Potted history of my opinions on the matter here: http://johnny9fingers.livejournal.com/18286.html
Basically, kids from middle-class parents (with books in the house, and a culture of learning) can do well in either system, and get to a good university: but this is nothing to do with the school or schooling. The state schools in general are something like compulsory day-internment (stops the blighters roaming the streets and mugging old ladies) with a bit of education for those who can be bothered. Whereas the private sector (or 'Public Schools' as they are often known) are the providers of the best secondary education in the world. That's what I mean by apartheit.
no subject
http://johnny9fingers.livejournal.com/18286.html
Basically, kids from middle-class parents (with books in the house, and a culture of learning) can do well in either system, and get to a good university: but this is nothing to do with the school or schooling. The state schools in general are something like compulsory day-internment (stops the blighters roaming the streets and mugging old ladies) with a bit of education for those who can be bothered. Whereas the private sector (or 'Public Schools' as they are often known) are the providers of the best secondary education in the world.
That's what I mean by apartheit.