The new Norwegian government has always had an eternal wish to strengthen the position of private schools in Norwegian society. Independent schools are already common in England and generally perform better than the country's state schools. Yet many British parents still prefer public schools, and many people in Norway are also skeptical of private schools. Why are many people negative about these autonomous schools? In this article, I will look at the pros and cons of private schools. This should be done by looking at the differences between private and public schools, the reasons why parents prefer public schools, bullying in different schools, and how different students perform later in society. Both public and private schools have been in operation for a very long time. Nonetheless, it was the Church that founded private schools in the beginning, and everyone who attended these schools at the time was considered lucky and wealthy. Today, all children aged 5 to 16 in England are entitled to a free education in a state school (i.e. government-run educational centers funded by national taxes and empowered to educate students according to the national curriculum). . (Gov.uk, 2013) Additionally, independent or private schools are also common. These schools are funded by admission fees, tuition fees, etc., and are free to teach children what they want and how they want. The latter are also known to expect higher qualifications from their teachers and staff, not to mention the students themselves. Selecting students through entrance exams results in fewer students, smaller classes, and better paper quality. school-even-if-they-didn't-have-to-pay-fees-8786179.htmlHenry, 2013: “Children are bullied because of their wealthy background, study finds.” Retrieved November 25, 2013 from the Internet http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/9843997/Children-bullied-because-of-their-wealthy-backgrounds-study-finds.htmlWeir, 2008: “I just want it best for my children” Located on November 25, 2013 on the Internet: http://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/sep/03/publicschools.schoolsHope, 2013: ““Really shocking” that the educated and affluent middle class of Private schools continue to rule Britain, says Sir John Major.” Retrieved November 28, 2013 from the Internet: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/10439303/Truly-shocking-that-the-private-school-educated-and-affluent-middle-class- still -run-Britain-dit-Sir-John-Major.html