Early Lent Half Term

[englishangel]

Did anyone see 'Leaving home at 8' on channel 4 last night-filmed at Highfield School, Liphhook?

Yes, I saw it. I must admit to having reservations about sending girls to board at such a tender age.

It seems Highfield predominately caters for children of the members of the armed forces. (Presumably, 'Hofficers Only, for the use of....')

The school staff seemed caring and relaxed. Not a touch on my first day in Prep B in January 1958, but as Janet, (Mrs C), said above....

.... times change.

This is the first case of snobbery, inverted or otherwise I have come across on here and I don't like it. I looked at the Highfield website, and there is no mention of it being predominantly for children of the members of the Services. The boarding prep has 6 boys and 4 girls, so a pretty even split.

[Katharine]

JR, why do you specifically refer to sending girls to board at such a tender age? I know the programme featured girls, but surely the same applies to boys of that tender age - and bear in mind that it is generally believed that girls mature earlier than boys (not just my personal opinion, although being a woman with only daughters I might be accused of bias!?). Somewhere else on this forum there was a discussion with Katharine whose boys were sent home to school in England while the parents were in the Far East with the British Council; they survived ultimately but it was difficult for one in particular who was dyslexic.

Sometimes I think it was harder for us than the boys. We had brought them up to know it was going to happen, so that it wasn't a surprise. Jeremy's birthday is in March so he was well past his birthday in September, but Patrick's is end of August so he was very young, but he did have big brother there.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Always useful to have a big brother !!

I was a bit taken aback by the report of Prep (Or Homework) being difficult because of "Noise" -----
I know things have changed--- but I seem to remember Prep being undertaken in the Day Room --- under the supervision of at least three Monitors --- Noise ??
Surely -- even now, there must be SOME discipline left in the Houses --- or can people just mess about as they like ?

Somebody pray tell -----

[YadaYada]

Re: prep and noise - I have asked my son to clarify.....the time he had mentioned to me was a Sunday when the Second Form do prep in their dorms and his room mates don't seem to be as conscientious as he is and he wants to concentrate and they don't .

Usually prep is in the IT room and it is supervised by the tutor on duty and it is quiet. Previously it had been in the Day Room and supervised by the Dep on duty and my son says it wasn't quiet. I don't know if this is why it has been changed but I hope it is a reaction to these falling standards. I must admit I couldn't believe it when he told me. I was under the impression that prep was well supervised.

[Richard Ruck]

Did anyone see 'Leaving home at 8' on channel 4 last night-filmed at Highfield School, Liphhook?

Yes, I saw it. I must admit to having reservations about sending girls to board at such a tender age.

It seems Highfield predominately caters for children of the members of the armed forces. (Presumably, 'Hofficers Only, for the use of....')

The school staff seemed caring and relaxed. Not a touch on my first day in Prep B in January 1958, but as Janet, (Mrs C), said above....

.... times change.

This is the first case of snobbery, inverted or otherwise I have come across on here and I don't like it. I looked at the Highfield website, and there is no mention of it being predominantly for children of the members of the Services. The boarding prep has 6 boys and 4 girls, so a pretty even split.

A quick bit of research reveals that members of the armed forces can claim a Continuity Of Education allowance for their children's boarding education (i.e. the kids remain in a settled environment, regardless of parental postings, etc.).

The termly rates for 2009-2010 would appear to be:

Junior CEA (Day) £2556
Junior CEA (Board) £4338
Senior CEA (Day) £3378
Senior CEA (Board) £5621

Not just for officers. In my last job I interviewed and hired an ex-army bloke who had finished up as a sergeant, and who had managed to send both his daughters to Millfield. I assume that the scheme is available to all ranks, but I'm sure forum members such as loringa could enlighten us further....

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

There are, of course (Or am I being Libellous ?) other ways into Millfield.
I note, from our local Paper, that a young member of Ferndown Otters -- which produces Olympic standard swimmers, has just been admitted to Millfield ---- I only wonder -----

[englishangel]

If you read the Highfield website amny of their graduate get scholarships to such places as Marlborough and Wellington, in sport, arts and academics.

Millfield has always been a sporting school.

[J.R.]

I wasn't particularly saying that it was the GIRLS that would suffer at going at such a young age. I was only commenting on what I saw in the programme.

As for as the allegation of snobbery is concerned - I'm not quite sure who this accusation was being pointed at, so I won't comment further at this stage.

[stpandp]

If you read the Highfield website amny of their graduate get scholarships to such places as Marlborough and Wellington, in sport, arts and academics.

Millfield has always been a sporting school.

and at least one name on the honours board at Highfield is for a music award to CH!

[ReallyMissingHer]

I want to go back to KenHo's post about leafy Surrey.

