I know what you mean about the degrees - personally these days I prefer to look at specific topics in depth and just apply knowledge to them.

Interesting what you say about employers..... for a similar reason I'd be reluctant to employ privately educated kids - you don't know if they're intelligent or just hot-housed!

Yes - child safety as an excuse, it's all bullshit of course, we've no idea how much abuse there is or has been, so you can't tell whether it's increasing or decreasing.

Glad your kid got into Bristol, good university that, good alternative town for him as well.

Will come back and upvote the comment once my VP's recharged!