Just six per cent of children go to private school in Britain, but they still go on to have most of the powerful and influential roles in British society. The Sutton Trust finds that those in the most important positions in industries ranging from politics to business to media are five times as likely to have attended a fee-paying school than the general population. They tend to earn more and work in higher-paid sectors.
But private school students are not inherently more academic than state school students. In 2018, Robert Plomin, a research professor in behavioural genetics at King’s College London, found that, when you simply looked at natural ability, a privately educated child’s GCSE results would be little different from their peers at a comprehensive. There are also plenty of average private schools which have nothing on an outstanding state school, and the reverse is also true.
Yet, what certainly remains the case is that a private education tends to give kids social capital, resources, networks – and a certain kind of confidence. If you’re one of the vast majority of parents whose child is at a state school, how can you (cheaply) give your child some of that pricey private school edge? What tricks can you steal? How, in a time of oversubscribed higher education courses and an intensely competitive job market, can you help your child stand out?
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
4 min read
A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
2 min read
It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
2 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
5 min read
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
How to age well
without pain
Will Harlow, a physiotherapist
for the over-50s and author of Independence for Life, shares
the key signs you’re ageing
badly – and what to do about it.
How to know
Ageing well is maintaining the ability to do what you want you want for as long as you want without needing help. Everyone is talking about longevity but what’s the point in living longer if the last decade is painful and you’re [totally] reliant on people?”
The signs to look out for
- The most obvious early warning sign of bad ageing is pain says Harlow.
- Another is losing confidence in doing daily tasks, which can quickly lead to a lack of independence.
- One call Harlow often receives is people calling after having a fall and struggling to get up.
4 min read
How to age without pain
Not just stopping
When people retire, they often put their feet up and stop. Your body really is use it or lose it.
Throughout our entire lives, Harlow says we need between seven and nine hours of sleep.
Social isolation
The lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death by
as much as 29 per cent.
Strength training
It really is the proxy for
overall independence.
The more muscle mass you have, the less chance of heart disease, diabetes, falls and even anxiety, depression and dementia.
The brain can be linked to muscle mass too, Harlow says. It’s not just about being able to lift things. It gives you more energy, better sleep and you’ll look and feel better.
How to age without pain
Daily habits
Do short bursts of exercise, between 30 and 60 seconds, in otherwise dead time during the day.
Stretch in bed
Take joints through a full range of motion for five minutes to loosen it before getting up.
Don’t crash diet
How to age without pain
Harlow advises 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight to stop muscle loss alongside resistance training.
Don’t wait
Harlow finds that many patients put off making a change to their lifestyle until their lives are consumed by pain.
For most people, it’s about reducing the number of times per week you’re exercising, not reducing intensity.
The three ageing tests to do
- Lie completely flat on the floor and get back up to a standing position using any technique. This should take less than 10 seconds.
See how many times you can sit on the chair and stand back up again in 30 seconds. Men should be aiming for more than 14 times and women 12.
The single-leg stand, which involves standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds. Everyone should be able to do that and for those under 65, Harlow asks them to do it with their eyes closed.
Despite the job market hiring fewer entry-level roles, employers are still looking for grads…
But you should be prepared to keep an open mind.
We’ve compiled the sectors hiring graduate roles, what degree is required, and what they pay.
The degrees to choose for a career
Hiring in the UK could
finally be on the up
47%
of employers offered entry-level
positions from July.
That is up nearly 15 per cent from the same period last year.
700,000
But graduate unemployment rose to six per cent in 2025 and 700,000 jobless graduates were claiming benefits.
Finance and insurance
- Around 42 per cent of UK finance and insurance employers say they will be open to graduate roles this summer.
- Business loan company Portman Finance Group has taken on 50 graduates over the past four years.
Portman graduates start on £36,000 for the two-year programme and the education you need to apply is a minimum “ABB” of A-levels, and a 2:1 or above university degree. But not in a specific subject.
Trade and logistics
What makes it particularly rewarding is that there’s always something to learn.
Nearly half (47 per cent) of trade and logistics companies will be giving graduates a go this year.
Salaries start at £30,000 with an uncapped bonus, rising to £50,000 plus a company car as a senior account partner.
Technology and IT
More than half (52 per cent) of UK tech and IT firms are actively looking for graduates.
Successful entry-level candidates can earn a basic salary of up to £35,000, with the opportunity to triple that within their first three years of working.
4 min read
Public sector, health
and social services
46 per cent of public sector, health and social services organisations are also ready to take graduates, according to a survey by Manpower.
