Private schools are warped institutions. I know this because I went to one – and let’s just say I haven’t stopped beating myself up over it since I was 16 years old.
Even though only 6 per cent of the country’s kids attend such schools, they still continue to occupy the elite tier of hundreds of professions. We know it’s morally wrong, and occasionally governments try to rectify this with taxes. But to dissuade future generations, I think it’s more worthwhile pointing out to parents just how it may affect their precious kids.
It didn’t shock anyone that the Prince of Wales announced he’s sending his son George to Eton College, because the royals are a bit of a lost cause. But the sheer scale of liberal-minded, left-leaning, woke-adjacent friends making the same mistake shocks me. The hypocrisy is the least of my worries – I just want my pals’ kids to turn out more sane than I did.
There’s nuance to the private schools debate. For example, given the woeful state of SEND provision in too many parts of the country, I am completely supportive of a parent’s moral decision to opt into the fee-paying system when special educational needs are a factor.
But when that is not part of the equation, it’s worth considering, for starters, the basics of cost – both financial and emotional. The average fee for attending a private school in the UK today is around £15-£20,000 a year. It’s understandable to imagine they’re just the preserve of the super wealthy, but that’s not the real story.
