private schools

Private school pupils get extra time in exams…

Karl Thompson / February 13, 2025

The allocation of extra exam time for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) reveals significant disparities between state and private schools in England. While only 27% of state pupils receive diagnoses for additional time, 43% of private pupils benefit from affluent parental support, perpetuating inequalities and raising ethical concerns about the education system’s fairness.

A-levels, education

Why has the Achievement Gap Between Private and State Schools Increased?

Karl Thompson / August 12, 2021

Possible explanations include less disruption to schooling, more parental pressure and higher prior attainment

Arguments for and against private schools

Karl Thompson / January 3, 2020

An exploration of the key facts on private or independent schools and some of the arguments and evidence for or against their existence.

A-levels, education

Oxford and Cambridge still seem to be biased towards the middle classes

Karl Thompson / December 17, 2018

Eight leading private schools send more pupils to Oxford and Cambridge than three-quarters of all state secondary schools. These eight