- For example, Police Now runs a graduate programme into policing. They recruit graduates from any degree field, as long as they achieve a 2:2 or above. Starting salaries range from £31,164 to £42,210 depending on location and rising each year.
Can we treat guests without blowing our budget?
According to Waitrose, a dinner party revival is underway led by younger people trying to reduce the cost of getting together.
Always have bread
People will feast on the
ELLA RISBRIDGER, AUTHOR OF THE KITCHEN BOOK – GOOD FOOD FOR EVERY DAY
bread, and then need less fish/steak/expensive whatever. All small plates restaurants know this: this is why the first thing on the menu is always artisan bread and butter.
Use vegetables as centrepieces
Add pantry items
Graham’s recipes include a braised cabbage with a preserved lemon sauce, a roast cauliflower with saffron, and harrisa roast carrots with mango labneh.
How to host on a budget
Improve the everyday
Guests will always appreciate a stellar interpretation of the ordinary. Think lasagna or curry.
Cooking dinner for your guests is spoiling them – you’re being generous with your time, your effort, and your home. So don’t feel the need to go overboard elsewhere.
Ask for help
Ask friends to bring a contribution, be it a nibble or a pudding.
Big platter energy
[Presentation] can be the key to elevating something . Spaghetti and tomato sauce suddenly looks like a feast when tumbled on a lovely big plate, dressed with olive oil and parmesan and placed in the middle of the table.
Food writer and editor Eleanor Steafel
How to host on a budget
Taco party
Have one expensive filling, like shredded chicken, and two cheaper options, like refried beans, says Ella Risbridger.
Shop-bought ice cream is so easily zhuzhed up with the help of handy toppings, says Eleanor Steafel.
Talk to your children – and then talk some more
Don’t underestimate the power of communication, says Sarah Skelton, co-founder of Flourish, a recruitment and training company. She is state-school educated, while her child is at a private school. “My daughter’s only 13,” she says, “I do not remember being as eloquent and as confident as she is, and that is not my parenting. That is definitely down to her school, where there’s a lot of public speaking, and attention paid to how you articulate yourself. The kids are composed and confident. As a recruiter, I’m always impressed by good communication; it’s a key skill.”
Amy Gaunt is Director of Education at Voice 21, a national oracy charity. “It’s not about speaking the Queen’s English, or having a particular accent, or saying everything perfectly,” she says, “it’s about encouraging your children to engage with others through speaking, listening and communication.
“We want children to be agile communicators, so they know how to communicate in the context of a job interview, or speak in front of an audience, or defend ideas in the playground. The more we expose children to different ways of speaking, we give them the confidence to engage with people in different situations.”
Literacy and communication skills are vitally important in the workplace, with higher levels of
essential skills such as speaking, listening, leadership and teamwork being associated with
higher incomes and reducing the probability of being out of work. According to The National Literacy Trust, such skills are highly valued by employers, and in 2022, Teach First found that broad “soft skills” such as communication and presenting, as well as literacy and numeracy skills, were among the top
factors considered by employers when recruiting young people.
Whether it’s chatting about the news, or simply what’s been going on during the day, all conversation is helpful and important. Gaunt suggests talking to your child’s school if you want more support with this. At home, you can try role-playing different situations, like a job interview, and also ask them open-ended questions at home, like “What was the best part of your day?”
Experts also suggest playing games such as Articulate, or writing preposterous or controversial ideas onto bits of paper and putting them in a hat or colander, such as “schools should open at night instead of the day”, and then let that spark a fun, lively conversation. Gaunt adds: “You might also reflect at home with them on different kinds of conversation and tones you’ve heard while out and about, and in ordinary daily life.”
Get them learning a language – it doesn’t matter which one
Hashi Mohamed came to the UK aged nine, as an unaccompanied child refugee. He went to a struggling comprehensive in North-West London, and is now a top barrister and author of People Like Us: What it Takes to Make it in Modern Britain. “Languages are crucial,” he says, “and if you can find a way of ensuring that your child speaks at least two other languages, I can’t tell you how profoundly powerful that is for that child. Their empathy, their sense of self, their ability to have new experiences, languages make such a massive difference.”
Mohamed speaks English, Somali and French. While 69 per cent of Year 11 pupils at the most prosperous state schools are studying a language for GCSE, just 47 per cent of those at the least affluent are. In general, the popularity and provision of GCSE languages is dipping, and German remains the hardest-hit language despite being the most sought-after language by employers.
