Is social mobility dead?

'Is social mobility dead in the UK? We are now ruled by unexceptional people with exceptional education.'  British author Tony Parsons

There is now no social mobility says Parsons.

From 1960 to 1975 we had five Prime Ministers who were from ordinary beginnings and who were educated at state schools - from Harold Wilson to John Major. Parson argues that there is now no way for that to happen now and the gap between the rich and the poor has got wider. 

The argument against the Grammar schools is that they only lift up 20%  - well the Comprehensives lift up zero per cent!  Some argue that Grammar school selection is unfair - well life is tough and life is unfair.That selected group at least had a chance for university education - now it is zero %.

What happens now in schools is that mediocrity is encouraged in preference to excellence.

I know because my three children went through the present day school system recently. No matter how much work for excellence my daughter put in her efforts were consistently ignored while the less able were favoured. The attitude is that the bright children will do well no matter. What message does this send out to the children when high standards are ignored. My daughter is now training as a paediatric doctor, thanks to her own efforts - and yes my chidlren all went to the local state school.  

One thing that does make a big difference is offering good nursery education, and a good grounding in pre-skills BEFORE schooling even starts.  We lived in America for ten years where my older son was educated until he was six and he benefited greatly there from the training given in Kindergarten school.

It is wrong to say that the Grammar school system was inflexible. There was a young boy who lived near me - he was immature at 11 and never made the Grammar school cut off, but he started to perform well at secondary school and after two years he was moved to the Grammar school and he went on to study for a science degree at university.  In Scotland the Grammar schools were known as secondary moderns.

Parson states that the major parties are against social mobility and that we need to put family back at the centre. British author Tony Parsons on This Week BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/This_Week_06_12_2012/

Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author.

Kate and Morning Sickness

I post here mostly about music, art and words but I digress here...

Kate Middleton's Morning Sickness. I've been through it. I found it best to throw up an hour before meals! That way there was some chance of keeping the meals down, oh dear. Also have regular small protein snacks every few hours to keep blood sugar levels as normal as possible - nuts, cheese, tuna, oatcakes, whatever you feel able to eat. Drink water in small amounts regularly too. I remember even smells in the food stores made me feel sick! Especially raw meat.

Also - DON'T TAKE ANY DRUGS for morning sickness. 

Sadly I was given an anti-sickness drug with my second pregnancy and had a very scary drug reaction several days later when my jaw started to freeze up and we had to drive to the emergency at the hospital. This drug allergic reaction caused me to loose the baby at 16 weeks a few weeks later. Drug allergies can be life threatening. My very strong advice is - DON'T take any medicine when you are pregnant.  
I went on a few years later to have my beautiful daughter (not without the heartache of the loss though).  I was sick again this time and sorry to say sickness can last most of the pregnancy, while it was better the last few months - and I took no drugs this time. Who says having a baby is easy! Maybe if men had to carry babies there would be less war and bloodshed I've wondered? I couldn't watch the news when I was pregnant. 

It may well be a girl for Kate - I had two boys and a daughter and was only sick with my daughter. I wish her well. : )  
Ps Also shouldn't be called morning sickness, more like all day sickness. : (

Trip to the Royal Albert Hall

I headed to South Kensington via bus and tube and for a late lunch at the V & A café, where the pianist played under the ornate Victorian rooftops. I’ve seen the Albert hall on tv with the Prom nights and for Adele’s triumphant concert there in 2011, and I never imagined myself going to a concert there. I headed past the white stoned historic museums to Hyde Park as the sun moved lower in the winter sky. I walked around the several entrances to the hall. I am early so I went to the café first -  I can’t quite believe I am here and I wanted to savour the moments and those anticipations... I wondered how emotional the sound check would be for Emeli - she has put in so much work since I first heard her sing in Glasgow in 2007.

It feels very strange to be in such an iconic venue. I entered the hall via the Stage Door entrance for my Pass. Professor Green came in shortly after!  I took in the images on the walls – in particular one memorable image of Frank Sinatra as he waved to his enthralled audience, taken from the stage by photographer David Redfern, I was in awe!.

I will never forget ascending the narrow steps that entered the arena the theatre’s red and gold lights shimmered above us, where there were the shadow outlines of people on the tiered circle galleries as spotlights hovered and I feel I have now entered a realm of fantasy, folklore, mystique and hidden memories. The knowledge that dreams can come true and Sande’s songs of hope.   

Emeli Sande Clyde Auditorium Glasgow 6th November 2012

As her Our Version of Events has gone double platinum and the top selling album of the year in 2012, Emeli (once known as Adele) took to the Auditorium stage as if wrapped in a golden glow from her massive debut year and as if she cant’ quite believe it!  In July she sang the haunting Welsh song Abide With Me at the Olympic ceremonies London which must have been a truly daunting experience for a new singer.. as she walked out to that solo mic.  

Sande has a big smile and golden hairstyle to match her big voice and songs. Exuberant and effortless, Emeli sang of Hope, My kind of Love and Next To Me – her positive feel good messages. Emeli now has a bigger band (with three guitarists, two drummers, and backing vocalists) and started with a very good arrangement of her quality song Daddy. She sang a Nina Simone song of her biggest musical influences, How It feels to be Free

During her set she spoke of her support here in Glasgow and of those who first saw her perform at the Oran Mor, five years ago. And yes I was lucky enough to have been there!  It has been wonderful to follow her success story and to see how she has developed as an artist.  

Her Set – Daddy, Tiger, This is Where I Sleep, Breaking the Law, two new songs, My Kind of Love, Nina Simone’s How It feels to be Free, Read all About It, Wonder, Climb Mountains, Heaven, Next to Me,

Sande says ‘I love the buzz performing in front of a live audience. There really isn’t anything quite like it.’

Emeli has responded to my requests with personal messages and she comes across as genuine. She also has depth of character and integrity which comes over in her music.

Proceeds of the concert went to Nordoff Robbins music therapy.