The Importance of School: It matters where you go
🕒 Read time: 6 mins
By Elead Tekie
It matters where you go.
In a room of students approximately 1 in 14 attend an independent school, if this room was now one of Oxford students this statistic now changes to only 1 in 3. The logical question that follows is why are individuals that largely study for the same number of hours as others massively overrepresented in the UK’s most prestigious institutions? Take Westminster school, an independent academy that boasts one of the highest Oxbridge success rates in the country at 42% compared to the nationwide rate of 17%, impressive right? However when I tell you some students pay up to £66,000 per year to be surrounded by Oxbridge graduates from the age of 4, the ‘pipeline’ nature of success starts to make a lot more sense.
The A-level biologists and mathematicians reading this will be aware that the most widely accredited method of measuring intelligence, the IQ (Intelligence quotient), is normally distributed. This means barring some genetic bias, 95% of people are born with very similar levels of ability, leaving your peers and environment as the primary moulders of academic success. This is the very reason why pipelines such as ones at Westminster are so effective.
My message throughout this article is that there is an undeniable difference in your success based on your school experience. The first step to combat this difference is to acknowledge that there is one and soon after things will start to fall into place.This is not a rant about the lack of social mobility in education, but a means to inform you on how to make your formative years in school serve you the best they can. Pursuing an education in of itself is something to be proud of and although it is a human right, many people in the world do not get the opportunity. Anyone can be successful!
What is a grammar school, my experience at a grammar school.
A grammar school is a type of state school which unlike other schools requires an admissions test, most commonly in the form of the 11+ due to the high number of applicants. I myself went to a grammar school and want to provide some insight on what it is like to actually be in such a place.
The first thing that I would like to discuss is that although it is true that grammar schools are more academic, the reasons why this is true are commonly misunderstood. Many people’s first thought is the high standard of teaching in grammar school and I want to stress this is not necessarily true. In the same way students vary in their styles of learning and revision, a teacher’s expertise varies from lesson to lesson, topic to topic and person to person. This is why you may have noticed you prefer certain teachers over others and this is no different in a grammar school. The real magic comes from your peers. I only realised a lot later in my education that the admissions test serves to select those who have the most potential in later education - and when a group of very capable individuals are in close proximity for so long you begin to see a multiplier effect born out of a mixture of friendly competition and helping each other.
Another major aspect of attending a grammar school is the very high expectations everyone has of each other. Although this may be seen as quite exhausting, I am a firm believer of aim for the stars and this is a mindset we are reminded of constantly. This paired with the amazing extra and supercurricular activities made it a great place to hone academic passion ,learn about what you really are interested in and what you want to pursue in the future.
So, do I think it is necessarily worth it? Yes, I think if you have the privilege to attend a place then you should relish in the rich environment and truly do your best to take as much as you can in each day. However as established, it is the academic environment which provides the most value not the facilities or even the teaching in some cases, and even this can be accurately replicated by truly loving to learn.
How can you overcome this difference?
So how can you do this yourself? The first step is finding and establishing a good support network of classmates, teachers and family as these people are the foundation of your success and your safety net when things do not go to plan. From there start small. Start with trying to be mindful in lessons to get the most out of your time with a subject expert. This includes asking questions to clarify your understanding when shaky, as well as noting things down to look over in your free time. The next step is to be inquisitive and curious, by spending time that would otherwise be dedicated to scrolling on social media to read around things you are interested in, and by doing this you are already a mile ahead of those around you. Finally, is putting this into action. This can vary from person to person however it usually takes the form of displaying your hard work in a way you are comfortable with. For some it may be doing well in exams, others in essay competitions and olympiads and even for others it could be sharing your knowledge through public speaking - it is really up to you! Do not be discouraged if fostering this environment takes a while, most things do when it comes to your learning and it is the formation of a habit by continued effort that is most important.
As humans we have a natural tendency to want to be the best, however the most growth does not come from being the best - it comes from trying to be the best. In the International Journal of Education, Bayar and Karaduman’s study on school culture and academic attainment uncovers that the will and motivation to study most often come from a desire of being ‘ahead’ with a student saying the following: “Because there are hardworking students in our school and I always have to be ahead of those who are at my level. This motivates me to study.” By exploiting this very common feeling you enable amazing growth - just through a little friendly competition.
I must say I have been overly pessimistic in this article, regurgitating statistics on why you are less likely to succeed compared to the monopoly that is private education. However provided with an amazing work ethic and expert advice from us, bridging that gap begins to seem a lot more doable. As someone who has seen the range of success from tutoring with many different types of people, one thing in common with all students is the desire to improve and be the best they can. Although going to a grammar or private school may give you a headstart in the race of education, life is a marathon where those who invest time and pace themselves are the true winners.
References:
Admissions | Westminster Under School, n.d. Admissions – Westminster Under School. [online] Available at: https://www.westminsterunder.org.uk/admissions [Accessed 3 November 2025].
Bayar, A. and Karaduman, H.A., 2021. The effects of school culture on students’ academic achievements. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 9(3), pp.99–109.
Elitism in Britain, 2019. Elitism in Britain 2019. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/elitism-in-britain-2019 [Accessed 3 November 2025].
Keystone Tutors, n.d. Oxbridge: Which schools get the most offers? [online] Available at: https://www.keystonetutors.com [Accessed 3 November 2025].
Oxford University, n.d. School type – University of Oxford. [online] Available at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate [Accessed 3 November 2025].
UniAdmissions, 2024. Oxford University Acceptance Rate 2024. [online] Available at: https://www.uniadmissions.co.uk [Accessed 3 November 2025].
Westminster School, n.d. School fees – Westminster School. [online] Available at: https://www.westminster.org.uk/fees [Accessed 3 November 2025].
Elead is a dedicated Maths and Science tutor currently on a gap year with an offer to study Medicine. As a Tutor and Content Writer for Learn Science Together, he combines his strong STEM background with a passion for helping students succeed. Having achieved A* grades in Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics at A Level, Elead crafts engaging articles designed to spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire ambition in young students exploring science and mathematics.
