Jonathan - please do not apologise, I quite understand what you meant. Yes those Victorian boys' schools were terrible places, but unfortunately English 'public' schools (which for some ancient reason means the really expensive private ones - like Harrow, Eton, Winchester, Stowe, Downside, Marlborough - that sort of place) in particular can still be pretty brutal places (though of course flogging is no longer a thing). Some of the Edinburgh ones model themselves closely on the English schools, others less so. Some began as charitable foundations, started by merchants' guilds and organisations like that - they are generally much better.
Steiner was perfect for my youngest but it would not suit everyone. In almost any other city in the UK the vast majority of the children would go to state (ie government run and funded) schools - Edinburgh is very weird in this way. People send their children to private schools partly because for some it is a family tradition, but also because people are increasingly alarmed by the huge class sizes and dismal funding cuts affecting the state schools. In some, discipline is a huge problem, plus there are very serious shortages of teachers, especially in subjects like Maths and sciences. Arts subjects like music, art and drama - anything that does not form part of the government's core curriculum - are being ditched, so that's another thing people move their children for - private schools tend to have better facilities for all of these things.
Teachers are leaving the state schools in droves as they are overwhelmed by the ever increasing work load, the constant criticism in the press and other media (eg there are now websites on which people can anonymously rate their teachers - you can imagine how that can go...), the paperwork, and the complex social and domestic issues affecting many pupils. My son works in an outdoor adventure centre to which many schools bring groups for a week's stay - he says the only happy-looking teachers are the ones working in the private schools.
I must read that Tina Brown book. London is also a place where eye contact is not encouraged. People are busy, frantic even, and no-one knows anyone else so they are also suspicous. Having said that, my mother has lived there all her life and has numerous friends, and my two daughters, both of whom grew up in Scotland, love living down there.
Anyway, enough about all that and onward with the book!
Rosemary
