Does anyone know how, if at all, how the awarding of private schools's bursaries is monitored? On what basis are they typically given? To whom? What is the background of those getting bursaries. Are kids tested? How?
If you don't have general knowledge, you may know of particular instances of how bursaries were awarded.
My guess is, they are not really monitored at all. But as this is the main "public benefit" private schools provide for 100 million pounds of public money (in tax), shouldn't it be very closely monitored?
The only kid I know who received a bursary had a father who went to a top public school and a grandfather who is a Knight of The Realm. No academic selection. Just an interview to see if he would "fit in". Which he obviously did.
How many kids from council estates get bursaries, I wonder? Maybe the mechanisms for awarding bursaries are not as dodgy as they appear to me to be, but I'd like to be reassured!
If you don't have general knowledge, you may know of particular instances of how bursaries were awarded.
My guess is, they are not really monitored at all. But as this is the main "public benefit" private schools provide for 100 million pounds of public money (in tax), shouldn't it be very closely monitored?
The only kid I know who received a bursary had a father who went to a top public school and a grandfather who is a Knight of The Realm. No academic selection. Just an interview to see if he would "fit in". Which he obviously did.
How many kids from council estates get bursaries, I wonder? Maybe the mechanisms for awarding bursaries are not as dodgy as they appear to me to be, but I'd like to be reassured!
Comments
My mother urged me to go for one for my daughter when considering a school for her. It looks like lots of pleading and buttering up the school. Couldn't do it as it would leave too much of a taste in my mouth - and even then you only get 30% off which might be withdrawn at any time.
Ironically, I might have to play the faith school card. It also leaves a taste. I might blog about this sometime.
It was thought that the school I was leaving was not catering for me, either musically or academically, and that this new school could offer me far more.
I remember there were recommendations from my teachers (both musical and academic), and several pretty in-depth interviews for both areas, so I'd like to think there was some empirical basis to the selection and award. My parents ended up paying half the fees as a result, and I consequently excelled and went on to Oxbridge.
Having said that, my parents were well educated middle-class types, but certainly not part of any establishment that might hint at any conspiracy of nepotism as far as I can tell.
In the current system, they pay twice: for the private school, and also for state schooling that they don't use.
What lefty could object to "rich" people effectively paying more tax?
Underperforming schools would therefore have to close. Or is it better to create the 'Private school bursary regulation office' and divert money into it that would be better used teaching 11 year olds to read and write?
Of course the free marketeers typically have no interest in that sort of voucher scheme, do they? I wonder why not?
A large amount of private school fees include the 'extras' that state school kids don't get.
Providing such a level playing field would also remove the stranglehold on education displayed by the teaching unions. Now that would be radical!
They have given me no options on other monies that maybe available to me,they just advised he wasnot to attend .This was 1st November.Hes still at home with me and his twin brother who is still sick.