What is need these days?

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, but that's still CH related.

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Ian Stannard
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Post by Ian Stannard »

Graham is right in his assesment of the current process. An 80% student in greater need will be given priority over a 98% less needy student. That still, of course, leaves the tricky decision as to what constitutes greater need. Housing, parental death, parental divorce (perhaps less of an issue now given that so many students will experience this need in the 21st Century) or any other need you can think about. I can think of pupils who are very able, whose parents are wealthy but have another child with major pysical or mental disabilities. This may constitute a greater need than the child in a stable, single parent environment?

I am not keen on a strict income criteria myself as children in need include those whose parents are earning over £30K a year. They may really benefit from a education away from home, for a variey of reasons, but on anything less than £60K it is impossible to consider boarding.

Another criteria could be educational need - ie the outstanding pianist who lives in a rural area and would really benefit from the outstanding musical opportunities on offer here. The parents may not be traditionally needy, but the child may still have a rightful claim on a place.
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J.R.
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Post by J.R. »

So it IS true what was said about Communism ????

"ALL people are equal, but some people are a bit more equal than the others !!"
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DON'T BOTHER READING THIS UNLESS YOU CARE ABOUT THE WORLD

Post by Hendrik »

J.R. wrote:So it IS true what was said about Communism ????

"ALL people are equal, but some people are a bit more equal than the others !!"
J.R. - you have broken one of the golden rules of the forum; don't bring up politics in my presence! Red. Flag. Bull.

Orwell was commenting on Stalinism not communism. communism has never existed in reality (except possibly contemporary Keralla, where i believe it's doing quite well). this is what orwell was trying to show, but people just take it to mean that the left should be demonised for some reason ("down with this sort of thing! how dare you spread the word of peace, love and equality!")
Stalin was as communist as 'christian democrats' are 'christian' in their actions (or 'democratic' for that matter).

:arrow: re the school and 'socialist egalitarianism'. yes, egalitarians do not agree with the creation of an elite. however, CH is merely redressing the balance for poor, bright children who are not realising their potential. so long as the status quo is capitalism (lets be honest, it will be for quite some time), i fail to see how CH is doing any harm to society!

:arrow: all the more reason why 'needy' must include financial defecit. contrary to the belief that some people seem to hold, there are enough poor and bright children in the UK to fill CH several times over. so, i fail to see why the original concepts of 'needy' no longer apply!

i would agree that somewhere someone should also make provisions for less bright but also needy children. but that is the point where the right-wingers jump up and down about 'meritocracy' like it's some kind of excuse to treat people unequally. so, meritocrats, where do you draw the line? gassing disabled people?
[easy now, just food for thought. not suggesting any of you would]
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J.R.
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Re: DON'T BOTHER READING THIS UNLESS YOU CARE ABOUT THE WORL

Post by J.R. »

Hendrik wrote:
J.R. wrote:So it IS true what was said about Communism ????

"ALL people are equal, but some people are a bit more equal than the others !!"
J.R. - you have broken one of the golden rules of the forum; don't bring up politics in my presence! Red. Flag. Bull.
So I take it Sex and Religion is out of the equation as well, then ?

The term "Tongue in Cheek" springs to mind !
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I need valium

Post by Hendrik »

J.R. wrote: So I take it Sex and Religion is out of the equation as well, then ?

The term "Tongue in Cheek" springs to mind !
sorry. i didn't mean to come across as that serious!
"you have broken one of the golden rules of the forum; don't bring up politics in my presence!" - The term "Tongue in Cheek" springs to mind!

the only equation i can see 'sex' and 'religion' in, would have to be something like... religion = 1 / sex :wink:

really though, i have a serious disability. wherever i see misinformation, a rant is bound to follow...
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J.R.
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Post by J.R. »

Fine by me !

At my age, I like to still be able to provoke something :!:
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Happy
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Post by Happy »

Can I just say that this discussion has narrowed its focus down to money and parent 'status'. I know that with a good accountant, the income bar can be circumvented.

Perhaps CH should find a more accurate way of looking at the child itself as an individual in a non-academic sense without external reference. I am not sure how and would be delighted to hear suggestions.

As an aside, I went to a meeting with my daughter's Head Of Studies recently to discuss senior school choices. When I raised CH with him, he looked shocked and said "Why would I want to send her to school with 'damaged' children?".

Is that what 'need' has come to mean? I was appalled.

I also know that a former CH Head is looking to send his grandson(currently at an expensive prep school) to CH in a couple of years. Is that 'need' or just an easy access to CH education? Whilst I am happy that non-foundationer children attend the school for practical reasons, I do think that money or former position should not be confused with need, either of a family or the individual child.

If this means more work for the admissions team, so be it. This should have been going on already. As a suggestion, perhaps the interview process should be carefully reviewed. I don't think 15 minutes with a complete stranger reveals much about the child who comes to CH in awe of the size of the place, the exams and the other entrants, who as I recall, delight in reeling off the other schools they are sitting for. If a child is applying to other public schools, the principle would seem to have been erroded before assessment commences.

I think 'need' has got to be re-apprised and remain central, even to the initial application process. I don't know how the application form looks, but I feel there should be a section about where the child will go if a place cannot be offered. My father told me that when he was a child, CH would pluck pupils from those already at the local grammar school. I presume entry ages for both schools were a little different then. It was like winning the lottery for the child concerned and many aspired to a place, the only alternative was remaining at the grammar. Perhaps CH should be looking to take this approach and not retain their place on what appears to be, certainly at 11 yrs old, an 'application circuit' ?

Sorry - I rambled on a bit.
helen
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Post by helen »

promo limerick thread!


The thread re 'the needy" 's confused
About how pupils can be refused
When some who have clout
Or can lay the cash out
Can all regular rules be excused.
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Post by Hendrik »

Happy wrote:If a child is applying to other public schools, the principle would seem to have been erroded before assessment commences
i got scolarships to three schools (CH being the only non-toff one), a concept called an 'assisted place'. if you are very poor but would benefit from not going to an upper school, you sit the exam, and if you're brighter than the average toff sitting next to you, you get a bursary.

so no.
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Great Plum
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Post by Great Plum »

The assisted place scheme has been cancelled by the wonderful government...
Maine B - 1992-95 Maine A 1995-99
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Laura M
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Post by Laura M »

Is that because they want everyone to go to those oh so wonderful City Academies??
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