CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

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Oliver
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CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by Oliver »

There is an article of interest to forum members in the Times Educational Supplement (TES), published on 9 June 2017, available at

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/br ... -inclusive

Don’t read the article for nostalgic reasons only, but to learn that CH is a pioneer in this important field. The articulate, young Blue ‘Alice,’ much quoted, is someone of whom we can be proud. Assisted Boarders (ABs) are related to the question of how many full paying pupils (FFPs) CH has and should have. (It has been mentioned in the forum. Search above for “FFPs” to learn more.)

This article deals with ABs at boarding schools. These are children in socio/economic need, for whom a boarding school is considered desirable. Reasons for being an AB are being in need (eg poverty, suffering abuse, or being full time carers for parents). ABs may be already in Local Authority (LA) care, in need of it, or being fostered. Some remain in families with close supervision. Research has shown ABs benefit under certain circumstances, but so far no single research project has been large and long enough to provide convincing overall proof. Such projects are planned. Clear advantages of being an AB include the cost being less than in care.

Before the 1980s there were 10 000 ABs as a result of LA placements. Today there are 60. In passing it is worth noting the vast benefits CH enjoyed (not financial benefits) from the many LCC supported CH pupils who went on to be a great credit to the school. Not all were at CH because of severe socio/economic reasons, but all were (relatively) poor and many were ABs.

CH has ABs today. The HM mentions that CH has more ABs than other comparable schools. Excellent. It also has FFPs. Many think there are far too many FFPs (eg signatories of the “Petition 1552” – do search above for it too) and that the number should be greatly reduced. Indeed there are indications this is happening, albeit very slowly.

Objections to ABs’ experience at school include the cultural, economic and other differences between home and school. My own experience may be useful. I was in effect an AB. That dichotomy was overcome simply by having two separate and very different lives. My family understood this and we all coped.

All this raises questions. Perhaps others can add to them, answer and comment.

- Should CH accept more ABs? Almost certainly, “Yes,” after appropriate investigation of each candidate. (The HM mentioned that there are 1 or 2 pupils who have to leave each year and gave the main causes. Does anyone know if they are predominantly ABs? I suspect so.)
- There are currently 14% of Housey children who pay no fees and 26% (19% boarders and 7% day pupils) who pay full fees. In which of these two categories are the ABs? Incidentally how many day pupils are there now? In my days only about 1½.
- How many ABs are currently at CH?
- The final question is how many ABs should CH receive? Too many and the school’s character will be totally changed for the worse. Too few and we are not fulfilling our Founder’s wish. Perhaps that question can only be answered after much more experience has been acquired.
Avon
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by Avon »

That reminds me, do we know the FF mix for the 2017 intake yet?
alterblau
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by alterblau »

I believe the FF % has been reduced from 26% to about 20%. But, apart from future planned percentages, there are other crucial questions.

Have sufficient donations arrived to cover the resulting increase in costs, are some economies underway, and/or is there a current increased running deficit?
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J.R.
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by J.R. »

alterblau wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2017 12:23 pm I believe the FF % has been reduced from 26% to about 20%. But, apart from future planned percentages, there are other crucial questions.

Have sufficient donations arrived to cover the resulting increase in costs, are some economies underway, and/or is there a current increased running deficit?
Interesting questions.

Will answers be forth-coming though ??
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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postwarblue
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by postwarblue »

CH was massively descoped when the girls came to Horsham - total numbers dropped by about a quarter, which will have massively cut costs, but even the one-off windfall of selling Hertford has not put CH in the black for ever. The books HAVE to balance and if that means more FF places, that's the way of the world, unless the public-school loathing councils can be persuaded to get back to paying for selected deserving kids to come to CH. But that means the child escapes from the compulsory lowering of ambition in the State sector and escapes from State control, and we can't have that.
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Avon
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by Avon »

J.R. wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2017 5:53 pm
alterblau wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2017 12:23 pm I believe the FF % has been reduced from 26% to about 20%. But, apart from future planned percentages, there are other crucial questions.

Have sufficient donations arrived to cover the resulting increase in costs, are some economies underway, and/or is there a current increased running deficit?
Interesting questions.

Will answers be forth-coming though ??
Who in CH's labyrinthine governance model is accountable to disclose this information?
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J.R.
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by J.R. »

Avon wrote: Mon Jul 10, 2017 8:15 pm
J.R. wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2017 5:53 pm
alterblau wrote: Sun Jul 09, 2017 12:23 pm I believe the FF % has been reduced from 26% to about 20%. But, apart from future planned percentages, there are other crucial questions.

Have sufficient donations arrived to cover the resulting increase in costs, are some economies underway, and/or is there a current increased running deficit?
Interesting questions.

Will answers be forth-coming though ??
Who in CH's labyrinthine governance model is accountable to disclose this information?
One or two school connected members are on this site, though thay don't often comment on such 'political' matters.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
Avon
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by Avon »

Well I look forward to one of those updates of cyber-vellum from the 1552 campaign.
davidtaplin
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by davidtaplin »

Martha Sharp implied that under the new HM/CEO Simon Reid that a refocus on the original mission and ethos of CH seemed afoot - which should be encouraging in the context of reducing the FFP% to<10% by 2027.
sejintenej
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by sejintenej »

Oliver asks how many ABs are currently at CH.
I don't think this is of great concern; PROVIDED those pupils fit the "needs" requirement then surely they should be as welcome as any other. It simply takes some of the strain off other funding sources.
As for the concept of mixing the well -off with those of poor families I am slightly more concerned. Surely we don't want even the the risk of class segregation within the school. I saw this happen back in the 1950's
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Re: CH, Assisted Boarders and the TES

Post by davidtaplin »

There are indications that both Simon Reid and Christopher Steane are committed to reducing FFP to <10% by 2027 and "Petition 1552" is still active in encouraging this policy. The bluecoat has to be cut according to the cloth and significant economies variously introduced throughout the school ito accomplish the return to the original ethos of a school (like no other) for the needy and poor without the untoward mission dilution 2007-2017.
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