fair play – didn’t read them all but sounds like you have a similar background to myself so interesting to see such polarised viewpoints.

I think that there will always be a private education system – whether it be after school classes for people who want to progress in maths all the way up to full blown private boarding schools.

I have read your earlier posts and was wondering if you had any experience of private schools rather than bigoted views formed from limited experiences?

My preference is nothing to do with the so called “old boy network” as I’ve never seen that being used during my time since leaving school – that is just comical.

The reason I would is personal preference based on experience rather than out dated misconceptions.

Rudeboy – have you ever been to a private school?

Of the state school and the private school I went to I got a much better understanding of the world and mixed with people from all levels of society at the private school.

My state school was full of what I would call white middle class pupils.

which is counter-productive to Human social progression.

Darwin’s theory of evolution – survival of the fittest…

Do you think Lions give Zebra’s a day off so they can be given an equal opportunity to enjoy the day and raise their baby Zebras?

I don’t think it is economically segregated at all. Most parents choose to take advantage of our state system which is providing a high level of education and other prefer to spend their cash on providing a different type of educational experience to their children.

At the end of the day my experiences have shown me that both systems have their merits and I preferably would send my children to private school if I could (not for academic reasons I hasten to add) but I am perfectly happy with the state system as well.

Its down to what you see as being best, I can’t afford it so I’m going to try hard to make sure my kids get the best I can provide so they become well rounded people but that isn’t only going to happen due to the school they go to.

The impression I get from what I hear / see is that I think there is a proportion of parents who expect school to give their kids everything they need but they actually have a key role in providing learning opportunities for their children too.

Aracer – I think we are on similar pages ;)

Aracer – No I don’t think learning based on their ability is wrong in fact I think it is the best way, but as a parent if your child is at the top of their game surely you’d want to see how much further they could go.

If the state system doesn’t cater for it then other alternatives would be considered if you were caring for your kids, which then brings us back to the merits of other options – one of which would be private education (or personally funded education) which would only be paid for if the parents felt their children would benefit.

I was merely trying to point out that we have almost gone full circle from saying everyone one should have the same education to now saying everyone deserves the best to get the most out of their abilities.

I think the whole debate is an interesting one as at the end of the day I’ll do what I feel is best for my kids and the situation I am in rather than being a sheep and following the flock.

Back to the original poster – do what you feel is best, only you know your kids and your situation and what is ultimately best.

TJ – I have to agree – Brighter kids will do well wherever they are, even if they are not academically focused.

When trying to get people doing the same thing such as everyone focused on learning, you need to focus on those who want to rather than trying to bring the few who don’t into line – the idea is that the few will get bored and join ranks while the ones who do will gain rather than lose out if you focus the other way round. Obviously the disruption isnt great but with mixed ability PC classes then it isn’t going to be easy – hats off to teachers – it is a tough job.

The whole streaming thing makes me laugh after all this debate – so now we are going to have people learning based on their ability… so when a parent thinks their child has been hard done by and complains to the school that they should go up a class – what then???

Will they think the child isn’t getting the right education and look for alternatives such as suplementary education or dare I say it even Private education?

Supply and demand. I can’t afford a nice Ti frame or that lovely looking Santa Cruz so I make do with what I have got and dream. Others can afford it and hats off to them. Likewise if parents want to work their ass off to make a better future for their kids and their kids then I understand why – what is wrong with looking at how to benefit future generations of your family rather than just the immediate next generation?

On the whole debate of class society – you have rich, you have poor and all shades of grey in between. You’ll never get away from that unless you move to a socialist state or even full blown communism and we all know how well that works… ;)

The beauty of todays Britain is there are more opportunities to do well for yourself and move up the class ladder if you want to and you look at a lot of people who have made it and are in the public eye – a large proportion of them started with nothing and have made their money through hard work rather than a good education.

Education is a great foundation but to me it isn’t the silver bullet / only solution for children to get on in life and I won’t be disapointed if my children don’t succeed as I know how well I have done in life with minimal qualifications.

I agree on the 1-2-1 – but the point I was trying to make was that it isn’t just down to money – it is about the community and until you get the support of the pupils and their parents – teaching is going to be a tough job and results will not be as good as they could – Its a team effort and everyone needs to push in the right direction but a lot of places people aren’t focused on education and achieving the results.

My other comment was slightly taking the michael as currently the way of dividing them up is to either leave the people who are disruptive in low ability classes and penalise them academically or take the people who want to learn out of states schools and put them in to private schools.

