Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

stpandp wrote:Daughter aged 16 still enjoys receiving "real" letters - just a thought.

Do you mean as opposed to postcards? Or e-mails?

Mrs C. wrote:My experience isn`t quite the same as I`m a CH resident parent, but my elder daughter is off to Uni at the end of the month - and I suspect I`ll be feeling a bit like you are now!

My daughter went a couple of years ago & it did take some getting used to but she thrived, so it's my turn to reassure you! She saw it as an opportunity to get away from a small (ish) provincial town up to the Big City and it certainly hasn't disappointed... ironically, she is now looking for a one bedroomed flat or a room in a family house as she's fed up with the noise & distraction of student houses.

Where is your daughter going & what's she going to do?

She`s off to Durham to study Anthropology at the end of the month

Good for her, I hope she has a great time; as I'm sure she will. Thanks for everything. I leave the forum tonight a great deal happier than when I arrived!

You're a nice bunch of people & I'm glad I found you.

huggermugger wrote:Good for her, I hope she has a great time; as I'm sure she will. Thanks for everything. I leave the forum tonight a great deal happier than when I arrived!

You're a nice bunch of people & I'm glad I found you.

It's really interesting to see this from a caring parent's perspective. The forum is now showing what it can do for communication between all the facets that make up CH and I think that's really great. You are now part of the same community that your son is immersing himself in - but don't tell him that!

huggermugger wrote:This probably wasn't meant to make me laugh, but it did shades of that record "Hello Mudder, Hello Fadder" about the boy who went away to summer camp -

Feel free to laugh. I certainly do when I think back to that time. I was quite the little wreck back then.

huggermugger wrote:- showing my age I think

You might say that, I couldn't possibly comment

huggermugger wrote:

stpandp wrote:Daughter aged 16 still enjoys receiving "real" letters - just a thought.

Do you mean as opposed to postcards? Or e-mails?

Yes- you may(!) even get a real letter back.

huggermugger wrote:I've just had a call (unsolicited) from his housemaster (lovely man) to say that he is "immensely happy and having a wonderful time"

Not sure if it is in the "Housemaster's manual" but my mother got a letter along similar lines in 1952. I suppose it is intended to help the parents as much as anything. Your son evidently has a very good housemaster - like all humans they can vary but generally even the lesser ones are human when one is not being a pain.

As this forums No 1. poster, I apologise for this late reply, albeit only a couple of day. Unfortunately footy business has kept me pretty well tied up, (no comments Mary, perleeez), for the last 48 hours with THREE TEAMS to do work for now !

Welcome aboard, parents. It's so nice to see your questions and fears on here.

As a leaver from the 60's, I can say that the conditions at Horsham are FAR less austere than those I experienced.

The first term for me was hell, but as soon as new friendships are forged and you get into the ways of the running of the school, things become better and better.

I'm glad to see Janet, (Mrs C), has PM'd one of you. A true friend to have. We occasionally meet for a drink when Jan and I are in Horsham and it's a lovely way for me to keep up with what is happening at Housey.

Of course, there is a new Head now, so we will have to 'watch this space' !

Why, thank you kindly for the welcome J.R.

I have found this site invaluable since my children have been at CH - I know far more from here than from the Official website or the letters home (which are all e-mailed now by the way including the reports)

As for the letter writing thing, well I've given up trying. We are reduced to occasional e-mails and if I'm lucky a goodnight text (though the signals in both their houses are rubbish)!

I guess I need to be a little discrete as I'm sure my children would be horrified if they knew I was posting here but I'm sure I'll give myself away at some stage

I have to say that we couldn't be happier with the choice we made and the children are extremely happy at CH!

PS: Meant to say we were at CH for a rugby match at the weekend - the new head was showing great support to our teams - seemed like a very nice man IMO!

Momto2 wrote:Why, thank you kindly for the welcome J.R.

I have found this site invaluable since my children have been at CH - I know far more from here than from the Official website or the letters home (which are all e-mailed now by the way including the reports)

Hopefully that will help fill in the gaps and things which you are assumed to know! Also from posts from JR, myself and others you can judge how the school has progressed since the wartime and rationing eras. I wonder (and don't expect an answer,) what your take is on the Hertford girls school conditions!

Momto2 wrote:I guess I need to be a little discrete as I'm sure my children would be horrified if they knew I was posting here but I'm sure I'll give myself away at some stage

Children are often more worldly wise than many parents assume. Very possibly they would not be horrified but perhaps even pleased to see that you are taking an interest(that is unless you disclose some of their home secrets which could lead to teasing at school but I'm sure you will avoid that! I don't even know what proportion even know of this forum.

David

Hoorah!!

My personal saga continues with an e-mail from my son this morning (thanks, I'm sure, to housemaster-prompting) which says "having a great time here", lists the games he has played & the fact that he's joined "the metal & plastics club" (??!).

One mind well & truely at rest. Thanks for seeing me through, people.

Large glass of wine coming up!

(can you tell I'm enjoying the emoticons?)

Momto2 wrote:I'm sure my children would be horrified if they knew I was posting here

TBH if I'm not horrifying my children regularly, I tend to feel I'm probably doing something wrong.

Metal & plastics would be making things from metal and plastic.

I noticed today that Millfield have appointed a new headmaster, also an Australian. Is this a new trend?