"As with most "systems", there are obviously wide variations in people's experience from place to place"

This is true. The thing which came out of the programme I posted, which I thought would be incredibly interesting to the people who have been participating in this discussion (I'm not referring to the ones who periodically go off on screeching tirades) is that white, working-class boys have been identified as a group in need of special educational attention. The programme highlighted a particular out-of-school programme which has focused on young British black boys, providing them with extra tutition and a place to hang out after school, but which has also reinforced positive cultural role models. I hasten to add that this is not some "PC gone mad" government initiative - it has come from within the communities themselves, and they have found the funding for it. There are also people from within the community who staff it.

The R4 programme suggests that many white, working-class British boys could do with the same sort of project. It explained how white British society can learn from the sort of cultural pride which other communities take for granted. I thought that some of you would find this interesting. For me, this is a positive way of learning lessons from the cultures which have come to reside more recently in Britain.

The thing that worries me about this "English culture is under threat" argument is that it contains within it a resentment, a veiled aggressive subtext of belligerence, a need to reassert authority. The interesting thing about the Radio 4 programme is it demonstrated a more positive way of working together, of recognising the achievements and good practice within one community and saying, "Maybe we can learn from this..." The programme also discusses many of the difficult and tricky aspects of the argument which have been touched on in this and other discussions, which is why I highly recommend listening to it.


With regard to the UK education system, my daughter is currently in her first year of GCSEs and is doing fine. She's a clever girl and just got As on her science mocks, but I don't see any signs that she's headed for breakdown as a result of the academic pressure being placed on her. Her school is quite academically rigourous, and she gets the occasional kick up the arse when she needs it (most kids do from time to time) but she seems to balance her academic achievement with a very healthy social life. I should add that she's at an all-girl's school, which seems to encourage a more focused academic environment.