Britain’s private schools have always been the exclusive chattels of the rich and privileged. They are now being called upon by Minister Nadhim Zahawi to offer their resources to help children in care or at risk.
Minister Zahawi is hopeful that this ambitious program will raise the inclinations of the vulnerable kids to do better. Five hundred thousand pounds invested in this program should increase access to private schools.
A significant portion of Britain’s private schools is registered as charities, which allows them to get various monetary benefits from the government. The time has now come for them to actually do charitable actions that will help people who are not wealthy.
Success stories from Norfolk
This project is based on a ten-year study conducted in partnership with Norfolk County Council. In this study, fifty-two children who were either “at risk or in care” were sent to private boarding schools.
- Sixty-three percent came off the risk category
- Seventy-one percent were shown to be of reduced risk
- Compared to the other children at care, these kids achieved “grade A* to C for Maths and English GCSE.”
In the past, similar initiatives have failed. One of the key reasons was the unwillingness of local authorities to recommend children who are suited for the program.
This failure is addressed by the ten teams being set up by the government who will assist local authorities in selecting students in care who will benefit from the initiative.
Britain’s private schools have come under criticism for the exclusivity they maintain. The children from these schools get tutored by the best and have access to a wide variety of extracurricular activities. This grooming gives them an edge while applying for higher studies.
Compared to other developed nations, Britain’s private schools are significantly more expensive than their counterparts in the public domain.
