Early Lent Half Term

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englishangel
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by englishangel »

It seems Highfield predominately caters for children of the members of the armed forces. (Presumably, 'Hofficers Only, for the use of....')
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hunta42
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by hunta42 »

I think OWGC should come back and defend his stance, because to be honest I'm pretty shocked and disapointed with what he said.
As a YOB I think the idea of weekly boarding is ridiculous. Yes boarding isnt nice all the time. In fact I used to often call my mum crying saying I couldn't stand it, all the way until my LE when you finally get a bit more freedom. But even until Grecians I could get sick of it and would get upset at times. However I would not be the person I am now if I had not been put in that situation. I am far more confident when I left than when I arrived and I don't believe that would have been the case if I had gone to a day school.
To be honest if the teachers feel that they want more time at home because its conveniant for them I don't feel that CH is the right place for them and wonder why they took up the job in the first place. I never got the impression off any teachers while I was at school thats this was the case, not even by OWGC.
About the better calibre of pupil intake, I would like to point out that I have met plenty of people who go to top schools like Radley or Eton etc and to be honest they were quite snobby and looked down on me and other CH people, who had been willing to give them the chance they refused to give us. So I think CH, who has perhaps accepts a worse background is a school full of much nicer and open minded people.
Lastly I think student opinion should be thought about more. The good thing about CH sometimes is that you dont have to go home at the weekend, instead you get to hang out your mates and don't have to deal with the problems you left at home. Because at the end of the day thats what CH is about giving kids and oppurtunity they might not have had otherwise and living in a safe enviroment. My mum sent me to CH because she didnt want me to have to live with all the problems she faced at home. And to my mum and CH I'm grateful!

Rant over!
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englishangel
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by englishangel »

Interesting. I have met a lot of (mainly) men from the above schools, and found that the nicest ones (and they were nice) I only found out about their school later, the obnoxious ones made sure you knew where they had gone to school, sometimes by being so obvious as wearing the old school tie. (For those who don't know, husband works on the periphery of horse racing so we go racing a lot)
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ReallyMissingHer
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by ReallyMissingHer »

JR I live in very grotty "town" close to Weybridge, so yes Weybridge absolutely lovely (house prices almost twice the price), whereas several miles down the raod believe my it's grotsville, at the bottom of my "garden" ie 12" patio there is a residential car park and then 60s decaying tower block and maisonettes, we live on the "social housing" estate. Local comprehensive was bottom of the surrey league table for about 5 years - well apart from the year is wasn't on it at all because it failed. We are basically wedged between the A3 and M25.

All my friends back in Teesside live in houses twice the size for half the price and on some of the "best" housing estates with a local comp with better results than the best state school around here which is probably Heathside. We are of course local to one of the best inde girls schools in the country and the co-ed does well too although they ask pupils to leave if they didn't do well enough in their key stage 1 sats!
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J.R.
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by J.R. »

Sounds like that little 'town' made famous by that group 'Sham 69'!
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sejintenej
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by sejintenej »

hunta42 wrote:I think OWGC should come back and defend his stance, because to be honest I'm pretty shocked and disapointed with what he said.
As a YOB I think the idea of weekly boarding is ridiculous. Yes boarding isnt nice all the time. In fact I used to often call my mum crying saying I couldn't stand it, all the way until my LE when you finally get a bit more freedom. But even until Grecians I could get sick of it and would get upset at times. However I would not be the person I am now if I had not been put in that situation. I am far more confident when I left than when I arrived and I don't believe that would have been the case if I had gone to a day school.
To be honest if the teachers feel that they want more time at home because its conveniant for them I don't feel that CH is the right place for them and wonder why they took up the job in the first place. I never got the impression off any teachers while I was at school thats this was the case, not even by OWGC.
About the better calibre of pupil intake, I would like to point out that I have met plenty of people who go to top schools like Radley or Eton etc and to be honest they were quite snobby and looked down on me and other CH people, who had been willing to give them the chance they refused to give us. So I think CH, who has perhaps accepts a worse background is a school full of much nicer and open minded people.
Lastly I think student opinion should be thought about more. The good thing about CH sometimes is that you dont have to go home at the weekend, instead you get to hang out your mates and don't have to deal with the problems you left at home. Because at the end of the day thats what CH is about giving kids and oppurtunity they might not have had otherwise and living in a safe enviroment. My mum sent me to CH because she didnt want me to have to live with all the problems she faced at home. And to my mum and CH I'm grateful!

Rant over!
Well written, HuntA42. I can hardly agree more with what you write. Just one clause I REALLY disagree with:
instead you get to hang out your mates and don't have to deal with the problems you left at home
Problems tend to multiply if not dealt with immediately. Otherwise they fester in the mind;there is a risk that you will wake up at 2.00am worrying about a situation which appears to get worse and worse as you turn it over in your mind. Far better is to try and get things sorted out the night before you go back to school - if that is within your remit (I don't know your circumstances of course).

As someone else has written, not all Old Etonians etc are snobby; there are many exceptions and I have been the beneficiary of that. To a large extent it is a question of "Old" versus "New" money. Old money recognises it's place in society and doesn't need to advertise its virtues. It is others who sing their praises, not themselves. The scions of old money usually can mix easily with all classes and often are not recognised for what they are by the unknowing.
If someone needs to advertise their past successes then they are not at peace with themselves, their families and those that they are in contact with.
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englishangel
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by englishangel »

As someone else has written, not all Old Etonians etc are snobby; there are many exceptions and I have been the beneficiary of that. To a large extent it is a question of "Old" versus "New" money. Old money recognises it's place in society and doesn't need to advertise its virtues. It is others who sing their praises, not themselves. The scions of old money usually can mix easily with all classes and often are not recognised for what they are by the unknowing.
If someone needs to advertise their past successes then they are not at peace with themselves, their families and those that they are in contact with.
I was that person, and that was exactly what I found too. Many years ago my husband's boss was an "Old" money Old Etonian and we spent two evenings at his house one week eating dinner from our laps and watching (the 1980s) Brideshead Revisited with his mother because she had been part of the Brideshead set. We had recorded the entire series to watch and she had missed some because she had been on holiday.
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: Early Lent Half Term

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

I liked Hunta 42s contribution --- exactly what I have been saying about Weekly Boarding.

Don't listen to an old F*rt like me --- but I think that has come from someone more in touch with the present day at CH


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