Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

gemmygemmerson wrote: Then again, if you're paying quite a bit in school fees that does come as a punch in the gut. Could seem like they are just cheekily asking for more money.

not being funny or anything but if your paying a fair bit in school fees you could prob afford the house funds too! Just my thought

Gemma , house funds really are used well ( and from my years as a CH mum, they seem to vary from house to house ) , and pocket money is also an essential, if only as an emergency fall-back.

As to it being "cheeky" to ask for more money on top of fees - well, remember that fees at CH are means-tested, and no parents are asked to pay more than they can truly afford. Indeed there are cases where no fees are paid, and even house funds and pocket money are funded by the school.

Euterpe13 wrote:As to it being "cheeky" to ask for more money on top of fees - well, remember that fees at CH are means-tested, and no parents are asked to pay more than they can truly afford. Indeed there are cases where no fees are paid, and even house funds and pocket money are funded by the school.

I can remember my father's absolute astonishment when Hertfordshire calculated his grant contribution for me to go to university. He had budgeted that they would ask for as much as CH had, no way! (Halcyon days when we had grants!!) The first year he was asked to pay £6 (1966 what would that be now?) he solemnly gave me my £2 at the start of each term, although I tried to refuse it. It was his 'duty' to give it to me.

I'm not saying I find it cheeky!. I think it's pretty smart to do that and I'm pretty sure that the house funds are spent correctly, it's just some of my friends and my dad thought it a little strange to be asking for an additional sum of money on top of a parental contribution.

gemmygemmerson wrote:I'm not saying I find it cheeky!. I think it's pretty smart to do that and I'm pretty sure that the house funds are spent correctly, it's just some of my friends and my dad thought it a little strange to be asking for an additional sum of money on top of a parental contribution.

Gemma: just think of your parents paying
- towards bed and board (as they do already) but to the school and then some pocket money in two lots:
- part of which is your contribution to the group sessions in the local bowl, pizza parlour, (I won't suggest pub but you know what I mean)
- the other part is for you to get your mane shorn occasionally, new tights and lipstick etc. etc

Not too different from home really.


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Things have changed a bit: I used to get £25 per annum to cover all fares (about £5.50 return train each term), compulsory pocket money (£1.50 per term) - no house subs then, sports clothes and gymshoes for school plus clothes for home, xmas presents, a birthday card, weekly stamp for the compulsory letter home ..... There was no more if I ran out - I simply couldn't spend the pocket money. There was no school contribution in those days.

1953 was a real B***er due to that man George kicking the bucket; we had to leave the school for a few days around June 3 and somehow I had to find the fare to get to Ipswich and back. I don't know how I did it.

David

Bad News. Well, not completely bad, I'm still going of course. But my friend, the one who got in aswell isn't going to CH next year, she wont tell me why and I havn't asked but that leaves me a little upset and a load more apprehensive. I thought that next year at least I would know someone there but alas, it seems I shall be entering my time at CH quite alone.
Can I ask a question, does the contribution usualy increase significantly after the estimate has been given? I'm not sure but It would be nice to have an idea.

Chin up, Gemma you already know so many Old Blues who will all be wishing you on to success. It may be better not knowing anyone else she might have held you back when you wanted to make new friends.

Can't answer about estimates and contributions but I would imagine that it would only change significantly if the family income changed significantly.

Gemma - you'll be fine!

The induction week is very short - it will be over before you know it and, surprise, surprise, you'll have suddenly acquired a whole group of new friends without realising it. What is more, because of the nature of people who get accepted, they will be quite exceptional friends too.

Jonathan came from a tiny Cornish village and had a rather sparse social life - he had a few friends from his previous school (he still has), but the sheer excitement of 24/7 socialising was a totally new experience for him. You will meet people from many different backgrounds and with an enormous range of experiences such as you may have never come across before. It will be very exciting for you.

