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Private schools 'should coach state pupils for Oxbridge interviews'
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent30 Sep 2008
Private schools should coach bright state sixth-formers in how to pass Oxbridge interviews, the Chancellor of Oxford University said today.
Lord Patten warned there was "no chance" of Oxford taking more state school students while privately educated pupils continue to perform far better in interviews and exams.
He condemned "Left-wing politicians" for taking "cheap shots" at Oxford and Cambridge when the real problem lay with the failing state education system. In a veiled warning to ministers, Lord Patten said he did not want Oxford to be "driven" to wash its hands of government funding in order to preserve its independence.
But he said tuition fees must rise above the current £3,000-a-year limit if top universities were to remain viable.
The former Governor of Hong Kong and Tory Cabinet minister was speaking at a time of increased friction between the Government and Oxbridge.
Both elite institutions have clashed with Universities Secretary John Denham in recent weeks over political pressure to increase the number of students they take from state school backgrounds.
Speaking to the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference of independent school heads in London, Lord Patten said nowhere was the gap between the quality of state education and private schooling wider than in Britain. Many parents sent their children to private schools "to purchase what they reckon is a better education, with smaller classes, more teachers, less disruptive children, a broader curriculum, more facilities, better results".
He said that, while such a gap exists, there was "no chance whatsoever of meeting the socio-economic targets set by agents of government. It is as simple as that." But he added that independent-schools could help by coaching state school pupils in interview technique - often a stumbling block for teenagers from comprehensives.
He said: "Undoubtedly, interviewing techniques and confidence often tell against maintained sector entrants. We run courses and so on to help with this. I know that some of your members invite local state schools for training in these techniques with your own pupils.
"That seems to me a good initiative, valuable all round, not least for those you are teaching."
Lord Patten attacked the "populist venom" that was directed at Oxford and Cambridge over the fact that both universities took more than four out of 10 students from private schools, which educated just seven per cent of pupils. But universities were not "local social security offices", he said.
Oxford's Chancellor warned that middle-class families should be prepared to pay higher tuition fees to fund universities in future.
"Can there be a middle-class objection to higher fees? It is surely a mad world in which parents are prepared to shell out tens of thousands of pounds to put their children through private schools to get them into universities, and then object to them paying a tuition fee of more than £3,000 when they are there.
"The Government should relax the present fee cap, especially if it is not going to increase public subsidy."
Reader views (14)
If I was paying to send my child to a private school, AS WELL AS paying for state education through my council tax, then I would be most annoyed that my money was being spent in this way. Why not use the money I pay in council tax, to educate state school teachers, so that they can "coach" their own pupils.
- Naomi Sajeri, Manchester, 01/10/2008 09:31
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Matt, banning private schools will NOT improve education in state schools. You are a dreamer. My mother taught in a compo and sadly, standards ALWAYS fall to the lowest common denominator not rise to the highest. That goes for teachers as well. The drab effect of dim-headed socialism since the 60s has now been brought to where we are to day. Crap schools with crap, demoralized or socialized teachers. The school version of the old British Railways. The government knows this which is why they rant and rave at Universities to fix their mess.
- Chris, london, 01/10/2008 01:52
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When will the liberal cretins learn, their social experiment has failed miserably? Insisting that ill prepared students are given places is unfair. All that will happen is the best and the brightest will all go to another couple of universities, making them the universities of choice, while Oxford and Cambridge will whither and die under the strain of political correctness.
- Gary, London, 30/09/2008 20:07
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I, like many other parents of independently educated young people, pay voluntarily into bursary schemes at my sons' schools specifically aimed at providing education at those schools to those on lower incomes. We also pay our council tax which pays for state education, which we choose not to use...how many childrens' educations do you expect us to pay for?
- Barrie Gilbert, Aldenham, 30/09/2008 19:04
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Also. Hard-working tax payers should cut the lawns and put out the bins of the unemployed and workshy.
- Squiz, Islington, 30/09/2008 16:37
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Ban private schools then education in state schools would improve. The highest achieving students obviously will still get the best results.
- Matt, London, 30/09/2008 16:05
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Why should the Private Schools do so for nothing. Many of these schools manage with less cash input than their state counter parts.
What we are witnessing a total disintegration of State Schools despite considerable increase in resources. This is a damning indictment of the Government, teachers and the state education apparatus. Can we first have a total cleaning out and restart please
- Sy, Harrow, 30/09/2008 15:44
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Why do families who work hard, save hard and sacrifice things to send a child/children to private schools always end up being seen as the "cash cow" for everyone else - why not sort the bloody schools out and give everyone a decent education. Stop blaming others for choosing an alternative, fix the problem!
- Wen, Oxfordshire, 30/09/2008 14:49
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Get rid of this failing government now before they do any more damage.
- James, New Malden, Surrey, 30/09/2008 14:28
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my daughter went to independent school. She wanted to study Politics, phyosophy and economics at Oxford. She received some coaching on politics as she had never studied it at school. I found her a book on phylosophy which was used in a course run by Oxford during the summer holidays (it was adults only). As for Economics - when she didnt know the answer she said so. She received no extra tuition on how to pass the interviews though they had had a class on job interviews during her time in the 6th form. She arrived at the interview with a streaming cold, and very depressed as one of her friends had been involved in a serious car accident just the day before. She enjoyed the interviews as they gave ber a chance to think on her feet. She is now in her second year at Oxford and enjoying every minute of it.
- Sarah Barker, Taunton, uk, 30/09/2008 14:25
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Why should I pay for other peoples' children just because I earn slightly more than them? Why should my family have less because I make financial sacrifices to send my children to a good school?
- Joe, London, 30/09/2008 14:00
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Isn't it simply the case that state schools should improve. The government and teachers have let down generations of British kids. After 12 years of education many young people leave school without being able to read or write properly. And teachers hold up their hands and say "not me guv". They are paid a lot of money these days to do a job that many of them are ill-equipped to do. The government should also keep its nose out of educations. Ed Balls?!! What the hell is he going to do to improve things?
- Cameron, London, 30/09/2008 14:00
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That is Labour's approach towards education, teach students how to pass exams, don't teach them.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 30/09/2008 13:05
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This is ridiculous! You pay taxes as you work, as you save, and as you spend your own money as you have to pay for private education as the Nu Labor state schools are poor... and then the other people who do not pay taxes get to get in for free?!?? Not everything is for free Mr. Bean Brown!! The taxpayer is not liking you and we will not forget whenever you dare to call an election!!! Probably in many years...
- Georgie, Islington, London, 30/09/2008 12:47
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