Desperate. Possible place in the UF...?

[Happy]

Can this happen? I've just read the heart-breaking accounts of admission trauma for second form by their parents and I'm not holding my breath.

My dd is in the UF at her current boarding school and is miserable to the point of affecting her health so I have to act accordingly.

I'm obviously deeply scared at this point because moving her at this stage in her education is extremely ill-advised and I have to be 150% sure about the school she moves TO. CH is my obvious choice as its the only place I really know from personal experience. I feel like I'm running home to mumma and I'm not proud, infact, I feel so ashamed in some ways.

In view of the fact that CH now takes day pupils, I'd leave London for Horsham if it was possible.
I've mailed the Admission Dept so please keep your fingers crossed for us. Thanks.

[kerrensimmonds]

Good luck, Happy. I really hope that you and your DD will find a place at Horsham and that it will be her salvation. Fingers crossed.

[Fairy]

It sounds as if you and your dd are in a really difficult place at the moment, you have nothing to be ashamed of - you just want your dd to be happy!
Don't despair, we applied quite late and were successful so there is always hope.
Keeping everything crossed for you both.

[Happy]

Nicky Rordan just mailed and said no. "All of our Bursary Assisted Place for 2011 have been allocated..." for the UF and they don't accept entrants into the GE as they are far on with their GCSE studies.
I know just how far which is why I turned to the only school I could trust in this horrid situation. She made no attempt so address need or just how compatible Molly's GCSE courses are with CH's chosen boards. We need help, for God's sake. I thought this was the central tenet of the place!

And a quota for Bursary Assisted Places? This implies that the situation could be different if Molly was from a wealthy family. So *need* is less important than ability to pay and unexplored GCSE liability.

I'm embarassed to have asked.

[Great Plum]

I don't know if I am right Happy but I believe that sadly the day pupils are full fee paying...

[Happy]

I just thought that not needing a bed in dorm would make it a no-brainer.

[kerrensimmonds]

http://www.christs-hospital.org.uk/pdf/CH-Fees.pdf

[ailurophile]

I am sure Matt is correct, that day places are only available to direct entry pupils (i.e full fees). The link Kerren has posted above shows fee information for direct entry, although it includes a brief and rather vague reference to bursaries

The Christ’s Hospital Foundation provides bursarial support primarily to children of
families in financial or other need.
If your income falls below a certain level, you may be assessed for a bursary. Bursaries are
means-tested and families on very low incomes may be assisted with the cost of pocket
money and House Funds. If you wish to apply for a bursary, please contact Admissions.

No information is currently available online to help prospective applicants for Foundation places estimate what they might be expected to contribute; indeed, I'm interested to note that under 'How to Apply' there is no longer a link provided to any information about Foundation places, which seems somewhat odd.

Happy, you must be very disappointed to hear that CH can't help your daughter in the way you had hoped. I really hope you'll be able work with her current school to resolve the issues which are making her unhappy so that she can complete her GCSEs without too much disruption - maybe then you can think about applying to CH for the sixth form? Good luck, I hope everything will work out for you both.

[Mrs C.]

Why not try a letter directly to the Head?
It can`t harm, can it??

[kerrensimmonds]

Good advice, Janet. Good luck, Happy (and your daughter).
In a previous life, a fellow Old Blue appealed directly to the Headmaster when one of her twin sons got in through the normal admissions procedures, and the other didn't. The school did an exceptional re-examination of the second twin (my Godson), and he was accepted as a result. Then, when the fees were calculated, the family couldn't afford them anyway, for the two boys. As a result, both boys went to Lancing College, pretty much on full bursaries. Six years after leaving Lancing College, one has just qualified as a Doctor (medical) from Oxford University, with a great career ahead of him. The other (my lovely Godson) got a First in Theology from Durham, sailed through a teacher training course in Oxford and is now near the end of his second year of teaching, having risen rapidly to something like Deputy Head of Department in a huge London comprehensive. What a loss to CH.

[Happy]

Thanks Mrs.C. Will try that.

CH's response was to apply for sixth form but we are up against it: Molly collapsed with stomach pains through stress after a protracted session of group abuse at the weekend and her school is failing as usual to handle the troublemakers. She'll see the GP when she comes home this week for half term and we may be facing not returning her on health grounds.

This is what I mean - we're desperate. I've hardly slept since it happened, I'm so worried.

[kerrensimmonds]

Janet is right, Gabrielle. Appeal directly to the Headmaster. He may not have ultimate authority but I am sure that he has discretion. Good luck.