Full disclosure: having started my teaching career in two challenging state schools, I now work in a private day school. I also put both of my now-grown-up daughters through private schools. So, when I claim to be philosophically opposed to private schools, I recognise I am open to the charge of hypocrisy. My answer is that in my ideal world, they would not need to exist and I would choose a vastly improved state system, but it’s not an ideal world. That’s why many Labour MPs find themselves supporting their party’s proposed 20 per cent VAT increase on private school fees, despite having been to one themselves or using one for their own children.

Having taught in state schools, I know all too well that in some, the ratio of actual teaching to behaviour management is depressingly low and the ability of teachers to truly get to know individual pupils is greatly enhanced by 20-pupil strong classes rather than 30 plus. However, until middle-class parents suck it up we will be stuck in a stasis,........

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