Multicultural Britain becoming more segregated - friendship study Schooling also proved a major factor in determining people's friendship circles. Even though only around seven per cent of children are privately educated the survey found that most people who went to independent schools mainly socialise with others who also did. Six out of 10 of those polled who said that they went to independent schools admitted that the majority of their friends did so too. Meanwhile 99 per cent of those who attended a state schools said that their friendship circles came from the same educational background. Craig Morley, chief executive of The Challenge Network, said: "As UK communities become increasingly diverse, there is a very real danger they actually become more segregated. We need policies that actively promote integration, rather than foster segregation and ultimately lead to greater social isolation. We rightly celebrate the rich mix of people and culture in this country, but when you dig a little deeper you find that vast numbers are living parallel lives and interacting only with people very similar to themselves.