Thread: Boarding School

I went to a private (City of Coventry) boarding school in Shropshire (1970 - 1975) as my old boy was in the RAF and moving around a lot. (School now closed and turned into an Adventure Training Centre for disadvantaged kids)

The school rules were bordering on a military theme, and at times were fairly harsh, but I coped, and got a whole bunch of CSE/O Levels when I left.

I spent one year at a BFES school in Gutersloh before this school, in a class of 60 pupils. I had 5 other bods in my class at boarding school. Say no more.

Never regretted my parents decision to send me to Coventry. (Hmm... perhaps I should change that last bit)

I was in boarding school from 1978 to 1983, didn't really do me any harm, I certainly learnt to become fully responsible for my own wellbeing, it was hard work as the school day was longer than what I would have got at a state school and I was no scholar. Sports wise they pushed me pretty hard to represent County in Football/ Rugby and if I ever had a problem with boarding school it was that, I just wanted to be a kid, they wanted me to grow up and quick. Punishments were cruel and frequent, I did swear that the English teacher who pretty much birched me would get chinned if I ever saw him again, time is a great healer and when I saw him last year at a reunion he was a little old man and wasn't worth unleashing anger upon, that didn't stop me rubbing the flap of my iliostomy bag round the rim of his glass while at the bar buying him a drink. I did see kids fall by the wayside, some very homesick, some like me, who had a sh*te home life adapting to the discipline of boarding school quite well, I suppose it is what you make it, I had some cracking times, I had some sh*te times, however I've got friends from there that I've had for three decades, sadly the numbers get less every year.

I just noticed that Pockets & SinceWhen both joined on the same day and they waited a couple of weeks before both of them posted on this thread. Their only posts as well?

Is it just me that's cynical then?

I went to boarding school and my feelings about it are pretty much the same of Sandhurst! Namely, I have never been part of the really cool kids so my only real option was to knuckle down, keep my head as low as possible and do the best I can.

I didn't dislike it nor did I love either establishment. However, I fully recognise the benefits it gave me including independence, clarity of purpose & I learnt early that life simply ain't fair.

I don't have any deep seated emotional issues and I thank my parents for the headstart it gave me. My grades are unlikely to be as good as they are if I hadn't attended.

Bottom Line: research, choose according to your child's needs. Example - my brother is a brainiac and went to a school that helped him go to Oxbridge to get a double first. I went to a school that was more rounded than academic and also have a good career in something different.

Originally Posted by Hairy_Fairy

Does the army not pay for your children to attend boarding school?

The termly rates for CEA 2009-2010 are as follows:

Junior CEA (Day) £2556
Junior CEA (Board) £4338
Senior CEA (Day) £3378
Senior CEA (Board) £5621


CEA stuff!

My cherubs attend boarding school we have had a few "wobbles" along the way and I'd be daft to think that we won't have more, but for me it really was a nobrainer...boarding school with loads of assistance from Army or send them off to the local sink comp'!

Originally Posted by Bootifull

Originally Posted by Hairy_Fairy

Does the army not pay for your children to attend boarding school?

The termly rates for CEA 2009-2010 are as follows:

Junior CEA (Day) £2556
Junior CEA (Board) £4338
Senior CEA (Day) £3378
Senior CEA (Board) £5621


CEA stuff!

My cherubs attend boarding school we have had a few "wobbles" along the way and I'd be daft to think that we won't have more, but for me it really was a nobrainer...boarding school with loads of assistance from Army or send them off to the local sink comp'!

With discounts QE require a further £1020 on top of the £5621 10% minimum personal contribution applies however much the fees are.

I think that this thread is getting away from what I had in mind when started. Had we known what we know now we would have gone elsewhere.

How about a few more experiences from other schools so parents can visit perspective schools with some knowledge of what to look for.

QE School appear to be prolific marketeers with leaflets, adverts and smart brochures appearing in numerous military publications so it would be a shame if this was all spin & gloss?!

That said, I am sometimes taken aback by the complaints made by parents for "extras" at BS eg taxis & trips etc. Sending our boy for a weeks trip with his Germany based SCEA primary school (to an Army AT centre) costs us £150 so these costs exist everywhere.

You do raise useful pointers for prospective parents when undergoing selection of school. We opted for proximity to an airport for example, and we incur no travel costs. I hope things work out in the end for your family.
LTP

Originally Posted by Hairy_Fairy

Is this the Queen Ethelburgas school that used to be at Harrogate?

