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Private education became a major issue in British politics during the 1970s and 80s with Labour politicans charging that they hot beds of social devisiveness and provided an unfair advantage to children from affluent families. Many schools were at the same time adversely affected by the economic down turn that Britain experienced in the 1970s. Labor politicans pushed to curtain Government funding, such as the assisted places scheme. Even more affected were the grammar schools which were mostly replaced by or transformed into comprehensives. The situation has improved in recent years. The intensity of the political debate has declined. Ptrivatr education, however, was a potent political issues in the 70s and 80s. Te unfortunate aspect of the political debate, was that effectiveness was not the central issue, it was ideology. And in fact the superior results achieved by the preparatory and other private schools was used to indite the schools in the court of public opinion. The prep school children, of course, were oblivious to the fact that they were at the center of apolitical debate.
Although we all deplore the destructin, by the last overnment of the old Direct Grant Grammar School, with the abolition of assisted places in those schools; for thois to be re-intoduced would now be political dynamite. This could only incite hostility and damage the all too fragilre bridge which has been built between the independent and maintained system. However, there can be few of the old Grammar schools, now turned independent, that find they cannot stand on their own feetor find that there is aack of demand fir their places. On the contrary, the demand is just as highbas it ever was.
Headmaster's Editorial, The Downs School Record, 1979.