However I agree – you need to find things to stimulate them into learning but its not that easy. I personally was not a great student and only left school with 5 GCSEs at A-C. That was nothing to do with the teachers or the type of school I went to or how much money any of my schools had but my focus on education at the time.

I don’t think private schools exacerbate divisions in society – historically we have had a seriously crazy class society and I think a lot of that will always be ingrained. I don’t agree with it but at the same time it is hard not to see it in society.

I also don’t think that putting more money in state schools will work – as many posters have said there are disruptive influences in schools which stop teachers teaching. What you need is a method of dividing up children into people who want to learn and people who don’t…

grumm – Member

Can TJ also tell how much someone earns or who is gay or who prefers to ride a singlespeed?

Are you suggesting there is some kind of correlation between these things?

I was more trying to think of things that there are sterotypes for but are all irrelevant when you look at the person rather than the label. Does it really matter if someone has been to public school? I know people who have and haven’t and some are good, some are bad – I don’t know what the point was that TJ was trying to get across.

Hadn’t thought of any correlations – but let me think… :lol:

Can TJ also tell how much someone earns or who is gay or who prefers to ride a singlespeed?

He is entitled to do what he sees best for his kids, I moved away from London as I didn’t want to raise my family there, is it any different to sending your kids to private school?

I’m not a snob but I want my kids to grow up into people who have a good perspective on life and a good chance in life to do the same for their kids.

Ap – You’ve hit the nail on its head – many people seem closed minded and unable to understand that stereotypes are not the norm…
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….perhaps the side effect of a State education!!! :wink:

HTTP404 – back to your original question – no you’re not – you are just looking out for your kids as a responsible parent.

I’m gobsmacked, Some people have some bizarre misconceptions obviously based on reading the Daily mail rather than actually having experience of what they are talking about.

Opinions by the looks of things based on meeting the odd person who is obviously from a privileged background and whose parents sent them to private school as it was par for the course – most people I have met like this have been tossers – arrogant **** and make up less than 1% of people who actually have been to private school. I wasn’t from a priviledged background – my step father worked as a building services engineer abroad and as part of the contract the HK government paid for a UK education.

The strange thing is most people who went to a private school (or any school for that matter) don’t shout about what school they went to – unless you only make friends with people from certain schools and ask them on meeting them??

This is like saying because you’ve riden Llandegla all trail centres are shit!!!!!!

Grumm – no they aren’t all good things – but life is about contrasts for me – I like having the good and the bad so I can understand how much I really enjoy myself. If everything was good or bad all the time they would seem normal.

I suppose what I meant about being independant really is a statement of boarding schools not Private schools. I’ve met a lot of mummies boys who were day pupils at private schools and agree.

Ton – I’d say plan a ride at the weekend – something you’d really get excited about and drive to work a couple of days.

Last time I went out it was a real slog and then it snowed again and I know it will be tough going so really just waiting for it to dry out.

Really wish I had some of that new fangled wooden plank business nearby -jealous of those who do and seem to use it everyday – you know who you are!!! ;-)

TJ – that is the thing – we are the sum of our experiences (or thereabouts)

Road rides are happening slightly more these days and I’m really missing some offroad action but getting my kicks from BMX which is just so much easier in loads of ways!!

Boxelder – always but not just to ward off chills!

Haven’t been arsed to read all the posts but wanted to add my two-pence worth.

I spent 3 years at a Comprehensive Boarding School before moving to a Private Boarding school for a further three years.

The two experiences were sooooooooooooo much different and looking back now if I had the money I would send my kids to Private school everytime.

For me it wasn’t who I mixed with – you get people from all walks of life and all personality types at both schools. The academic education was slightly better at the private school due to better facilities and more money invested.

But for me it was the extra activities that were available at the private school which made the biggest difference (Sports especially but not keen on the 6am runs most mornings, but also things like regular talks from people from all walks of life and on all subjects, Being made to join the cadet force, having to go to church every week, various clubs you could get involved in varying from rock climbing, shooting, fly fishing to much more).

Private schools get you involved in so much to make you a much more rounded person which in my experience Comps just don’t have the facilities or time in the timetable to do. For me school and those formative years aren’t just about getting qualifications but about new experiences and learning about the world. Private schools also teach you to be independant and look after yourself, something Comps and living at home just don’t do to the same level.

But at the end of the day if parents have the time and focus they can replicate these experiences just as well, so if this is the case is there any difference between schools?

Jesus Nettles – what have you started while I’ve been away???!!!

This is why the more I think about it the more I think interlinking trails are the way forward.

