Keeping children in their place

It won’t surprise many people to learn that the British Olympian selected to carry Team GB’s flag at the opening ceremony tomorrow went to a private school. Triple gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy attended George Watson’s College, a Scottish independent school established in 1741. Annual fees are a fraction under £10,000.

Earlier this month, the Prime Minister complained that a third of the athletes representing Britain at the Games were privately educated and blamed state schools for failing to encourage sporting excellence. As several commentators pointed out, that was a bit rich given that the last Conservative government did little to discourage comprehensives from selling off their playing fields.

In a sense, though, the Prime Minister — and these commentators — are missing the point since the ‘all must win prizes’ philosophy of so many state schools extends far beyond the sports field. It applies to excellence across the board. In too many comprehensives, children are discouraged from trying to stand out in any area.