The Labour Party

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Nothing wrong with the notion of giving the teachers a bonus etc but I really can’t get my head around the logic of removing VAT breaks on private education.

Labour plan to give teachers £2,400 to stop them quitting

The party would also make it compulsory for new joiners to have a formal teaching qualification.

www.bbc.co.uk

An entirely non-aspirational policy - the proverbial socialist school race where one kid has a broken leg so we break everyone’s leg to make it “fair”. The argument is it gives kids a head start - so why don’t we aspire to make it easier to get in to (pay for it ahead of income tax to make it more accessible) or aspire to make state schools better if it’s such a benefit? Most parents who sent their kids to private school go without holidays etc to make it happen, just about afford it now - the ones who won’t care will just be able to pay up the next x years of education and beat the tax hike anyway.

I’m excited to see how they differentiate between private school fees and uni school fees. Both paid for education by the individual. Got court cases written all over this if they try and drawer a distinction between the two.

You’d have an entirely reasonable point if it was just that private schools had better teachers/teaching/discipline or anything else that helps children fulfil their potential, surely the aim of schooling, and we lived in a world that success was based on merit.
Trouble is, in this country, just going to these schools gives you a massive head start. Not based on achievements, exam success or technical ability, just the mere fact you’ve attended one of those schools and the cycle never stops.

Finally, you surely can’t be a charity if you’re charging £32000 for a day school and over £52000 for a boarding school place, every year?

 

[bluenova]

I had to read this three or four times.
I actually think I know what you mean, now, but it keeps reading like mock indignation of Mazzarelli Swiss Cheese proportions in the Brexit thread.

Sorry if it wasn't clear - I was replying to two separate points in the post above - one that we should bring up state schools to private school levels which isn't going to happen, and the other suggesting private schools are aspirational.

It's definitely not mock indignation.

Something like two-thirds of KCs and Judges went to private schools, when it's only a small fraction of the population who go to private schools. It's the same across plenty of other occupations - mostly those with the most power in society.

 

[west didsblue]

I had to read this three or four times.
I actually think I know what you mean, now, but it keeps reading like mock indignation of Mazzarelli Swiss Cheese proportions in the Brexit thread.

Not sure why Cheese knob even bothers now that nearly everyone knows his game and ignores him. I suppose some people enjoy fishing even if they only catch the occasional tiddler.

 

[PragueBlue]

Trouble is, in this country, just going to these schools gives you a massive head start. Not based on achievements, exam success or technical ability, just the mere fact you’ve attended one of those schools and the cycle never stops.

That may be true for certain private schools (Eton, Harrow etc) but not for most.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

Not sure why Cheese knob even bothers now that nearly everyone knows his game and ignores him. I suppose some people enjoy fishing even if they only catch the occasional tiddler.

Lighten up - were still only 15-20 miles from France and very much European ;-)

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

Sorry if it wasn't clear - I was replying to two separate points in the post above - one that we should bring up state schools to private school levels which isn't going to happen, and the other suggesting private schools are aspirational.

It's definitely not mock indignation.

Something like two-thirds of KCs and Judges went to private schools, when it's only a small fraction of the population who go to private schools. It's the same across plenty of other occupations - mostly those with the most power in society.

It took me a few reads, but I got what you meant.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

That may be true for certain private schools (Eton, Harrow etc) but not for most.

It’s still not attainable for the majority of people though as upyou lk struggle to find a place for less than £10k. All that notwithstanding, the biggest advantage private schooled children have is that they don’t have to follow the national curriculum, as all state schools do. Hence the focus on achievement in ALL areas, particularly in the areas that will set people up with a good chance of performing well in the world.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

It took me a few reads, but I got what you meant.

Get westdidsburyblue to help you with the big words ;-)

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

It’s still not attainable for the majority of people though as upyou lk struggle to find a place for less than £10k. All that notwithstanding, the biggest advantage private schooled children have is that they don’t have to follow the national curriculum, as all state schools do. Hence the focus on achievement in ALL areas, particularly in the areas that will set people up with a good chance of performing well in the world.

I don't think you can pin it (the advantages) down to one or two things. You obviously have better funded facilities, smaller class sizes and more attractive pay/ conditions for staff (so they can pick the best). Also though, the fact that as paying customers the parents are literally more invested in their kids education, or have at least thoroughly outsourced it to folk who are. Contrast that with the portion of the class in state schools whose parents don't give a fuck, view education as cheap childcare and then blame teachers for their kids being little cunts.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

I don't think you can pin it (the advantages) down to one or two things. You obviously have better funded facilities, smaller class sizes and more attractive pay/ conditions for staff (so they can pick the best). Also though, the fact that as paying customers the parents are literally more invested in their kids education, or have at least thoroughly outsourced it to folk who are. Contrast that with the portion of the class in state schools whose parents don't give a fuck, view education as cheap childcare and then blame teachers for their kids being little cunts.

Look what I’ve started.
I feel responsible for having brought you here.