Quote from: AndrewF on December 11, 2011, 16:57:46

I simply do not believe this Martin.

Then we differ quite emphatically. Even if the old boy network still exists after private education is abolished, it will be weakened.  Those schools who get the top university places, will , if they must admit children from non-wealthy backgrounds, be getting those children into top universities. The money wil always find a way to get into the top schools unless there is a movement, from government, to redress that balance. That means extra funding for schools in deprived areas - something I would advocate.

I'm an idealist taking about ideals.  But the only reason that ideals can't become policy, is that people deny that possibility.

I don't know what happened to it but I did post a reply to this some days ago... - Ah well, here it is as far as I can remember:
The most important part of your reply is this bit " Those schools who get the top university places, will , if they must admit children from non-wealthy backgrounds, be getting those children into top universities.", and of that the most important part is "if they must".  The problem is making them do so if they are in an area where the housing is expensive and the rich parents are the only ones who can afford to own them. Unless there is a lot of low-cost rental housing there as well the less-well-off will not be in the catchment area. In addition to this the children of such families will be like fish out of water as they will not be able to afford the school trips etc (or even the same sort of holidays) as their contemporaries from rich backgrounds and will not want to be at those schools as a result.
In addition to this you comment on the finances. You suggest that the govt should move to redress the balance of money going to the top schools. They already have done this as much as they can. The top schools get NOTHING from the Govt - and they are still better off than the state schools. What more can the govt do to remove funds from them?
I do not actually think we are as far apart as you think ideologically. I would be very happy for everyone to go to schools which are as good as the top ones now are. The trouble is that I do not believe human nature will allow this, as those with the money will always find a way to ensure that the schools which have traditionally been those the elite went to stay that way. I think our difference is more in methodology rather than ideology!
In later posts you emphasise the separation which results from having the privilege of private education - but as I say, even if these schools were forcibly 'nationalised' they would still be the ones the 'elite' go to and the said elite would ensure that more money goes to them than to other state schools, ensuring they stay the elite establishments they currently are. Making them into state schools will not prevent this, since, as I say above, there will be a self-selection by the parents (and the kids themselves) against the 'hoy-poloy' getting in in any significant number.