A leading independent school headmaster claims that independent schools are unfairly “demonised.”
In an article in the Telegraph on Saturday 17th November, Dr. Christopher Ray, Chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC), an association of mostly British, but also a number of international independent schools, argued that HMC schools “are the envy of the educational world, even though we are demonised by some at home.”
In a piece that covered some of the most high profile contemporary educational debates, Dr. Ray, who is also High Master of Manchester Grammar School, claimed that demand for independent schools is so intense as, under Tony Blair, state education had become “an abject mess, mess, mess.” As a result of independent schools’ “success”, including the fact that, “one in five of those attending Britain’s top 10 universities come from Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference (HMC) schools”, it is unsurprising, he argued, that 57% of parents “would send their children to an independent school if they had the financial means to do so.”
Some privately educated students do not agree with Dr Ray on the issue of independent schools being “demonised”. One student, who studied at Manchester Grammar School, claimed, “I wouldn’t say independent schools were demonised at all. But perhaps this is the perception people have, given that the media is fixated on discussing the ratio of people who get in the best of the Russell Group unis.” He continued, “Less attention is paid to the excellent state schools, with more emphasis placed on the underperforming ones.”
Dr. Ray argued that one of the reasons HMC schools do not deserve their current image is due to the “excellent links” they have to state schools and the “opportunities they provide” for those from lesser financial backgrounds. One former Eton student supported such a view, saying, “The system isn’t perfect but most [independent] schools recognise this; providing outreach programs and bursaries to alleviate the image of privilege. As long as they exist they will be classed as agents to the detriment of social mobility, but through bursaries (Eton has about 50% people on them) prospective pupils can be presented opportunities academies would be hard pressed to match.”
An Oxford University spokesperson claimed, “Oxford University does not take the type or category of school that an applicant went to into account, whether state, independent or academy. Selection is based purely on academic ability and potential.”
However, the spokesperson added that Oxford does take contextual information into account in inviting ‘extra’ students to interview. They contined, “A ‘flagging’ system flags things like low school performance, deprived postcode, or being in care. If someone is flagged in several areas they will be invited to interview to allow them the extra opportunity to show their potential there (this only affects quite a small number of applicants). The flags play no part in the final decision to make an offer.’
