Saturday, September 02, 2006
Paying for results
As Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson I do my best to keep up with the latest news on my subject, however this piece in today's Western Mail stretches credibility. The paper reports that independent schools believe that their GCSE results prove they are giving parents value for money. This is not news, it is marketing.
Top of the table is Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, where boarders can stay for around £17,121 a year and parents can expect exceptionally high results. The headteacher of St John's College Cardiff, says that a key feature of independent schools is their low pupil to teacher ratio, from as low as six to one and an average of 12 to one.
"Parents are showing that they are prepared to pay for this, combined with our excellent results and extra curricular activities, that help produce well-rounded individuals."
It is difficult to know where to start but I think that Rhys Williams, the communications director with NUT Cymru, has it right when he says that he would like to see the same amount of money ploughed into all state schools in Wales as well. The fact is that if the state sector was able to operate with funding of between £12,000 and £18,000 per pupil per year, class sizes of 12 and to have their pick of pupils then they would be achieving GCSE results off the scale.
What this piece does is to highlight the nonsense of assessing school achievement solely by the academic results of their pupils. There are a great many excellent state schools around Wales, who take in a wide mix of pupils from different backgrounds and circumstances and who are turning out well-rounded individuals who have grown in stature and ability whilst at school. Many have got good exam results and gone onto further and higher education. Others have excelled at vocational subjects, the vast majority have benefited from their education in one way or another.
The independent sector may offer value for money to those who can afford to attend them but let us not think that these schools are superior to the state sector in anyway, because they are not.
Top of the table is Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls, where boarders can stay for around £17,121 a year and parents can expect exceptionally high results. The headteacher of St John's College Cardiff, says that a key feature of independent schools is their low pupil to teacher ratio, from as low as six to one and an average of 12 to one.
"Parents are showing that they are prepared to pay for this, combined with our excellent results and extra curricular activities, that help produce well-rounded individuals."
It is difficult to know where to start but I think that Rhys Williams, the communications director with NUT Cymru, has it right when he says that he would like to see the same amount of money ploughed into all state schools in Wales as well. The fact is that if the state sector was able to operate with funding of between £12,000 and £18,000 per pupil per year, class sizes of 12 and to have their pick of pupils then they would be achieving GCSE results off the scale.
What this piece does is to highlight the nonsense of assessing school achievement solely by the academic results of their pupils. There are a great many excellent state schools around Wales, who take in a wide mix of pupils from different backgrounds and circumstances and who are turning out well-rounded individuals who have grown in stature and ability whilst at school. Many have got good exam results and gone onto further and higher education. Others have excelled at vocational subjects, the vast majority have benefited from their education in one way or another.
The independent sector may offer value for money to those who can afford to attend them but let us not think that these schools are superior to the state sector in anyway, because they are not.
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Very well said, Peter! It is indeed the case that many state schools develop well rounded individuals. The days of independent schools being "elite"
are long gone.
It used to be the case that employers would look more favourably upon individuals who were privately educated. Fortunately, we have moved away from this and individuals are, on the whole, now judged on their individual merits and achievements rather than their collective merits (Social classification).
-Richie Northcote
are long gone.
It used to be the case that employers would look more favourably upon individuals who were privately educated. Fortunately, we have moved away from this and individuals are, on the whole, now judged on their individual merits and achievements rather than their collective merits (Social classification).
-Richie Northcote
About 7% of the school-age population attend private schools.
Proportion of privately-educated students attending Oxford: 49%
One-third of MPs were educated in private schools; two-thirds of members of the Lords were privately educated.
Three-quarters of judges and two-thirds of barristers at the leading chambers and half the partners of leading law firms attended private school
individuals are, on the whole, now judged on their individual merits
- upon what do you base that assertion?
Proportion of privately-educated students attending Oxford: 49%
One-third of MPs were educated in private schools; two-thirds of members of the Lords were privately educated.
Three-quarters of judges and two-thirds of barristers at the leading chambers and half the partners of leading law firms attended private school
individuals are, on the whole, now judged on their individual merits
- upon what do you base that assertion?
I base this assertion on personal experience.
As someone who was state educated, brought up in a working class area AND out of choice still living in a working class area.
Yet I have been through five years of Law School, attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst(graduating with the Queens Commission), have a good job with a career and at the age of 28 am the Secretary of a Constituency Organisation.
Achievements which i personally believe would have been extremely difficult 30-40 years ago. In my fathers generation, going to Sandhurst would have been totally unheard of.
Of course, I am not alone in this, there are thousands, probably tens of thousands, of people like me that stand testament to society's shift towards meritocracy, but the point is that the opportunities are now there for all to seize - you just have to seize them. Nothing is reserved for the "Elite" anymore, except of course - The Crown.
I understand your frustrations David but a meritocracy takes time to filter through - it does not take effect overnight!
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As someone who was state educated, brought up in a working class area AND out of choice still living in a working class area.
Yet I have been through five years of Law School, attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst(graduating with the Queens Commission), have a good job with a career and at the age of 28 am the Secretary of a Constituency Organisation.
Achievements which i personally believe would have been extremely difficult 30-40 years ago. In my fathers generation, going to Sandhurst would have been totally unheard of.
Of course, I am not alone in this, there are thousands, probably tens of thousands, of people like me that stand testament to society's shift towards meritocracy, but the point is that the opportunities are now there for all to seize - you just have to seize them. Nothing is reserved for the "Elite" anymore, except of course - The Crown.
I understand your frustrations David but a meritocracy takes time to filter through - it does not take effect overnight!
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