Bath - i think you are taking my comments out of context. i'm saying that a public school encompasses children from all sorts of background, which is real life. i never said i want to deny my children good education. if they can get to a selective school in high school that's fantastic. if they get a place in oxford, that's brilliant. im not going to deny them that, just because i want them to experience real life. that would be stupid. going to oxford is also a very important life experience.
just because i believe in public education, doesnt mean im going to send my children to a crime ridden school with no facilities and non-commital teachers. please dont assume the extreme.
good education is very very important to DH and me. and it is in me to aim to go as far as poss, hence i got my post grad at 33 while working a full time job.
as i said - education isnt academic per se.
i do agree that it's not fair to be forced to go the school that's inyour suburb, instead of having the option to choose.