Cambridge college urged to drop ‘immoral’ private school recruitment drive

Well our success in students gaining offers would make you wrong.

But so many Universities have had drives to increase recruitment from state schools which I fear somewhat erodes your thinking here.
I see the big differences in soft skills myself in applicants. Those from a background of private school are often remarkably able in many ways. I understand that a lot of schools also encourage a lot of extra-curricular activities including charity work and local community projects. I guess this shows what can be done where resources are less of an issue.

We do all of that too - maybe your view of what state schools can offer is misinformed.
Remember boarding schools have theur students 24/7 - it isn't money that stops us doing more.

I can only contrast the experiences twixt one group and the other. Colleagues have explained to me that in private school they were obliged in each and every academic year to undertake extra-curricular activities that involved them with the local community in a host of ways. I'm not sure being a boarder or not had anything to do with it. It was all put in alongside their usual studies somehow.

Well our students go out on an afternoon to work in, for example, a school. There are Sports ambassadors that organise local tournaments for primary schools as well and well as work experience.
Please don't assume what you are told is unique to Private schools.

I didn't assume anything. I had been speaking to both colleagues whom had attended private school and those who attended state schools.

They clearly weren't very representative then. All the schools I have taught in or did teaching practice in or visited to support them or know through friends do this sort of thing. I actually don't know any state school that doesn't have community links.

Interesting responses from various academics :
Trinity Hall mustn’t confuse opportunity with ability | University of Cambridge | The Guardian
"This is the reality for state-educated students. Being at Cambridge is like being allowed into a party where everyone is dancing to a routine, being told you should be grateful for watching, and never being taught the steps. The university continues to serve the elite it was created for; Trinity Hall is just proving this."

I don't know how many state schools there are in the UK but I doubt you have taught in all of them or even a significant proportion of them. Your experience is thus to be considered anecdotal, the very same thing I have tried to describe.
I thus do not understand why you are being so emphatic in your replies. I am glad the provision in state schools is improving: when I was still in one there was very little of this and in primary school (I attended more than a few) there was none at all.
However, as I said, I encounter University applicants from time to time and I the main I can see that students from a private school background seem to have far better soft skills than I would have had at their age. I am glad there is the support and provision for improving interview skills and entrance exams in state schools because I know I had none of this at school and it's why I don't feel entrance exams should be used in this way.

I have been in 40 + schools personally and colleagues I trained with probably a couple of hundred more, so this is not an anecdote.
I got oxbridge support when I was at a state school so it is not a new thing at all.
You need to stop bashing state schools and maybe offer to be a Governor at your local one if you are so concerned.

Interesting responses from various academics :
Trinity Hall mustn’t confuse opportunity with ability | University of Cambridge | The Guardian
"This is the reality for state-educated students. Being at Cambridge is like being allowed into a party where everyone is dancing to a routine, being told you should be grateful for watching, and never being taught the steps. The university continues to serve the elite it was created for; Trinity Hall is just proving this."

I am not bashing state schools. I attended one myself.
Thank you for your anecdote. Unfortunately it does not seem to reflect the anecdotes I have listened to from other people.

You've had feedback from over 300 schools? I doubt it. By the way, I did not include the 100 Primary schools I've been invoved with either - community support starts young.
Why not apply to be a Governor and do something practical about it because it sounds like an issue close to you and not country-wide? I've been in 6 local authorities ...

There are what, 30,000 state schools in the UK?
Thanks for your anecdote nonetheless. Furthermore, I have absolutely no idea why you are being so defensive here. I've no personal investment or interest in it either way. I see people I know absolutely working their socks off to be able to afford to put their kids through private school and wonder if society is missing something. I sometimes wonder if private education shouldn't effectively be banned as it is in some countries and the level of investment/spending in education improved. Of course, without having the option of a private education for your children, I should think the political importance of state education would skyrocket, too.

And? I think my evidence is WAY stronger than yours. Why not take my challenge and become a Govenror then you might see reality is not what you think. I am in different schools most weeks and know what I am talking about. Your evidence is, at best, second hand.

I don't particularly mind how strong your evidence might be. I'm afraid it doesn't align with my own experience, that of others I have discussed this very issue with nor my observations in students applying to University. This is not a criticism of anyone or anything in particular, it is whatever it is and it's hardly my place to lay blame on anything; that's not how I am wired up I'm afraid.
I could well be a school governor. But I won't. Simply because I do not have the time at this juncture without adversely affecting something else. I'd consider it in future, but I'd have to overcome my dual distrust and dislike of local and national government and any and all apparatuses attached to them. You'd also have to convince me that my individual effort would have any effect whatsoever in the long term before I'd consider giving up my time without being remunerated for it. I'm afraid I am a die-hard cynic, you see.

Since you refuse to engage with schools now, I can only conclude you fear you may be proved wrong. As I said your anecdotes are secondhand and historic - my knowledge is current and correct.

I can tell you that I genuinely fear few things in life. I actually genuinely want for very few things in life either really when I think about it.
However, I am in all things a realist, first and foremost. And if there is one thing I really dislike it is any form of officialdom, bureaucracy or similar such constructs which ultimately serve no purpose whilst fervently consuming shiploads of otherwise perfectly good human capital for no result whatsoever.
As I said, you shall have a very hard time convincing me that my unpaid engagement with any extension of the public sector would achieve anything.

Interesting responses from various academics :
Trinity Hall mustn’t confuse opportunity with ability | University of Cambridge | The Guardian
"This is the reality for state-educated students. Being at Cambridge is like being allowed into a party where everyone is dancing to a routine, being told you should be grateful for watching, and never being taught the steps. The university continues to serve the elite it was created for; Trinity Hall is just proving this."