There is a wonderful recording of the late Sir Peter Ustinov recalling one of his early school reports, which he mentions could only have been written in England:
‘Peter shows great signs of originality, which must be stamped upon.’
My wife and I had similar views on comprehensive (let’s make everyone equal by making them all bad) education as our host, a view which has not been without its consequences in determining that both of us need to bring in high incomes to pay for it, yet see little of it ourselves.
And no, I am not happy about getting my kids a better education (and education really is the correct word for what has been done for both of them, especially as both have ASD) than some of my friends’ kids are being schooled (not particularly brilliantly, by the sounds of it) just because I can find the cash. Neither do I think I should have to.
But, whatever the school - state funded, or privately funded - the key determinant of how well it will do us how much the parents of its pupils value education and get involved. (Fees or moving to a “better” postcode both cost money, faith schools require a conscious decision - hopefully based on genuine beliefs rather than some of the hypocrisy I have overheard - or simply encouraging the joy of learning. These are all choices.)
Anyway, enough putting the world to rights: until people realise that progressive income tax is the best way to pay for services, and that they need to pay higher taxes even when they are not using the services, for when they do, then publish services will continue to decline and suffer and it is ultimately the poorest who lose out, and later down the road, society.