The problem with England has always been the class system - it subtly pervades everything.
When I was a kid, growing up in provincial England, in the 50s and 60s, it was all much more blatant than it, perhaps (?), is now. My family was working class - my Dad was a sheet-metalworker in a local factory. This fact determined what sort of school my brothers and I went to and what sort of education we got. When I left school (a Secondary Modern) I decided that I wanted to continue my education and do 'O'levels at the local Technical College. The school careers advisers actually tried to dissuade me from this course ("wouldn't you be happier working in a factory, like your Dad?"). When I got my 'O' levels I, and my fellow students, decided we wanted to do 'A' levels - again the response was discouraging (" I get fed up with you working class kids getting a few 'O' levels and getting big ideas about going to University!").
Nowadays the situation is reversed. My local council seems to have it in for 'middle class' people, like me! My relatively well off suburb has to have as much development as possible crammed into it, whilst 'working class' districts go to wrack and ruin. Basically, those in power in this country can't help discriminating against people. It's not all fun being English!