Public Services or Going Private

[BigDoddyKane]

How are the exams marked at those schools, whos marking them? Do they go into the same pot as normal schools or are the public schools marking them themselves and ensuring good grades when they are charging a fortune , as when you see some of the thick c***s who come out of public school with good grades

[Aufc]

It's not just about getting rich.
It's about all sorts of networking opportunity from providing references for each other to helping out in a crisis through to making a phone call when a job becomes available. Most jobs are never advertised.
People buy from people.
Creating, expanding and exploiting personal networks is the fastest way to break any glass ceiling in life.
The rich absolutely are much, much better at understanding and exploiting this than anyone else.
 

Most of life is about who you know really. Yeah you can have good grades but be fucking useless at meeting people and building a network which will always, eventually, hold you back. You need people like that in almost all businesses but, generally, most people at the top of companies are not the best technically but are able to deal with people.

[Aufc]

How are the exams marked at those schools, whos marking them? Do they go into the same pot as normal schools or are the public schools marking them themselves and ensuring good grades when they are charging a fortune , as when you see some of the thick c***s who come out of public school with good grades

When I did my exams I had to put a special mark on the front of my exam paper so the examiner knew I was from a private school. I think each private school has a unique mark. So these papers are marked differently to ensure highest grades

[Aufc]

What's really interesting is that most people with a half decent network on something like Linkedin will only ever be a few phone calls away from someone highly influential. The idea posted above by someone that poor people can't help other poor people become rich is just not true at all.
The last time I looked on there, I had about 1-2 million people accessible via no more than 3 links from a pool of just 74 immediate contacts that I've met or worked with over the years. That extended 1-2 million network includes all sorts of very influential people. If I really wanted to, I could work those contacts to secure a meeting with almost anyone I wanted to. Everyone else will be in the same position. You've just got to be prepared to do the inter-personal work and overcome the Scottish cringe.
Within about 3-4 links, one poor person can absolutely help another poor person out in a life changing way and if that network is being used correctly, that help will be reciprocated.

I genuinely think you make it sound easy. It’s really not that easy. Even if a “poor” person (hate that phrase) was able to “work his contacts” to get a meeting with someone influential, they probably will not have the clout or even the interpersonal skills to manipulate themselves into a positive outcome. I also very much doubt people less fortunate have the initial network to even know where to begin.

I am not saying it is not doable but you make it sound like anyone can change their life instantly simply by speaking to a few people on linkedin

[DeeTillEhDeh]

How are the exams marked at those schools, whos marking them? Do they go into the same pot as normal schools or are the public schools marking them themselves and ensuring good grades when they are charging a fortune , as when you see some of the thick c***s who come out of public school with good grades

If they are sitting SQA exams they will be the same.

Where the difference is that their estimates will always be top grades and they will never be challenged by SQA.

In the days of appeals the evidence from independent schools dwarfed that from state schools - and they would always get their appeals. There was often the suspicion that evidence was generated after results were issued.

[sparky88]

51 minutes ago, Aufc said:

When I did my exams I had to put a special mark on the front of my exam paper so the examiner knew I was from a private school. I think each private school has a unique mark. So these papers are marked differently to ensure highest grades

I wrote 'Private school' on the front of mine then put my head down for a nap. Seemed to work as I got mostly As. Nice touch giving me a B to make it look more believable, fair play SQA. 

[tamthebam]

I've met three Etonians in my life.

66% of whom were Humphrey Lyttleton and Michael Bentine so perhaps not typical.

The third was a chap whose parents were Professors of Extreme Cleverness or something and had siblings who were Barristers and Doctors and the like. But they were also a Christian family and God told the chap I knew to go to Aberdeen University and study engineering. 

1) This proves God has a sense of humour

2) Our chap ended up unemployed the last time I saw him (years ago). No doubt he got a job eventually through connections, pester power or just being Tim Nice But Dim and we'll give him a job anyway. 

I always thought there must be something in the Eton education that gives you confidence, even if you are a totally useless balloon (hmm, where did our current PM go to...) and if this was to be translated into Scottish council schools we'd be independent by now.  

[DeeTillEhDeh]

On average, the quality of teaching is going to be significantly higher at private schools.
The best people always follow the money and better financed environments.
That's just a fact of life I'm afraid.
The obvious issue there is that state schools are left very much second best and the evidence of that shows itself every year in exam grades and comparative lifetime outcomes for the respective pupils.
In short, it's a lot easier for a person to succeed going the private route than it is going through the state route.
That IMO doesn't sit well with me at all but I've no idea how to fix it.

It's not quality of teaching as such but smaller classes providing more opportunities for 1-to-1 support.

They also don't have to deal with the behaviour issues that state schools have not to mention endemic attendance/punctuality problems.

That is ultimately linked to parental support which can be lacking for some of our children.

