent to schools a great distance from home so they need to board.
There are no reasons where these ordinary families should have to pay to educate their children just because the school is on another island or 3 hours drive away.
Private education is one of the support systems of the divisive class system.Its well past time it was stopped ,if the current government are example of the attitude and lack of care and responsibility for anyone who isn't a millionaire...at least then we'd be far better off without them.

Private education is one of the support systems of the divisive class system.Its well past time it was stopped ,if the current government are example of the attitude and lack of care and responsibility for anyone who isn't a millionaire...at least then we'd be far better off without them.

Your opinionspaddyann54 and your bias. Not everyone will share them.

I share them paddyann54. Quelle surprise. ??

Callistemon21

I rather fancy these and a parka for £4,500 for this winter but can't afford them. Should I stop others buying them because they can but I can't?

Hmm...

Pink boots versus an unfair start in life...

Just the same thing really...

Oh, go on, I really fancy teetering along through the ice and snow in those boots.

Joseanne

What I don't understand is, if parents are signing their children up for independent schools before they are born, why aren't they prepared to even give the local state school a try? If their minds are made up on different criteria, not just the education, then that choice should be theirs.

Why would they Joseanne? Those signing up for schools before the children are born will have a completely different view of life. ToMamie it's called 'snobbery'; I wonder how they see Mamie?

People forget that the transition to a mixed economy only happened 70 or so years ago. There now seems to be an idea that this is natural; this is how it should be. No system is natural; most do not last. Communism only lasted 70 years, and they had force and recent serfdom on their side. What Putin is trying to put in place is a parody of the original aims. This country did not receive the world built after the war as a perpetual gift from God.

There is a chance this is a time of change. Those believing they are right in prejudices that make them want to close schools are simply closing down their minds to how others think. If they can only call them names and do not understand what their aims are, they will not win this war, and it is a war. It's a war to retain the mixed economy set-up to help bring more equality. If we lose it, we will not be closing the independent schools but paying directly for the state schools.

All that most of us see as the amazing post-war building of housing, the NHS, Education, etc., was not universally popular, even if some cannot understand why. Large numbers of influential people did not like it, but they were not in power. By the 1970s the 'right' was beginning to dismantle it and this last government has taken that even further.

Any extreme view of what was created by our parents' and grandparents' generation is likely to end up with us having that parody I mentioned.

My next post got lost somewhere ...

Allegories

pair of boots is a wee bit different from a childs education* Callistemon*.I have no problem with people spendng their money their way BUT I firmly believe that a good education is a right and that it should be supplied by the government after all its the public who gain from well educated young people .
Thats well educated young people who aren't going to jump the queues all through life simply because Daddy had cash to help them do it .
My opinion DAISY ANNE most of the privately educated folk I know are arrogant and entitled .Starting at the bottom and working their way up isn't something they would stoop to doing .