New Official CH Parents Forum

[anniexf]

There are already 675 pages on another thread about how the Counting House ignore certain parents

A most telling statistic! Shouldn't this be ringing alarm bells somewhere? Or are those parents deemed to be habitual troublemakers, not worthy of attention?

Frankly, I find the arrogance of the powers-that-be absolutely staggering!

[Jo]

There are already 675 pages on another thread about how the Counting House ignore certain parents

A most telling statistic! Shouldn't this be ringing alarm bells somewhere?

<cough>hyperbole<cough>

[anniexf]

[KenHo]

I haven't had time to look at the new CH website in much detail yet, but I have received a PM from another poster on here who tells me that the updated Admissions information indicates a drive to attract more full fee payers by offering non-competitive entry and the opportunity to enter in Year 9 (LE).

It is here:-

http://www.christs-hospital.org.uk/adm- ... awards.php

It seems that the new web site has ditched the slogan "the best education money can't buy" and we now have:-

2010 presents an opportunity for a limited number of academically able students to join Christ's Hospital through Direct Entry places for pupils whose parents can afford to pay an all-inclusive fee without our usual means-testing.

....

The above places are non-competitive, offered on a first come, first served basis, subject to candidates meeting the required academic standard.

[sejintenej]

Interesting stuff on the website.

From the Financial Contributions bit:

During the course of your child's education at Christ's Hospital, the Foundation reserves the right to make home visits without prior appointment.

Can they really just barge in uninvited ?

NOPE.

The only people who can are Inland Revenue/V.A.T. men, or Plod IF they have reasonable grounds to believe that a crime has been committed or are in possession of a warrant issued by a Magistrate.

Of course a magistrate's warrant allows the holder entry according to its terms though I wonder if the magistrates are not occasionally hoodwinked.

Sorry, JR but there are actually dozens of organisations whose officials cvan just barge into your house without your permission or a warrant.
IMHO the worst case is the local Council whose officials can barge in, examine and photograph every room and demand any informatiomn (including your internet banking passwords or the names and addresses of your mistresses if they wish) at any time without your permission (it's said to be to assess you for rates). You can't even legally stop them barging into your teenaged daughter's bedroom as she changes her clothes. The even worse thing about this particular one is that it is a criminal offence (I think it is even a prison matter) to even check or query whatever ID document they might or might not flash at you.
Of course Social Services can also barge in as can utility companies should they decide that some risk might exist

[Richard Ruck]

I wonder what the Foundation Flying Squad's actual rights are according to English and Welsh law, and also how they would treat parents/ guardians living in Scotland/ Isle Of Man / Channel Islands / other countries (if indeed there are any.....).

[Laura12]

My son was told at school last week that CH was losing 2 million a year and at that rate will be closed in about 15 years. So I can see why if that is the case why they want more full fee paying students.

[jhopgood]

My son was told at school last week that CH was losing 2 million a year and at that rate will be closed in about 15 years. So I can see why if that is the case why they want more full fee paying students.

My understanding based on conversations some years ago, was that there is a constant funding shortfall, which at that time, hovered around £2 million. So not much has changed.
I'm sure "losing" is the wrong word, makes CH look careless.
There have always been Full Fee paying students, you only have to look at the CH financial report to see that. It was set at 3% of the student population, but I know they were considering upping that percentage.
A quick number crunch on 800 students, and increasing the percentage by 3% to 6% of the student population, and with full fees at, say, £20,000 (I haven't looked up the figures), could give additional income of close to half a million, so worth considering.
The problem is, once started on this route, at what percentage does one stop, and when is the original purpose of CH devalued.
Glad I'm not on Council.

[TrueBlue]

An Englishmans Home, and all that.....

I'm afraid I am about to light a blue touch paper here......

There are actually 266 ways people can enter your home, nearly all of them without a warrant.

Look at this JR and everyone else stand well back....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -home.html

[cstegerlewis]

I have not looked at the figures recently but the foundation is bound to have 'lost' a paper fortune recently with the turmoils in the market, but I expect the endowment is still very healthy, but could always be topped up with new contributions. I watched Neil Simms attamept to get the investment rules amended a few years back but to no avail, his major gripe being that there would be an acceptance of amny more fee paying students to the detriment of traditional housey entrants.

Fundamentally the school still owns significant property assets throughout the country, and if it liquidated the estate could survive for decades on the free cash flow, but in the process would sign it's own 'death warrant' as it would have reduced investment income. I think what is clear is that unlike society in general and banks in particular, the stewardship of the endowment does not allow money to be spent that has not yet been earned (hence scaling back the modernization of the houses) but prudent use of reserves may be required to smooth the flow.

[AKAP]

I wonder what the Foundation Flying Squad's actual rights are according to English and Welsh law, and also how they would treat parents/ guardians living in Scotland/ Isle Of Man / Channel Islands / other countries (if indeed there are any.....).

Despite the Telegraph report on powers of entry exceeding 250 I guess CH has never managed to get legislation passed giving them a power of entry.
My guess is that this is a contractual matter i.e
We will educate your child : you will pay fees when requested and "During the course of your child's education at Christ's Hospital, the Foundation reserves the right to make home visits without prior appointment." + a lot more.
Which implies that if you don't comply with the home visit you are in breach of contract and we will no longer educate your child.

[J.R.]

I wonder if any cap-wearing 'Jobs-Worth' would care to test his powers of the 260 ways, when confronted with a loaded double-barrel 12 bore ?

Loads of Surrey people just happen to own 'em !

[sejintenej]

An Englishmans Home, and all that.....

I'm afraid I am about to light a blue touch paper here......

There are actually 266 ways people can enter your home, nearly all of them without a warrant.

Look at this JR and everyone else stand well back....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/ ... -home.html

I'm sure that he has missed a few; fopr example there is a London byelaw prohibiting children carrying certain types of goods across a public park**. The copper can enter the home afterwards to examine the goods

(** can'#t be ar**d to look it up just now)

Interesting question for our resident expert:
Lets say the state wants to seize goods belonging to me (perhaps it's a non-existant unpaid fine) and breaks in. For tax planning purposes I only own half of the house, my wife and I and our (absent) children know what is mine and what is my wife's - even the TVs are his and hers as are the cooking pots whilst the hi-fi belongs to my son!!. Can we have the bailiff imprisoned for stealing the wrong person's asset(s)?

[Eruresto]

I don't know why, but I'm slightly cynical of this official parents-only forum. I hope those on here will spread the word on there!

[anniexf]

I don't know why, but I'm slightly cynical of this official parents-only forum.

Ditto.

I hope those on here will spread the word on there!

If they can manage to avoid being censored? There are a few parents on this Forum who already have to be cautious about their comments here.