A study conducted by the University of York in 2020 concluded that attending a private school is of little benefit and actually has a negative impact on some aspects of development, with students more likely to experience bullying than those attending state schools.
Surprising? In a way, because many parents who send their children to such schools believe they are doing so to improve their life chances and future opportunities. They may also believe that their children are less likely to come to harm, imagining them to be surrounded by delightful dears, with impeccable manners.
I suppose benefit is all relative: most of my privately-educated peers went into professional careers, and in turn sent their own children to private school. But then, many of the most successful people I know were raised in an environment of huge social disadvantage. Amongst them, those who attended what were said to be the worst-performing schools in the country.
What was the difference in their case? Could it be the attitude and ambition of their parents with regard to education, many of them first-generation families making new lives here? As Professor von Stumm of the York study concludes, “Our study suggests we have unrealistic expectations of the virtues of a private education, when in reality many of its benefits result from the legacy of a privileged family background.”
This mirrors my own view, to a degree, wherein it is really your personality and attitude that has more influence on outcomes than where you studied. Unless, of course, you want to be prime minister, in which case it seems to make all the difference.
Last modified: 22 May 2023
