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Nick Clegg Says He May Send His Kids to Private Schools. Will YOU?

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Lit2010

I think some teachers will refuse to sign the form if a student constantly doesn't hand in work and the like, but most will anyway, or at least they do at our school. The teachers are probably worried about receiving all sorts of abuse from students/parents if they refuse to sign it, even if they have a valid reason not to.

Of course, I'm not saying that all sudents who get EMA are like this; most are hard working, and there are students who don't get EMA who are complete slackers. I just think it should be means tested to a better degree.

Ahh, I see. I did wonder at the time how they would actually enforce this. :p:

I definitely know a few people who don't put theirs to good use. I've heard conversations of people discussing going out and drinking with theirs and stuff. Personally I've just saving mine. :dontknow:

Reply 61

m.grump

Lit2010

If I could, I definitely would.

You see it everywhere- people are able to buy better, and that's never going to change. People implying that private schools are unfair don't seem to understand that people will, for the most part, buy the best they can afford in terms of other things, so why should education be any different?
Why shop in Waitrose when you can shop in aldi?
Why buy designer when you can shop in primark?
Why go on holidays abroad when you can go camping at home?
You can spend a minimum amount and still be absolutely fine, yet people still often choose to buy a bit better.
Money buys people things, and whilst I believe that people can be very successful in state schools, if you can afford better; why not pay for better?

To turn that argument around - if you can shop in Aldi, and still buy everything you need, if you can go to a state school and get everything
that a private school can offer, then why spend the extra? Even if you can afford it?

Most people would be perfectly able to survive and prosper on Aldi food, and the same goes for education. Some people are just more pampered, and want a more pampered life..

Reply 62

Our_Sunshine_Boy

Lit2010

In an ideal world, the thought of achieving, working hard and doing well out of it would be enough motivation for someone. However, there are people who expect all sorts of rewards for doing the smallest of things.
I also find there's too much of a focus on negative behaviours in schools. No joke, in the inclusion unit at our school, there's a playstation to reward the bad kids who get put in there, so they can play on it if they do something right. When really, the best reward for them should be to reintegrate them with the rest of the class. It's ridiculous. Then those who are good or exceptional students get over looked, because they can more or less look after themselves.

what school?

Reply 63

m.grump

Our_Sunshine_Boy

Unfortunately - I agree with you.

I got BCC at A-Level - something that makes me rather angry to this day. Do I deserve to go to University on those grades? Probably not. However, although some students may underachieve at school, they may well achieve highly in a university environment.

Perhaps 300 UCAS points (or the equivalent) should be the cut off point for uni? Every other poor soul goes to a college? Who knows.

To be honest - that is how it was 10-15 years go.

Now all the colleges have rebranded as universities, that's all. That's the difference.

There are not *more* smart people suddenly in the UK. The aggregate IQ of the population has not suddenly multiplied by ten.

It's just the 20 universities that used to be the only universities, are now joined by a lot of ex-polys and now everyone is suddenly a university student. Except they're not really smarter, or that better educated.

Reply 64

Wesssty

I'll rent out a table of experts to teach mine.

Reply 65

Our_Sunshine_Boy

m.grump

In no way am I trying to put words in your mouth, so sorry if I am here.
It appears to me your suggesting that the only reason this has been done is so the govt can turn around and say 'there is now more people in university than ever' - purely because ex-polys are now universities?

Strange to talk like this, 'cos I'm about to go to an ex-poly myself!

Reply 66

m.grump

Our_Sunshine_Boy

I'm sure many will disagree with me here - but if qualifications are not enough motivation for students to continue post 18, then nothing will be. Are we really in that dire need to give these kids money to continue post 16? Does Tommy/Danny/Michael really need £30 a week to go and do a plumbing course? I don't bloody think so...

Ironically.. around here, plumbers make £30-40 an hour. They are far better paid than almost all university graduates I've met. Are they smarter because they didn't choose to go to university, and instead took up a plumbing course? Perhaps.. :smile:

Perhaps not. It really depends on what you consider 'smart'.

Reply 67

m.grump

Our_Sunshine_Boy

I really don't know why there was this influx in university applicants, and the expansion of university status. Before, uni. students used to get grants for studying.. now they have to pay to study. Why is this? I don't know. Tony Blair, I guess?

All I'm saying is that people are not suddenly smarter because of it, and uni. education in the UK, while is a lot more inclusive.. isn't really generating graduates who are significantly better able to do more professional jobs.

Now everyone has a degree.. and so degrees are almost worthless.

Reply 68

Our_Sunshine_Boy

m.grump

And perhaps they are more important to society than Mr £40K a year IT consultant with a 2:1?

Reply 69

missygeorgia

It depends entirely on what Nick Clegg does.

Reply 70

Our_Sunshine_Boy

m.grump

I have no problem with the debt - purely because I think it would be completely wrong for the tax payer to pay for my post 18 education. Also, the fact you don't start paying it back till your earning makes it manageable. It's my choice to go to university, so no other poor sod should have to fund it!

Think uni is a bit of a blessing right now due to the recession, without it, the unemployment figures would look even more frightening ! :woo:

Reply 71

grape:)

I would. I've seen the difference private schooling can make to people (I never had it). Who am I to take my kid's chances of greater success away?

Reply 72

Dann

Unless there's a grammar, probably yes. I'm pleased for all the state school on here, you sound like brilliant students. But at the end of the day, there's more chance my kid would be more successful at a private, so I think if I could afford it I would send them there.

Reply 73

Falling Winter Fairy_1002

If the state school available to me was as bad as the one I went to back in Denmark then hell yes, if it was a good state school then I would probably send them there. The edcation to me is the most important thing, and so if I have children I'll do everything I can to make sure they get the best possible start. :smile:

Reply 74

RollerBall

I find it quite amusing that the majority of people in this thread just assume they'll be able to afford to send their kids to private school. Do none of them wonder why everyone just doesn't go?

Reply 75

m.grump

Our_Sunshine_Boy

And perhaps they are more important to society than Mr £40K a year IT consultant with a 2:1?

Lol. Well they probably are!! Try calling an IT consultant when your sink breaks. He'll probably laugh and tell you to google a plumber.

All the highly paid IT consultants I knew made financial services systems for banks.. and so although it didn't serve the average person at all - in fact probably made their lives worse - it served the banks, who have the money to pay for such things.

And so you get IT contractors paid £700 per day, and other such stories of utter nepotism and almost.. theft.

Reply 76

Leon Trotsky

I want my kids to learn of the real world alongside their academic studies so unless they get drastically worse, I'll send my children to state schools.

Reply 77

Blu3j4yw4y

RollerBall

I find it quite amusing that the majority of people in this thread just assume they'll be able to afford to send their kids to private school. Do none of them wonder why everyone just doesn't go?

I think 'assuming you have the money' was kinda implicit in the question, or at least that is certainly how people have interpreted it, though admittedly OP should have probably been clearer about the question he was asking.

Reply 78

Our_Sunshine_Boy

m.grump

Depends if his degree covered how to install showers and toilet systems I guess.

Reply 79

Ivanka

What's actually wrong with state officers sending their children to private/public schools? Even state is responsible for each school within its area, be it a private or a state one. It doesn't mean state schools are bad in general, it just means that a particular school is convenient to them.