Yes it is, and it's a completely different school since its inheritance and subsequent move. And not entirely in a good way either.

Colleague at work has a daughter at Gordon School (Used to be Gordon Boys School) near Woking.Says it's very good.Also military tradition - the only school to march past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day, apparently.

Originally Posted by telecaster

Colleague at work has a daughter at Gordon School (Used to be Gordon Boys School) near Woking.Says it's very good.Also military tradition - the only school to march past the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day, apparently.

Mate of mine has just selected Gordon's for his children having visited at least 5 others. Certainly appears to support Telcaster's anecdotal evidence. It's a state boarding school so does benefit from public and private money ie well resourced but fees are realistic. The mood music is that State Boarding schools are the preferred long term solution when the CEA cut eventually comes.

LtP

I'd like to add my two penny worth to this link, my 2 girls went to Queen Ethelburgas, it was the worst decision I ever made, they were so badly looked after my youngest had nits constantly, her clothes smelt damp the boarding staff constantly changed as did the teachers. The so called fantastic boarding house flooded constantly the private dorms did not encourage interaction with peers and the school was run by a business man whose sole interest was to make money! My eldest daughter was put up a class as she was supposedly doing so well in school only for her to get a huge shock when she switched schools and found she was miles behind!! The children were left to their own devices most of the time and there was a huge smoking\drinking problem. I and several other forces parents complained and we all took our children out of the school. I would discourage anyone from sending their child to this school - the very fact that they have a contract which binds you to 3 years of misery should be enough to set alarm bells ringing as I have never heard of another private school doing this - in fact I'm not convinced it's legal!!!!

I boarded at Marlborough College and loved it............although many didn't.

Originally Posted by Banker

I boarded at Marlborough College and loved it............although many didn't.

That's the school for rich chavs in North Wiltshire isn't it?

To the original poster:

You are getting a £28K uplift in salary and you think it unjust that you have to dip in another £3K to cover the 2/3 of the year when you don't have any other expense with regards to rearing your offspring?

I have a child in private education, meet all of the costs myself. The additional charges you quote seem fair and standard.

Originally Posted by western

Originally Posted by Banker

I boarded at Marlborough College and loved it............although many didn't.

That's the school for rich chavs in North Wiltshire isn't it?

Not back in the day........oh, and I was on a scholarship.

Originally Posted by Pockets

We have a child in boarding school and are constantly asked what our feelings are. In addition there are things we were not aware of regarding the school before starting, and thought it would be good to share experiences. So for Starters:

Queen Ethelburgas College Thorpe Underwood York:

Likes:

20% Forces Discount.
Lots of other Forces kids to relate to/travel with.
Good Facilities.
Friendly teachers/staff.

Dislikes:

Not cheap even with discount you pay £1k a term for a senior boarder after CEA.

20% Forces Discount is subject to the completion of 9 terms or 3 years. If your child has to finish before that you pay it back i.e. the discount starts on commencement. £8k a term before discount - do your sums. Aware of a WO2 got divorced with 2 kids attending (lost custody). With them having completed around 2 years he had to pay back £15k at £1k a month (not very compassionate). In the small print not on the brochures.

Extras are excessive - some examples:

Injury incurs a travel charge of about £15-18 to the hospital and parking fees. Similar charge for local Med Centre.

Travel to/from Manchester Airport is around £60 a go.

Rugby Trip school team London £250.

DOE award weekend away you provide food camp site fees and £40 transport even though they are not living/eating at the school.

In our opinion too big with lots of disciplinary problems - alcohol, smoking, theft, bullying. All dealt with by the school when discovered but would have preferred smaller school/closer obsevation/prevention.

Very impressive and great outline you've shared. Parents would be happy and glade to see this and starting to take boarding school as an option for their kids. As an addition to your outline, Education is not just attending school and learning facts. You should have to develop skills to meet the challenges of the future. A boarding school will give kids the
right environment to learn and grow. Kids boarding school find a close-knit community, wide variety of clubs, teams and activities that help to have a proper intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual growth. A boarding school will support and guide to develop the kids intellect, curiosity and creativity but also the school will help the child to build up their self-discipline and decision making skills and abilities.




Charm Stevenson


Admin edit . Link removed.