The State Debate

When it comes to education- all parents want the best for their children. However with the many different types of schools operating in the UK, it’s hard to judge which system is best. Are state schools really rough and a dangerous environment for your children? Are selective schools full of clones? 11-16’s are now under immense pressure to succeed in their exams and its becoming harder for parents to make the right decision for their children.

In the 60’s and 70’s an ‘11 plus’ system was set up to divide secondary school education into two categories: ‘Grammar Schools’ and ‘Secondary Modern’. Nowadays with the growing trend for secondary school entrance exams, the once thought ‘dated system’ is now becoming a serious element in the 21st century.

If you believe the reports of the conditions in inner-city comprehensive schools, claiming students are drinking, taking drugs and carrying knives on the schools premises, your immediate reaction is to avoid the whole state system. Although these claims can not always be seen as representatives of the thousands of comprehensives across the country.

Private and Public schools are becoming ever more popular. Shocking reports published describe how some of the world’ poorest countries choose to pay for private education as opposed to their countries own (free) state schools. But why do parents make the decision to pay thousands of pounds a year on their child’s education? Recent studies have shown 28% of graduates from private schools earn £70,000 or more by the time they reach 30. Compare this with the mere 7% of graduates from state schools, and you begin to understand.

Controversially, many parents of children who attend private schools are in dismay as a new craze sweeps the upper-class teen generation. Binge drinking, smoking and taking drugs are all factors of this phenomenon. Another anti-private school claim is bullying- often due to snobbery or the stuck up behaviour of the wealthy students who attend these schools.

When all these aspects are grouped together it is hard to determine which educational direction to turn to. In each school there are pros and cons; and whilst some children would be genuinely happy in a, perhaps, more aggressive state school; others would find the upper-class attitude of a private school easier to cope with. In all, there is a school to suit every student- the only trouble is finding the right one.


By Rosie Bernard