Support surges for private schools

By David Turner

Friday, June 06, 2008

The number of parents who say they would send their children to private school if they could afford to has jumped to its highest ever. The record figure underlines the strong reputation of Britain's private schools – but perhaps even more so, families' fears about the quality of state education. Some 57 per cent of parents would educate their child privately if they had the means, according to a survey by pollsters Ipsos Mori for the Independent Schools Council.

The most common reason was “better standards” at private schools, cited by 66 per cent of parents.

The figures include the 7 per cent of parents who already send children to private school. The survey suggests that about half of all parents who do not already use independent schools would like to do so, and that entrepreneurs who work out how to provide low-cost private education could be tapping into a goldmine.

The detailed numbers also include some embarrassing statistics on the attitude of Labour voters in England. No fewer than 54 per cent would use a private school if they could. Two-thirds in the south of England are keen on private schools, suggesting a clear southern discomfort with Labour's education policies. But only a third of parents in Scotland, which has a devolved education system, would pick the private option.

The most likely group to favour private schools were Britain's skilled working classes, swing voters whose ballot choices, often decided on bread-and-butter issues such as education, are vital in general elections.

The ISC's 2004 census found only 48 per cent of parents would go private.

英国私立学校备受青睐

英国《金融时报》戴维•特纳(David Turner)报道

2008年6月6日 星期五

表示如果负担得起就会把子女送入私立学校的家长数量已升至有史以来的最高水平。 这一创纪录的数字突显出英国私立学校的强大声誉——但或许更多的是反映出英国家庭对公立学校质量的担忧。 调查机构Ipsos Mori为私立学校委员会(Independent Schools Council)进行的一份调查发现，约有57%的家长表示，如果负担得起就会让子女就读于私立学校。

最为普遍的原因是私立学校“质量较高”，有66%的家长提到了这一点。

该数据包括7%已经把子女送入私立学校的家长。调查显示，在尚未把子女送入私立学校的家长中，约半数愿意这样做，而那些找到如何提供低成本私人教育办法的企业家，可能会赚到大钱。

具 体数字还包括一些有关英格兰工党选民态度令人尴尬的数据。不低于54%的英格兰家长表示，如果有能力就会把子女送入私立学校。在英格兰南部，三分之二的家 长青睐私立学校，这表明英国南部地区明显对工党教育政策不满。但在教育体系较为落后的苏格兰，只有三分之一的家长选择私立学校。

最有可能青睐私立学校的人群是英国高技能工人阶级，他们属于大选中摇摆不定的选民，投票通常取决于教育等基本问题。

私立学校委员会2004年的调查发现，只有48%的家长愿意选择私立学校。

译者/梁艳裳

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