One final - and very important piece of information. Christ's Hospital is possibly the most caring institution I have ever come across. The school is small enough and cohesive enough for everybody to know virtually everybody else. Many pupils come from very disadvantaged backgrounds. As a result, the whole community has developed a remarkable sensitivity to the needs of others. I do not think you will find this sense of social awareness and responsibility to the same degree at any other school. It lasts well after one leaves Housie and, probably to one's dying day (I have not quite reached my allotted span yet, so I am just guessing). If you want evidence of this, just explore this forum in depth (at least the CH related parts of it), and then ask yourself whether your own local schools have anything similar.

Absolutely not alone, Gemma! You (unlike your friend) have already made contact with the wider 'family' of Christ's Hospital and have been accepted as 'one of us'.
I am sorry for your friend that they have decided - for whatever reason - to eschew the great opportunity offered to them.
You stick with it! There will be many others entering the Deps year, like you - and you are bound to make new friends at the drop of a hat. What an opportunity!
I can't wait to meet you in your Bluecoat!
Kerren

Phew. Thanks guys. Can't wait to be in my bluecoat too. I'm probably going to be the luckiest new dep. You are right. I do know people there. Hm, Can't wait. though everytime I say that the letters GCSE just stare me in the face politely telling me that I need to have finished those before I go anywhere. If only I didn't have to work so hard!.

You're right David, Ch does have the best community spirit I have ever seen. No school that I know has ever had that. Especially the one I have at the moment. I don't even know some of the names of some people in my year. I hope I make lots of new freinds. It's a bit dauniting, knowing most of them have been with each other for 5 yeasr already, but im not in that boat alone since there are about 20 other new girls aswell.

I love this community, It sure is wonderful. I've read nearly everything posted here and the place seems amazing, people are so nice who go there. Must either be by the selection process or the place somehow making you that nice.

Probably a mixture.

.... and as far as the contribution goes, this is assessed annually and is computed (by some archane and esoteric wizardy )entirely on the parents' income less certain approved outgoings. I have to say that I do not believe this always works fairly (unless some people have found a way of cheating the system), but that's the way it is.

I understand that where the parents are married and one earns a high salary and the other not, a temporary divorce may provide an answer; remarriage can always take place following the final Beating of Retreat!

I can only echo the comments above, Gemma.

You must have disvovered by now that you are joining one of th most 'exclusive clubs' in the world.

You'll be fine and still able to keep in touch with us lot of 'older' Blues via this medium when you get there.

Ooh, you make it sound like a secret society, very masonic. though, I'd better not say that since there actualy is masonic links at CH.
I'm so going to write all about it when I get there. Probably make a diary of sorts, with pictures, then post it to the net. And the forum of course. It'll be nice to join in some of the discussions with first hand experiences.

Questions that were niggling at me during the abbey service today ( 2 hour long church service in Westminster abbey. could have shot myself)

Are the yellow socks optional in sixth form? as in, can you still wear them if you want?. I'd love a pair, since I love socks but I don't know. Plus they look really groovy.

What's the deal with the belts?, something about different types or placements for different year groups?. I'm totaly at a loss here.

gemmygemmerson wrote:What's the deal with the belts?, something about different types or placements for different year groups?. I'm totaly at a loss here.

... girdles, dear, girdles. Never, ever belts. Because of your seniority, you will wear a "broadie" girdle with a solid silver buckle.

DavebytheSea wrote:

gemmygemmerson wrote:What's the deal with the belts?, something about different types or placements for different year groups?. I'm totaly at a loss here.

... girdles, dear, girdles. Never, ever belts. Because of your seniority, you will wear a "broadie" girdle with a solid silver buckle.

DBTS - don't talk about ladies intimate lingerie like that.

OK Gemma, they are leather belts with a silver buckle which confuingly are caled girdles and go over the coat. Because the coat is so full below the waist there are no loops 0 the dirdles just hang there without falling down.

As for your friend - she'll never know what she's missing, That is her loss.
Don't you worry; everything will come straight very quickly. If it doesn't then just come back on here and we'll have Mrs C, Kerren and everyone else on the case before you can draw breath!

David