Public school

That’s an old anecdote varian and says little for the understanding of the comprehensive boy.I expect the other boy was too polite to say anything much.

telly- be it for health care, or for education - once the choice is there for the elites and the better off, those with influence on the system and finances - it will tragically always be thus. They are paying for it privately and don't want to pay even more to support the others. Look at northern European countries - and mine to some extent- the choice is made to pay good money for an excellent education - and there are no, or practically none, and mainly used by 'expats' from UK or USA.

Those questions are for Lily.

I remember a documentary programme some years ago where boys from Eton did an exchange with boys from an inner city comprehensive school in Liverpool for a fortnight.

At the end they all got together to compare notes. I remember one of the Liverpool boys saying to his Eton exchange partner "Your parents must really hate you to have sent you here"!

Yes, I went to a girls public school and hated it. My grandchildren are at public school and love it.

Do you also object to those paying for private healthcare?
Those who live in bigger and better houses?Those who can take wonderful holidays, buy designer clothes and perfumes? Or is your opprobrium reserved only for those who pay a lot for their children’s education?

Thank you Jalima for stuffing the Guardian into the writer's mouth.

What a silly, chip-on-shoulder article. I agree Grandma70s

John Harris illustrating the politics of envy there

He despises Old Etonians but I imagine he'd also, in his sneering condemnation, despise the working class oiks who used to work in pit towns who now back Jacob Rees Mogg and those trying to ensure we leave the EU. Principles matter more to them than where a person was educated.

Many in the UK family went to some of the top Public Schools- some nieces and nephews currently board at Public Schools - and others, including GCs are at top Private Schools (which are not Public schools) - those of the previous generations did suffer terribly, it also gave them access to the 'Old Boys Public School' network and they have done VERY well out of it.

OH went to Grammar School- and where I grew up there were NO private schools- and the only ones in the large towns were only for posh British kids, Diplomats, etc.

Our DDs went to the local Comprehensives-much to the disdain of some of our colleagues and relatives. They have done just as well in their careers than many of their peers who went to Public or Private schools- partly because it gave them the ability to communicate with anyone, in any sphere of life.

GCs started in local state primary schools- but circumstances re severe, life-threatening allergy and large classe sizes and bullying resulted in their parents making the choice to send them to excellent private schools. I find it really sad and seriously worrying for the country- that they felt they had no choice.

Jealousy and envy- no at all. We made a clear choice- and I chose to teach only in state schools- as I passionately feel ALL children deserve an excelllent education. Being born in a loving, supporting family who are there to encourage and pick up the pieces as and when - is privilege enough.

Comprehensive. Most of my education was gained during my working years when I became professionally qualified. I referred to this article in an earlier post. There's a lot of sense there. We spend far too little on our education system, wonder why that could be?

But lemon, I have told you I have no sour grapes. I have no personal ax to grind. My education was ok. The education my kids received was fine. I object to the old boys network which frankly, stinks.

My husband went to a public school as did our children. We did that to get them a good education and not to gain unfair advantages.

Coincidentally, my house was a Board School and has the carved sign saying so. Lots of people think it means it was a boarding school but it was, as jalima says, run by a Board of Trustees for the benefit of the children of the village after a law was passed to that effect.

It was built on land donated by a land owner and funded by donations from local people.

My sigh was to Lily, these sour grape attitudes are tedious.

Sigh away lemon. Do you think it is fair and just for a small , elite to have all the power while tens of thousands can't afford food?

Sigh!

Me - educated at home by governess until 11, then Cheltenham Ladies College, and afterwards a Swiss finishing school.




Really?

Bog standard primary and then on to comprehensive, even though I passed my 11+ . Our Education Authority (Labour) was very trendy (hmm) and one of the first to have purpose built comprehensives and abolish the grammar schools. I felt cheated.

I am not one bit jealous. I am angry.

The sense of innate superiority goes to the bone in this small elite, who are often obviously mediocre but filled with inexhaustible confidence.

Well what do you expect from the sanctimonious Guardian?

I believe it is called inverted snobbery.

boat I don't know, Old Etonians Damian Lewis, Tom Hiddleston, Eddie Redmayne are all doing alright

Not jealous....envious.Yes, sour grapes.
Virtue signalling is not saying you are virtuous Lily?

“Virtue signalling’ what is that?

No more heinous crime exists Jalima ?

sour grapes.......is that where you wish you had something , you are jealous? no

virtue signalling...... I am not entirely sure what that means. Is it insinuating that I am virtuous?

I don't believe a small group of people should have all the privilege and that there are a disproportionate number of them in government. Fairly straightforward I think?

He was dissing Radstock and Midsomer Norton lemongrove

paddyann, this is an England/Scotland divide. In Scotland the public schools, such as the one some of my DGC attend, which has XX Public School on the stonework is, in fact, a school open to the public, and a fee-paying school is a private school.

There is also a difference in secondary schools - when comprehensive education came in, schools in Scotland kept their old names - X Grammar School, X Academy, X High School, etc. This didn't happen so much in England. Our DC went to a local comprehensive which was called X Grammar School as that had always been its name.

Haha! Good for you Jalima