Ken please come and visit my house in "leafy" Surrey. Where I live is hideous tbh, very close to millionairs mount indeed, lots of prestigious private schools that are top the country BUT we have a low income and live in one of the most deprived towns of Surrey. I'm from Teesside believe me the standard of living is much higher there for "ordinary" people. We have the smallest sh1t house believe me and it would cost ££££££££££££££££ to buy on the market but our local school was bottom of the league tables for 5 consecutive years (after having failed and been exempt one year). The best state school in a 8 mile radius performs worse than the state school I went to, not to mention the housing is half the price. Oh and my husband gets a whole extra £500 in the civil service for living in the SE.........

A decent state school puts the house prices up by about £30k only a mile up the road! I haven't seen a property (even a 1 bed studio) for less than £160k.

I'm happy with the boarding arrangements, I don't want weekly boarding because I think it will change the community of the school too much.

Sorry rant over I just get fed up with people thinking living Surrey is wonderful, yes it is if you are seriously wealthy but that discounts probably anyone who has a child attending CH!!!! Local inde school around here is £12k per annum for year 7, each year up is more expensive and the scholarship is a whole 20% discount.............the co-ed school asks children to leave if they do not do well in their key stage 1 sats, not an ethos I could ever support.

[Fjgrogan]

I agree. We too have a Surrey address, but are actually in the 'Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames', which is a London Borough which is confusing! When the schools merger happened in 1985 (dubbed CHAOS - Christ's Hospital Amalgamation of Schools) we had two girls at Hertford who had to be completely rekitted with all the sports gear etc which had previously been provided for free. I applied to the local LEA for a uniform grant and was told that if we chose to send our children to an independent school then we must expect to bear the expense. It seemed more than a little unfair since we were still having to pay council tax to support local education from which we were getting no benefit!

[KenHo]

I want to go back to KenHo's post about leafy Surrey.

Ken please come and visit my house in "leafy" Surrey. Where I live is hideous tbh, very close to millionairs mount indeed, lots of prestigious private schools that are top the country BUT we have a low income and live in one of the most deprived towns of Surrey. I'm from Teesside believe me the standard of living is much higher there for "ordinary" people. We have the smallest sh1t house believe me and it would cost ££££££££££££££££ to buy on the market but our local school was bottom of the league tables for 5 consecutive years (after having failed and been exempt one year). The best state school in a 8 mile radius performs worse than the state school I went to, not to mention the housing is half the price. Oh and my husband gets a whole extra £500 in the civil service for living in the SE.........

A decent state school puts the house prices up by about £30k only a mile up the road! I haven't seen a property (even a 1 bed studio) for less than £160k.

I'm happy with the boarding arrangements, I don't want weekly boarding because I think it will change the community of the school too much.

Sorry rant over I just get fed up with people thinking living Surrey is wonderful, yes it is if you are seriously wealthy but that discounts probably anyone who has a child attending CH!!!! Local inde school around here is £12k per annum for year 7, each year up is more expensive and the scholarship is a whole 20% discount.............the co-ed school asks children to leave if they do not do well in their key stage 1 sats, not an ethos I could ever support.

I am also from Teesside, and I have lived for many years in London, Buckinghamshire and for a time in Yorkshire.

I don't think for a minute that there aren't a few socially deprived places in Surrey, but that isn't really the point I was making. My point is that CH is a unique place and should serve the entire country. If it remains a full boarding school then it still does this and so can attract children from areas where they really need the help. If they move to weekend boarding then an ever larger percentage will come from within a short drive of the school. If they move to having more day pupils then all of those will come from close to the school. Regardless of the individual circumstances of some parents, we all know that Surrey is a relatively rich area and the new pupils are more likely to be those at the top of the income scale than the bottom.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

There are "Deprived" areas, all over the UK, in what are described as Wonderful Rural Locations (Estatespeak)
Here in Dorset there is a lovely are called Cranford Chase sweeping hills Ancient Brit Sites, Open country Sies of Special Scientific interest ----- No Bus Service --- no Rail Service -- 15 Miles from Wimborne -- 20 miles fro Salisbury. and an ageing population .
The government gives a grant to Poole and Bournemouth, for Urban Deprived Areas ------ But NONE -- Not a penny ---
To East Dorset !!!!! -- I know -- I was Chairman !! GRRRR.

OF course there are Very few Labour votes round here !

[J.R.]

I want to go back to KenHo's post about leafy Surrey.

Ken please come and visit my house in "leafy" Surrey. Where I live is hideous tbh, very close to millionairs mount indeed, lots of prestigious private schools that are top the country

Could I enquire which part of the 'Leafy' County you reside in, RMH ??

[fra828]

I wasn't particularly saying that it was the GIRLS that would suffer at going at such a young age. I was only commenting on what I saw in the programme.

As for as the allegation of snobbery is concerned - I'm not quite sure who this accusation was being pointed at, so I won't comment further at this stage.

I must admit I thought the same, was confused about the inverted snobbery you mentioned Englishangel.