A Revolution Betrayed

There are few subjects these days that cause parents more stress than their children’s education. In his new book, Peter Hitchens describes the misjudgements made by politicians over the years that have led to the increase of class distinction and privilege in our education system. This is of course the opposite of what was intended, especially by former Minister of Education Shirley Williams and Margaret Thatcher, her successor in that role, who closed down many more Grammar Schools than Williams. Given that the cost of private secondary education is now in the region of £50,000 a year and the best comprehensive schools are now oversubscribed, parents are spending thousands on private tutoring and fee-paying prep schools in order to get their children into these academically excellent schools. Meanwhile hypocritical Labour politicians like Diane Abbott send their children to expensive private day schools. Hitchens argues that in trying to bring about an educational system which is egalitarian, the politicians have in fact created the exact opposite. And what’s more, it is a system riddled with anomalies - Sixth Form Colleges select pupils on ability at the age of 15, which rules out any child who does not have major educational backing from home and academies also are selective, though they pretend not to be. This is an in-depth look at the British education system and what will happen if things don’t change radically.