[parsforlife]

44 minutes ago, DeeTillEhDeh said:

It's not quality of teaching as such but smaller classes providing more opportunities for 1-to-1 support.

They also don't have to deal with the behaviour issues that state schools have not to mention endemic attendance/punctuality problems.

That is ultimately linked to parental support which can be lacking for some of our children.

Private schools certainly have behaviour issues like any other,  it might be easier for them to wash their hands of a problematic child but they do exist.

The idea that rich people are better parents is pathetically laughable.

[Aufc]

Private schools certainly have behaviour issues like any other,  it might be easier for them to wash their hands of a problematic child but they do exist.
The idea that rich people are better parents is pathetically laughable.

Certainly from my experience, there were very little behavioural issues. Yes the odd fight but they were all fucking pussies. Very little distraction. Complete opposite to a lot of my friends from back home. That is not to say going to a private school makes you any better a anytbing

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Private schools certainly have behaviour issues like any other,  it might be easier for them to wash their hands of a problematic child but they do exist.
The idea that rich people are better parents is pathetically laughable.

I didn't say better parents.

[Aufc]

Private schools certainly have behaviour issues like any other,  it might be easier for them to wash their hands of a problematic child but they do exist.
The idea that rich people are better parents is pathetically laughable.

Not comparing parenting standards, however, it could be said that the less well off parents are actually generally better parents than some well off people as they are unable to spend vast fortunes on their kids so therefore they make up for this by spending their time which is actually all most kids want/need. It is all well and good being a high flying busines person and sending your kids to the best school and having the best things. However, when the kid is older he will probably look back and wish their parents had spent their time with them.

[DublinMagyar]

There's no correlation between income and parenting ability.
There are gems and nuggets across the board.

You do not understand the term "correlation"
Please try harder

[DublinMagyar]

Or, troll less

[Florentine_Pogen]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/oct/13/nhs-crisis-private-health-public-service-uk

"An entirely new customer base is taking shape, more provincial and poorer than is traditional – and defined by their despair. London has always been the centre of private medicine, but according to the latest figures, Wales has seen the number of people going private more than double in the first three months of this year compared with the same period in 2019, while in Scotland it has shot up by 72%. Contrary to stereotypes of private medicine, they’re not after bigger breasts or thatched bald spots. In 2022, there has been a tripling of the numbers of patients after hip replacements, while the number one procedure is removing cataracts."
 

[Dawson Park Boy]

Absolutely correct.

I was told at least a year for cataracts . 
I couldn’t drive so went private.

Seen within 3days, both eyes done within 2weeks.

Its a no brainer and will only increase.

The NHS needs to be radically overhauled.

They still mess about with masks and Covid restrictions.

Private hospital- not so!!

[Frank Quitely]

47 minutes ago, Dawson Park Boy said:

Absolutely correct.

I was told at least a year for cataracts . 
I couldn’t drive so went private.

Seen within 3days, both eyes done within 2weeks.

Its a no brainer and will only increase.

The NHS needs to be radically overhauled.

They still mess about with masks and Covid restrictions.

Private hospital- not so!!

Cataracts, eh ? That might explain a lot.

[steelmen]

Through my work i get access to Bupa and in Edinburgh they have the 2 Spire hospitals that are their own with their own staff. The doctors / consultants do split their time between NHS and private.

I can only speak to our circumstances and when we were trying to conceive my wife was told by her NHS doctor that she could have a 'tumor' and that she could join the waiting list to be seen. We made the decision to go private right away and had a diagnosis and treatment, and had conceived all before the first NHS letter came in to say come for a chat. Took about 6 months. Imagine leaving someone for 6 months thinking they had a serious issue like a brain tumor. I am just thankful i could afford it.

The NHS needs to get back to its roots, being a service for people who are genuinely ill, not some influencer who has a wonky nose and feels depressed about it. for the amount of money it gets there has to be some amount of wastage. 

[Clown Job]

The Tories break public services on purpose so they can sell it off to the private sector 

[coprolite]

51 minutes ago, BudBudBud said:

At the end of the day, taxpayers contribute to public services, so it seems logical that they can use them.  The choice is there to 'go private', which is fine too.

Morally, I think it's OK to take either option, unless you willingly choose not to contribute to society.  By this, I don't just mean by paying taxes, but by not 'doing your bit' in some way, shape or form.

We hope to get to a stage where my wages are enough to support the family, in which event my wife would give up work and won't be paying taxes.  She'd still be valuably contributing to society though, by rearing future taxpayers amongst other good works.

Not everything can be boiled down to tax or welfare though, with us having to take into account a huge variety of circumstances and situations.

So, in my opinion, you can sleep easy at night knowing that you did nothing wrong by taking that boot out from the library

Nearly a year has gone by since the initial post, so hopefully you've managed to hand the book back regardless!

Thanks. I did but i've had another one for about three months now, so it's still relevant.