Pupils from private schools dominate top jobs according to ‘Elitist Britain 2019’ report
Pupils from private schools still dominate top jobs according to the ‘Elitist Britain 2019’ report released by the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Commission. The report analysed the educational background of 5,000 people in what they classed as ‘top jobs’. These jobs covered roles in business, politics, the media, and sectors such as law, journalism and medicine.
Following its findings, the report makes a number of recommendations regarding policy across society and in the workplace, as well as three recommendations for education.
The report suggests that ‘high quality teaching is the most important factor for the attainment of disadvantaged young people, providing them with the basis for success later in life. And that ‘a more even spread of students from different social backgrounds across the system could help to tackle inequalities in access to quality teaching.’
While at Schools North East we strongly support the claim that high quality teaching is the most important factor in improving the attainment and opportunities of disadvantaged children, it must be stressed that high quality teaching is not only accessible from private schools.
The report concedes that attending a private school is both related to socio-economic advantage in the first instance and that it ‘can have a substantial impact on where they end up in life’, as it offers increased resources, facilities, and extra-curricular opportunities, as well as increased progression guidance and opportunities. However, there is little evidence to support claims that the quality of teaching is better in private schools, especially in regard to the most disadvantaged students. North East schools have a disproportionate number of long-term, ‘high impact’, disadvantaged students compared to the national state school average, let alone the private sector.
At Schools North East we are championing high quality teaching and the best in educational practice in all schools, through our new Ednorth Programme, which aims to establish a culture of evidence-based practice in all classrooms.