Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Gosh! Is that right about them not starting on the same day as everyone else? Same every year? So cross out Sunday 2nd, and pencil in Wednesday 5th? Cheaper on the ferry crossing at any rate, midweek!
Thanks!

Yes, the Second Formers always start on a different day to the rest of the school. It's always on the Wednesday.

It means that the school can be up and running smoothly before the new pupils arrive.

So what happens when a new pupil already has an older sibling in the school - do the parents have to make the journey twice in a few days?

Must have to. Something (I hope!!!) to look forward to in 2014!

Oh well, that's something that won't bother me! He is my youngest and all the rest are adults now. So they can help out. Any other useful bits of advice gratefully received!

Hi there, Just wanted to add my Congratualtions to everyone who managed to get their DC's in to CH, really well done, and especially to Lippizaner.
I have followed her thread from the beginning, unfortunately we fell at the first hurdle, but I was determined to revisit this site to make sure her DS made it.
I wish all the children a fabulous school life at CH.

Thank you Jaknat, and best wishes to your boys too with their exams coming up (unless they've already had them that is!).

First of all, congratulations to all who have got in.

In my clear out of OB Editor's files, I have come across an article dated Feb 18th, 2006, taken from some magazine, probably a Sunday Supplement. It is entitled, Hearts and Minds, and starts of with a paragraph about 100 anxious 11-year olds and their equally anxious parents on the first day at CH. It then goes on to chat about CH, history etc.

A few things stand out.

One, a headline that says 'The first question is not "Can they pay?" but "Will they profit from being here?"' Hopefully, still true.

The second is a paragraph from a 13 year old, who tells of his fear on his first day at CH. "I was scared of boarding. I thought nobody is going to like me. But that lasted about two days and I made friends really easily" He was from a council estate in North London.

And finally Marlene Fleming, a senior housemistress, talks about the roller coaster that follows the first day. "By the weekend, most of the 11-year-olds will be crying, suffering from homesickness in the knowledge that it will be another three weeks before they get home leave. By the end of their time at CH, they will be crying again, because they don't want to leave their friends"

Only six years ago, but it was all pretty true in my time (1959, except that we had no home leave) and is probably pretty true now.

Animo, as they say here in Spain.

jhopgood wrote:First of all, congratulations to all who have got in.

In my clear out of OB Editor's files, I have come across an article dated Feb 18th, 2006, taken from some magazine, probably a Sunday Supplement. It is entitled, Hearts and Minds, and starts of with a paragraph about 100 anxious 11-year olds and their equally anxious parents on the first day at CH. It then goes on to chat about CH, history etc.

A few things stand out.

One, a headline that says 'The first question is not "Can they pay?" but "Will they profit from being here?"' Hopefully, still true.

The second is a paragraph from a 13 year old, who tells of his fear on his first day at CH. "I was scared of boarding. I thought nobody is going to like me. But that lasted about two days and I made friends really easily" He was from a council estate in North London.

And finally Marlene Fleming, a senior housemistress, talks about the roller coaster that follows the first day. "By the weekend, most of the 11-year-olds will be crying, suffering from homesickness in the knowledge that it will be another three weeks before they get home leave. By the end of their time at CH, they will be crying again, because they don't want to leave their friends"

Only six years ago, but it was all pretty true in my time (1959, except that we had no home leave) and is probably pretty true now.

Animo, as they say here in Spain.

So very true, John - So very true !

Hello!! I see huge congratulations are in order to you and your children!!

In the end my son didn't want to continue with the application - he said that he didn't want to go away to school and wanted to stay to look after me and I just couldn't reassure him enough that I'd be okay on my own to change his mind... I cannot tell you how gutted I was back in September, but his decision was firmly made. Such as shame, CH has so much to offer him (not simply the academic) and, likewise, he to CH. We applied ages ago and he was all for it. I think he got cold feet. However, he has now said that he would like to go in the future, for Deps. I don't know how possible this is, but I do know I need to do some throrough research!

Thank you for asking after me Volupturaptor and Anniefx If it's okay can I come along with you all on this thread and share in your journey towards September and beyond? This is such a lovely forum.

Very, very well done to each and every one of you! I hope that CH is everything you and your children dream of! Have some to celebrate. I insist!

My daughter wobbled a bit when I had my son. There's ten years between them. She became so attached to him so quickly that she felt she couldn't leave him. I did manage to persuade her that she shouldn't sacrifice her big chance for him, but it was a bit touch and go for a while there!
She is loving CH, and has not been homesick at all, but she does miss her little brother more than anyone else.

I think my son is going to miss his chickens more than anything else! He loves them, refuses to eat chicken any more and is touch and go on eggs!

kittykat wrote:
In the end my son didn't want to continue with the application - he said that he didn't want to go away to school and wanted to stay to look after me and I just couldn't reassure him enough that I'd be okay on my own to change his mind...

Not meaning to appear patronising kittykat, but you do have a lovely son! You must be so proud of him. Wishing him all the very best over the next five years, and looking forward to your own contributions here too. Do let us know how he gets on.

you do have a lovely son! You must be so proud of him. Wishing him all the very best over the next five years, and looking forward to your own contributions here too. Do let us know how he gets on.

Hear, hear! Anniex said just what I was going to. I am sure he will do very well wherever he goes and nowadays there seems to be more opportunity to join CH in other years so hopefully he will be able to if he so chooses.