Imagine a number of trails – take all the trail centre trails in the UK – running down the same hill roughly in parallel and broken into sections, so you can pick and choose which sections you want to ride. (obviously not necessarily cutting across each other at the fast points but at points where speed / chance of collisions is less). So you start on section 26 and at the end of that section you could go onto Sections 15, 32 or 8 for example depending on what you wanted to do and your skill level.

So some days you want something which is gentle and flowing and maybe something for the beginners (or for a hangover), other days something quick, other days something with a bit of northshore or jumps and other days something seriously crazy for the big bikes or you may just want to mix it all up…

It would be awesome – something for everyone and almost endless options for creating the kind of ride you want to do that day… I bet it could be easily done in places like the current trail centres – just need to start putting in some trails running kinda parallel.

Do the Duathlons on the PA initially – If you get into them change the bike and you’ll be miles quicker – if you don’t then nothing wasted.

I’d only change the PA if I wanted to finish up in the top half of the table – otherwise I’d just stick with it – you’ll get fitter and stronger riding a heavier bike and trying to keep up with the whippets on featherlight bikes.

Yeah – the Wanaka map sucks – I was given some advice on trails to look out for but there was so much to explore – wish the FC built or allowed trails to be built in the same way over here…

Fair play to MissGulliver for holding her own against a massive onslaught!!! Hope you’re a regular poster in the future as this place needs livening up!!!

Mike – are you flirting with her??

Smoke – it sounds too perfect to be true – I’m off to bed to dream of the world you live in!!! ;)

Update on this – through the use of a reward chart she is now back to sleeping through the night from 7.30pm until 7.30am…

Thanks for the advice and support – its all good now!!!

http://www.riderotorua.com/maps/ForestMap66Layout2007LOWres.jpg

Here’s Rotorua’s

Interlinking trails would be awesome so you can make up your own using different sections of the trails – endless fun.

The trails out in New Zealand have this in abundance and I could have spent weeks exploring them all and deciding on my favorite route. The places that stick in my mind were Rotorua, Woodhills and Wanaka, the latter was a tiny place but loads of trails packed in. Bit like loads of sections of Cannock all linking up.

Here’s a link to the Woodhills map to give you an idea (Clicky)

Do you guys in Canada have the same issues with people shunning trail centres as they are purpose built??

Gonna have to get my butt to Whistler sometime before I pop my clogs.

Name and shame – come on (just so we can look at her profile pic)!!

Nettles – LOL!!

GG – You are missing my point – people who ride bikes get enjoyment out of riding those bikes irrespective of the sruface – its all about the riding. Now I personally prefer rocky rooty technical riding and skateparks but I know others who prefer scenic XC rides coupled with some road riding – but when we talk about riding we can all share the enjoyment we get from riding on two wheels – irrespective of surface. I know as long as I get out on a bike even if its not on my surface of preference I am happy.

What surface is best is down to personal choice.

The original reason for the post was really to understand how people who enjoy riding off road on similar surfaces to those at purpose built venues don’t enjoy those purpose built venues and what it would take to get those people seeing the purpose built trails in a different light.

Molgrips – exactly – its all riding whether it is man made or not. Surely it can be enjoyed in the same way and I’d like to think that man made stuff can actually be more testing of skill but also can be designed to take in some breathtaking views.

So it really comes down to the thought that it was put there for the purpose of riding rather than horseriding or walking (both the other two “purpose built” types of trails we frequent) which stops people enjoying them

So back to my question – what would make purpose built trails the best trails to ride for those who don’t like purpose built cycling trails?

No I’m not and no need to call me that! Why get personal??

GNATGNAT – Of course I do, but the point I was trying to make is that the surface is immaterial as it is all about riding irrespective of the surface – just get out and have fun.

Everyone has their own level and as long as people are enjoying themselves and maybe even pushing their limits then its all good.

However, I know what you are saying as cornering on a roadbike at speed can be much harder than riding some rocky descents on a full Sus!!!

Nettles – This is the reason for putting the post up – to try to understand the grey area between purpose built and not. Surely there is a point where a purpose built trail can be enjoyed by someone who traditionally does not like riding these so called “fake trails”

Effectively what would make you enjoy a purpose built trail (not necessarily a trail centre)

I’ve never quite understood it but want to, as to me riding a bike is still riding a bike whether on road, hardpark, rock, chalk, roots, wood or metal.

no need to get on your singletrackdailymail high horse

PMSL!!!! :lol:

Thanks guys – got it sorted though.