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Privilege: that’s the only area where private schools excel Privilege: that’s the only area where private schools excel
(35 minutes later)
While much of this week’s focus is on the Conservatives in Birmingham, over in Wales the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference is hosting its own small gathering of the (largely) male, pale and stale. It seems that David Cameron managed to find time to take a few pointers from notable speakers over in Wales the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference is hosting its own small gathering of the (largely) male, pale and stale. In his comical conference speech on Wednesday, Cameron travelled some well-worn terrain regarding education. Arguing that emulating the independent sector was the only real solution to social mobility, he sounded an awful lot like representatives of those very institutions. Take for example, Richard Harman, headmaster of Uppingham School and chairman of the HMC who announced this week that ‘breaking down the Berlin Wall between private and state schools is one way of making Britain socially mobile.’ Righto. Another might be to ensure that 7% of the population who attended independent schools do not go on to dominate our judiciary, media and political class.
The HMC, an association of leaders from the country’s 243 independent schools, has attempted to shake things up a little, inviting the Labour peer and former Ofsted chief Lady Sally Morgan to Newport to address the gathering. This should have been an opportunity to put forward a progressive stance on private education in the UK. Sadly, what it turned into was a rehashing of a long-held misconception: that the private sector is inherently better. Harman asked that private schools ‘celebrate’ their ‘contribution’ and that everyone else should ‘stop scapegoating’ independent schools for our ‘social ills’- a euphemism if ever there was one for Britain’s woeful lack of social mobility. The HMC, an association of leaders from the country’s 243 independent schools, has attempted to shake things up a little. This year they invited former Ofsted chief and Labour peer, Lady Sally Morgan to address them. This should have been an opportunity to put forward a progressive stance on private education in the UK, sadly, what it turned into was a rehashing of a long held misconception: that the private sector is inherently better. A sentiment that is galling particularly when in 2010, research conducted by the OECD found that in the UK, once socio-economic background is factored, state schools do better than the independent sector.
Morgan, now well known for being summarily dismissed by Michael Gove for no apparent reason other than not being a Tory, intended to give a bracing speech. She told delegates that these days being privileged is viewed as “politically and socially toxic”. It doesn’t seem to have ruined the political prospects of our prime minister or chancellor, though. And let’s not forget Boris Johnson, independently educated “man of the people” Nigel Farage – or 33% of our MPs.Morgan, now well known for being summarily dismissed by Michael Gove for no apparent reason other than not being a Tory, intended to give a bracing speech. She told delegates that these days being privileged is viewed as “politically and socially toxic”. It doesn’t seem to have ruined the political prospects of our prime minister or chancellor, though. And let’s not forget Boris Johnson, independently educated “man of the people” Nigel Farage – or 33% of our MPs.
Describing a culture ready to indict “irresponsible privilege”, Morgan went on: “There is a real and growing danger that you are seen, most recently in the words of the master of Marlborough College, as ‘isolated enclaves of privilege’, cut off from all but the excessively wealthy.” What she considers a “growing danger” has, for the rest of us, been taken as given – the whole point of sending your child to private school is to inoculate them from disadvantage. The majority of us simply shrug our shoulders in resignation. When the mechanics of power are so tightly held by a patronising, dissembling elite (I’m looking at you Dave and Nick), there’s not very much the average person can do about it.Describing a culture ready to indict “irresponsible privilege”, Morgan went on: “There is a real and growing danger that you are seen, most recently in the words of the master of Marlborough College, as ‘isolated enclaves of privilege’, cut off from all but the excessively wealthy.” What she considers a “growing danger” has, for the rest of us, been taken as given – the whole point of sending your child to private school is to inoculate them from disadvantage. The majority of us simply shrug our shoulders in resignation. When the mechanics of power are so tightly held by a patronising, dissembling elite (I’m looking at you Dave and Nick), there’s not very much the average person can do about it.
Morgan, presumably believing she had delivered a bitter pill, sweetened her criticism by praising private schools for “academically excellent and innovative practice [that] needs to be spread and shared to help raise standards beyond your walls”. And in so doing, she entrenched long-held mistaken beliefs about the better quality of private school teaching. In 2010, research by the OECD found that in the UK, once socio-economic background has been factored in, state schools do better than the independent sector. Morgan, presumably believing she had delivered a bitter pill, sweetened her criticism by praising private schools for “academically excellent and innovative practice [that] needs to be spread and shared to help raise standards beyond your walls”. And in so doing, she entrenched the myth of better quality teaching at private schools. And this from a Labour peer.
Yet Morgan’s words were echoed by those of Richard Harman, the headmaster of Uppingham School and chairman of the HMC, who declared private schools “want and intend to do more” to help the state sector. He maintained that it was time to “stop scapegoating” independent schools for our “social ills” – a euphemism if ever there was one for our woeful lack of social mobility.
Casting private schools as beleaguered is laughable, given that fees continue to rise well above inflation, and have quadrupled since 1990. So too is Harman’s idea that “breaking down the Berlin Wall between private and state schools is one way of making Britain a socially mobile country”. It’s worrying that a Labour peer such as Morgan would be a conduit for a similar message.
The narrative of independent schools lending expertise runs on the premise that the state sector is in essence failing. It is not. It’s an old and inaccurate assumption that private schools are hubs of inspiring innovation with much to teach comprehensives. Average class sizes of nine students, selective intake and pupils who are from the better parts of town ensure their exam pass rates are better than those of state schools. But this doesn’t translate to university. Studies continue to show that when comprehensive school pupils reach university, they outperform peers from the private sector admitted with similar grades. On a more level playing field, the high quality of state education comes through.The narrative of independent schools lending expertise runs on the premise that the state sector is in essence failing. It is not. It’s an old and inaccurate assumption that private schools are hubs of inspiring innovation with much to teach comprehensives. Average class sizes of nine students, selective intake and pupils who are from the better parts of town ensure their exam pass rates are better than those of state schools. But this doesn’t translate to university. Studies continue to show that when comprehensive school pupils reach university, they outperform peers from the private sector admitted with similar grades. On a more level playing field, the high quality of state education comes through.
Unsurprisingly, the HMC isn’t calling for universities to give greater priority to students from comprehensives, which would be a nod in the right direction for social mobility. Untroubled that young people from homes in the top 20% of income brackets are eight times more likely than those from the bottom 20% to bag places in Russell group universities, its members continue to trounce data proving that their students are less able to adapt to further education.Unsurprisingly, the HMC isn’t calling for universities to give greater priority to students from comprehensives, which would be a nod in the right direction for social mobility. Untroubled that young people from homes in the top 20% of income brackets are eight times more likely than those from the bottom 20% to bag places in Russell group universities, its members continue to trounce data proving that their students are less able to adapt to further education.
Where Morgan’s warning is concerned, the horse has already bolted. At the same time that she was delivering her rather pointless alert, delegates at the HMC gathering were announcing that their fees are set to “soar” in a “race to attract overseas pupils”. It is precisely because they are enclaves for the privileged that private schools continue to remain successful, it is not that they are fundamentally better.Where Morgan’s warning is concerned, the horse has already bolted. At the same time that she was delivering her rather pointless alert, delegates at the HMC gathering were announcing that their fees are set to “soar” in a “race to attract overseas pupils”. It is precisely because they are enclaves for the privileged that private schools continue to remain successful, it is not that they are fundamentally better.