Are we alone?

[jaspersmum]

our assessed fees are now such that we face having to withdraw our children from the school while their 'poorer' peers continue to benefit. I would like to see some evidence that the Foundation are willing to recognise this problem and consider some resolution, rather than to see instead the sad evidence that increasing numbers of children - selected initially as being 'in need' of the education which CH can provide - are being forced to leave the school mid-stream.

[fra828]

I really hope jaspersmum, you will find a way round this, and that your child will be able to stay on at CH after all.

[ailurophile]

Jaspersmum is in a similar position to our own, and I have to say that it is very hard to see any way around the situation. Money simply cannot be conjured out of thin air.

I have been contacted privately by a parent whose family have had to turn down the place offered to their child for this September because the assessed fees have escalated way beyond their reach; they have been asked at this stage for almost £5000 per year more than the initial estimate they were given when they applied a year ago, an increase which is in no way reflected in their actual income. Devastating though this experience is for the family concerned, I guess it's better to back out before the child starts at CH rather than to be misled by the school and have to withdraw your child later. What makes me very angry though is the unsympathetic and frankly rude manner in which the Counting House are dealing with families. In the long run, word of this type of behaviour gets around, and it cannot be helpful to the reputation of what is in so many ways a fine school.

[englishangel]

I'm with JR and the tongue biting on this one.

[kerrensimmonds]

Ditto

[MKM]

Sadly, this may not be a new problem. I remember an elderly neighbour telling me that her son had been offered a place at CH, but she had to turn it down when she received a list of things he had to take with him. She just couldn't afford to buy them. She was a widow with a large family. The neighbour was in her 80's when she told me the story in the 1960's, so I suppose the incident occurred in the 1920's or earlier.

[Vonny]

We were seriously considering applying for our eldest to start at CH September 2010 in Year 7 but reading these stories has been enough to make us seriously consider NOT sending her to CH

[J.R.]

All I'll say on this subject for now, is the obvious point of the widening 'gulf'

A couple of years or so ago, several of us, (posters included0, were enjoying a very pleasant afternoon lunch outside in the garden of the 'Bax' prior to 'Beating The Retreat'.

Beer and sarnies were the order of the day for the majority of us.

HOWEVER.................

Parents of certain pupils had completely taken over one garden table, making it blatently obvious that anyone not in their 'crowd' could not use their table. (As one poster on here can readily confirm !!!)

Needless to say, their culinary fare was of the very best, (picnic-style) and they actually managed to drink the 'Bax' out of champagne when they had consumed their own. I was at the bar when one gentlemen from their 'crowd' was told that there was 'no more champange'. His reaction was what I can only describe on here, as un-gentlemanly.

Who said the Class-System is dead ? 'Hooray-Henry's' are alive and well and sending thie 'kids' to a charitable status school. I'd just love to be able to see their tax returns against actual earnings !

Talking of tongue-biting, I found it very hard to bite mine outside the 'Bax'.

[lonelymom]

Talking of tongue-biting, I found it very hard to bite mine outside the 'Bax'.

Well, I'm sorry if I'll offend anyone by saying that I WOULDN'T have bitten my tongue if I'd been there! Call me common, loud, working-class, whatever you want, but I would have told them exactly what I thought of them and their behaviour! They had no more right to be there than anyone else, and I certainly wouldn't have let them ruin my day!!!

[J.R.]

I don't think it spoilt our party's day.

I think it became a case of 'taking-the-pith' behind other peoples backs.

I can't wait to see if any other regular posters pick up on this thread.

[Barnes Mum]

I wouldn't have been happy either - giving us parents a bad name! I would like to hope that that sort of person is very much in the minority.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

This "Thread" seems to be re-occurring on other "Topics"
The expansion, and, indeed, the instigation, of Full Fees, has upset many of we Old Old Blues.
I repeat -- I believe it has cheapened and destroyed some of the Ethos of Christ's Hospital --- but who listens to us now ?

[midget]

Nobody, Neill. We are the has-beens, but still "good" enough to receive begging letters.

[kerrensimmonds]

Ouch!
But well said.

[lonelymom]

Is that really how you all feel? It really sadddens me to think that you are becoming so disillusioned with CH that you are losing the pride/respect/admiration you once had in it. I hope I'm wrong and have misinterpreted your posts, but some of you OBs seem really angry with some of the recent goings-on Have I got it wrong, will you always be blue through and through?