Balls: ‘Posh’ state schools have it easy

CHILDREN'S Secretary Ed Balls risked fresh accusations of class warfare today when he declared that state schools in "posh areas" had an easier life than more deprived counterparts.

Mr Balls also hit back at a former Whitehall official who claimed that Labour's "inverted
snobbery" had left comprehensives focusing more on fairness than high standards.

Ralph Tabberer, the former director general of schools, said not enough emphasis had been put on "scholarship, genuinely high quality study and its importance".

But Mr Balls unleashed a broadside at Mr Tabberer, who now works for Dubai-based GEMS Education.

Mr Balls said: "The fact is that Ralph, who is a really good guy who I believe worked to raise
standards in our comprehensives for years, has now gone off to work for a chain of private
schools in Dubai.

"I don't know why he's saying what he's saying. I think he's profoundly wrong."

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: "I'm determined to be fair because I know that parents
want their child to do well in school. I don't believe in a view which says excellence can only be for some schools in posh areas. I say every school can do well for every child."

Challenged to name a "posh area", Mr Balls said: "The important thing is to make sure that
every school in every part of the country can do well. If you are in an affluent part of the country, where you start off with higher standards, it's much easier to keep standards rising.

"I want to make sure that in every part of the country in every area we achieve excellence."