16th October 2013 9:00
By Blue Tutors
A private schools’ association have said that parents are being made to feel that paying for private education is morally unacceptable. HMC Tim Hans said that there are double standards when it comes to schooling, where families feel it is fine to pay for a house near a good school, but are not willing to pay school fees. He also said that parents had no problem spending money on cars and holidays, but education was somehow off-limits. The comments have sparked a debate about what methods are acceptable for parents trying to improve their children’s education.
Is it ok to buy a house in an expensive catchment area to ensure that your child goes to a good state school but not to pay for private school? What about hiring a private tutor? Many parents compromise by sending their children to state schools but paying for private tutors as a way to top up their child’s education. Some pay up to £70 an hour for tuition, which is well out of the reach of many parents who can’t afford private help. Whether there is less of a moral issue here than forking out for full time private education is not really the point.
The fact is that whether it is buying a more expensive house, paying for a private tutor, or paying for private school, access to education in this country is not equal. The private schools’ association have been trying to clean up their image by increasing the number of bursaries available, and offering means-tested fees for those who perform well in entrance exams. Similarly, tutors would do well to offer a sliding scale of fees based on their client’s income, and also consider signing up for voluntary tuition with one of the many charities who help organise this. Although none of this helps solve the overall problem of unequal access to education, it will help ensure that more students benefit from an excellent education.