Day Pupils.

Anything that doesn't fit anywhere else, but that's still CH related.

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J.R.
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Day Pupils.

Post by J.R. »

Here's an interesting scenario...............

Jan and I were down in Horsham shopping yesterday, and over a refereshing lunch, I learnt, or should I say, heard a rumour that CH have agreed between the Almoners and School Board that CH should WILLadmit day pupils with immediate effect.

Is this yet another way of raising income and cutting back on the Charitable Ethos of the school, I have to ask myself ?

Would anybody in the know care to comment further ?

I'm sure some of the more SENIOR OB's might have something to say on the matter.
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by midget »

If this is true, I am disappointed but not surprised. it reminds me of the med school story about students using a dummy to learn how to deliver a baby. One student makes a total medsds of the dummy whereupon the demonstrator hands him a spanner and says "Hit the father with this, and you've killed the whole bl00dy family"

The powers-that-be seem intent on killing off the old CH. WHY?
Thou shalt not sit with statisticians nor commit a social science.
dinahcat
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by dinahcat »

It is only a rumour though,as you say. There is nothing in any of the publicity material to suggest this is true. Also, If it was true surely the kids would know :D
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NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Perhaps questions may be asked at the 60+ Reunion --------
We shall report back !
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Richard Ruck
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by Richard Ruck »

This idea has been floating around for some years now, as a way of boosting income without the need for costly changes to the infrastructure.

Still, here's a question .....

If the Foundation's income from the continuing generosity of Old Blues, non-stop fundraising, investments, property, bequests, increased numbers of full fee payers etc. is STILL insufficient to allow Christ's Hospital to continue as we have all known it, what, then, is the answer? Everything the school does has to be paid for somehow, so what would people suggest as a solution? There seems to be some underlying feeling on here that the Foundation is rich in assets, so what are they playing at? Are the 'powers that be' trying to turn the whole thing into a business rather than a charitable institution?

It's extremely easy to criticise from outside the ring fence, and I would be the first to admit that CH might be seen to do more to engage with the concerns shared by many Old Blues.

However, it should be remembered that the majority of the Council of Almoners are themselves Old Blues, and it is they who bear the ultimate responsibility for the future of Christ's Hospital, and as Old Blues who have made the decision to give so much back in terms of time or expertise I cannot imagine for one minute that they have anything but the best interests of CH at heart. Neither their decision nor the results of their decisions should be immune from comment and criticism, but I am sure those decisions are not going to be easy.

For the record, I would hate to see the admission of day pupils, as I think the character and ethos of the school would be changed beyond recognition. However, would I rather stand by and watch one of the alternative scenarios unfold?

If anyone here has the answer, I'm sure the Foundation would love to hear from you!
Ba.A / Mid. B 1972 - 1978

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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by kerrensimmonds »

Well said Richard
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by MrsAverage »

As one of the parents who's child is being forced out due to 18% per year rises. I am incredibly angry at even the thought of day pupils, one assumes they'd be full fee paying or else where is the logic? Why turn away a child used to the school , who underwent all the entry criteria, who was deemed BY the school to NEED the school, who is achieving extremely well in lots of areas and who's fees are the equivlant of one and a half day pupils at a comparable indepedent school just to replace him with an unknown, not so 'in need', for less money?

If they set fees, and kept them, at a realistic proportion of income, they perhaps wouldn't be losing so many pupils. It smacks of desparate measures, whereas if they set sensible fees they'd have steady income from parents who would praise the school and recommend it to others preventing the need to go find more pupils at short notice. It is simple basic business sense - why is it so lacking in todays CH? They seem to be heading for a 2 tier school, those who have nothing and pay nothing and those who have everything and pay top whack, squeezing out everyone else in the middle.
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by wurzel »

I can foresee a problem as someone who grew up in Itchingfield and boarded. Congestion

The road between horsham and ch gets choked at rush hour - public transport is near non-existant. Up until now the school has never had to worry about people being late for school or not being able to get in through a broken down car etc so it hasn't mattered that it is in a rural location with pretty poor transport links (compared with local state schools). What hours would they do ?

In winter we had chapel at 8:30 and we didn't finish lessons until 5:45 can you see a 11 year old day pupil leaving home in Horsham before 8am and not getting home until gone 6;30 when they could then have tea and then have to find enough time for homework to match a classmate doing 1.5 hours in a boarding house.

To accommodate day pupils you would need to change an awful lot - probably before long dropping to a 5 day week and standard term dates.

The problem is I still believe CH trying to compete head to head with the winchester's eton's and epsom's of his world If that is what they want to do then drop any pretence of the traditional set up and go for it whole heartedly with just a number of scholarship bursaries like those schools. Trying to be a half way house is i believe destined to failure - decide which direction and stick to it. If they are going to stay as a school for the needy then accept that it can not be 5* accommodation and facilites only 4* - i am sure from seeing the number of people at the open day that there is enough parental interest to still keep the school full of deserving pupils - the schhol has to cut it's cloth according to it's income and the parent's have to accept that they get what they pay for (ie if you don't pay Eton money you don't get those facilities)
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by kerrensimmonds »

Who says that day pupils, if this discussion turns out to be true, would
a) be admitted on a lower standard of entry criteria
b) not pay fees comparable to boarding pupils
?
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by wurzel »

I said nothing about lower standards of entry just that if you enter with people of equal intelligence to yourself then to keep pace with them when they have set prep times and no travel times would be very demanding (over and above the already taxing timetable).

Fees could not be comparable to boarding as they are not at any other fee paying school - here for example are the current fees from Epsom's website

Termly Fees, from September 2009:

*
Full Boarding £9,135
*
Weekly Boarding £8,335
*
Day Boarding £7,643
*
Day Pupils £6,240

So if you are requiring the same entry standard you can't charge people the same for day & boarding - the only way you could not have a linkage between the 2 would be if there were different criteria for example day pupils were A-Level only full fee paying like the New Foundation scheme.
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by J.R. »

Maybe someone from the CHA knows the truth ?

SORRY - CHUBBY, or whatever it's called now !
John Rutley. Prep B & Coleridge B. 1958-1963.
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by dinahcat »

My dauhter said the rumour was circulating the school yesterday and was dismissed by staff as a rumour.
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by kerrensimmonds »

Ian.. it wasn't your posting to which I was responding, but the one before. You and I must have posted simultaneously but yours pipped mine to the post (if you will forgive the expression................)
I am going to contact a Few Friends to see if there is any veracity in this rumour... not that I personally have a problem if it turns out to be true.
On the way home from work this evening, I overtook a well-loaded CH minibus and waved at it (they must have thought I was a loony driver!). I wonder who they were and where they had been. They were definitely 'on the way home'. I wondered if I could toot the Foundation Hymn on the car horn, but decided against it............. :oops:
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by lonelymom »

It was field day today at CH so there were some outings I think, certainly for CCF anyway :D
lonelymom :rolleyes:
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Re: Day Pupils.

Post by LJG »

Explorer Scouts went to Brighton gor the day
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