“If you think you’re going to help them stand out in today’s world by hot-housing them to pass exams, and do extra tuition, then you’re mistaken,” says Mohamed. “That stuff is all baseline. Languages are extra – and once your kid has access to multiple languages, they can have more experiences and a better sense of self.” Research shows that getting to grips with different linguistic frameworks helps build cognitive flexibility, empathy and self-esteem.
Think about who you know – do some networking for your kids
“If you’re in private secondary school,” says Skelton, “there’ll be parents there who have jobs that warrant private school fees, and pupils have access to people in careers that you might not necessarily get in the state system – then, that gives you a network.” So, it’s worth trying to recreate that as much as possible by thinking about the people in your life, and who might give your child some helpful, up-to-date advice.
“A week ago, I was back in my hometown up North,” says Sarah, “and I caught up with a school friend, whose 18-year-old has just done T-Levels [technical qualifications equivalent to A-Levels], and she asked me to give him some advice. Most of what I said hadn’t occurred to him, because you don’t know what you don’t know, and if you’ve not had guidance, how on earth is someone coming out of state education, especially in more rural parts, going to know what opportunities exist, and how to get them? It’s just thinking about whether someone you know might know someone else, who might be in the right professional world to have a chat with your child.”
Sarah’s other advice is that young people who are looking for work, get on LinkedIn. “It’s another way to make your own network,” she says, “and it’s underrated. It’s often used very much as a professional business platform, but people don’t really seem to get on it, they’ve landed the job.”
Tell your child they can do anything – even if you know they can’t
Professor Francis Green, from the UCL Institute of Education, found that private schools tend to teach pupils to believe the world is their oyster. “Compared with state school pupils in Britain,” his research found, “private school pupils are ‘taught to dream big’, according to many education commentators, and seem to do well because of that.”
So, how can you make your child believe that they can do anything? “I’m not going to sit there and tell my kids they can’t be astronauts, or professional footballers,” says Mohamed, “so I tell them, ‘yes, yes, you can’. It’s important to say this to them, especially when they’re young, to give them the confidence, to not fear trying something. Then your job as the parent is to figure out what they’re actually good at, how their mind works. But in the meantime, let them think they can do anything.”
Keep your child optimistic
There is no evidence that private school pupils have better mental health or wellbeing than state school pupils, but all children do better when they’re optimistic. It ensures they have greater motivation and resilience when they apply for higher education, apprenticeships, or jobs. Matthew Burton is the head teacher of Thornhill Community Academy in Wakefield, Yorkshire – the school that also features in Channel 4’s fly-on-the-wall hit . “What I see from kids day in, day out,” he says, “is that they’re often naturally ambitious, funny and kind, and they want the world to be a wonderful place. Switching on the news, seeing constant updates, can be really difficult for them, and what we want is a future where they’re able to thrive and have optimism.”
Burton suggests charging your children’s mobile phones outside of their bedroom, so that there isn’t a temptation to scroll until the early hours. Set mobile-phone-free places in the home, whether that’s meal times on a particular day, or phones going on the hallway table when they arrive home.
Encourage your child to get a part-time job, or some work experience
“When I was at school,” says Skelton, “I was forced to get a job, as that’s just what you did. I worked in a pub in the evenings, and that’s where I learnt to talk to people. The real challenge is that there aren’t so many of those jobs available at the moment to young people. Try and get your teenager into retail or hospitality, because they’re the easiest jobs to learn brilliant transferable skills, whether it’s in a fast-paced environment, dealing with angry customers, talking to people, thinking on your feet, or managing long hours. There is no employer out there that doesn’t want somebody willing to graft and work under pressure. It might not be easy to get, but it can be confidence-building and impressive for future employers.”
Give your children profound experiences – and that doesn’t mean half term in the Maldives
“One of the best things I believe I can do for my kids is to expose them to as many rich experiences as possible,” says Mohamed, “I personally don’t have a particular ideological issue with sending my kids to private school at all, but I don’t think it’s value for money. I don’t think they’re going to learn anything that I couldn’t teach them. I don’t think the teachers are any better than the state school system, and I just think I’d much rather spend all that money on experiences than pay some school fees.
“I’m taking my two young sons on the Caledonian Sleeper in October half term,” he says, “I want to recreate something like that for my kids every couple of months, to try and help them build their confidence. This is the stuff that they’ll use to start a conversation with someone, build up their personalities, open their horizons.
“The experiences don’t have to cost money; I count showing kids an amazing new park as a profound experience too. I believe that by exposing them to as many different people, environments, opportunities and skill sets as possible, the better their chances of success will be.”