Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I have been away in Turkey for the last two weeks and on my return I found a copy of the latest School Prospectus. It call itself A School Like No Other, however from my reading of it, it seemed that the uniform rather than its ethos was what made it a school like no other. Its charitable foundation was hardly mentioned. I had expected to find a thread here all about it, am I the only one to have received the Prospectus?

Katharine wrote:I have been away in Turkey for the last two weeks and on my return I found a copy of the latest School Prospectus. It call itself A School Like No Other, however from my reading of it, it seemed that the uniform rather than its ethos was what made it a school like no other. Its charitable foundation was hardly mentioned. I had expected to find a thread here all about it, am I the only one to have received the Prospectus?

I received one at the end of last week but have yet to read it.

This is the politically correct and non-elitist translation of the Report of the Schools Inquiry Commissioners, 1867-68 which says 'Christ's Hospital is...sui generis.'

If it goes on much longer like this, it won't be.

I got the prospectus. I haven't even looked at it - I don't have children and actually am not intending to have any. Ho-hum.

So, for a school which claims to be strapped for cash, this seems a fairly pointless and extremely expensive way of using its resources!

I do have a child who might benefit from a CH education but it is clearly not going to happen. There is no way that even with only one child I'd ever be able to afford the fees and I doubt I'd qualify in any other way. Anyway, the school is too far away to make access practicable now that it seems that boarding in reality only means weekly boarding. I did flick through the prospectus but only for interest really. I must admit that I do not like the way the school seems to be changing and I am less than entirely sympathetic to the dire financial situation in which it seems to have found itself. There has clearly been massive expenditure in infrastructure and I can't help feeling that a degree of austerity in the boarding houses might have been a price worth paying to have retained the true CH ethos of providing a Public School education to those that can't otherwise afford it. Arguments about needing comparable accommodation and other facilities to compete with other fee-paying schools only hold water if you are going to charge a similar level of fees. So, I too won't be considering CH for my daughter and shall file the prospectus in an approprite place!

Andrew,
We have never met, but I agree with you 100 percent.
David

CH in dire financial straits? What about the very substantial land holdings in the City?

I also received a copy, and I've been holding back while trying to think of something positive to say about it.

To be honest, I can't see much difference between this and any other glossy advertisement for an English public school. It strikes me this brochure is in no way aimed at parents / guardians of children who have traditionally benefited from a C.H. education. As Katharine mentions, there is scant mention of the school's charitable ethos, and I would have thought that this would have been THE most important aspect of marketing a "school like no other". It is there, but you have to hunt for it.....

While much is (rightly) made of the wonderful facilities and opportunity, I cannot avoid the feeling that some marketing bods have been given a brief to produce a prospectus designed to appeal to wealthy (and international) parents, and have done so by walking around with a note book, jotting down a few "unique" points about CH, then grafting them on to the standard selling points of a major public school. Talk of Verrios, Brangwyns, Senior Grecian's Orations, St. Matthew's Day and the like is all well and good, but will probably mean absolutely nothing to the vast majority of those prospective parents at whom this is aimed. Still, assuming this was not done in-house, I expect the marketing types have been handsomely rewarded for their efforts.

I would also seriously question the wisdom of printing and posting lots (how many?) of unsolicited copies of the prospectus. I would have been happy to have received an e-mailed PDF copy, and an invitation to ask for a printed copy if I thought I might be able to do something useful with it.

I guess this is the new C.H., then. Money talks, the school need lots of it, we might not like it, but there you are.

However.........anyone remember "the best education money can't buy"?

The school still, I would imagine, educates a very significant number of children from needy backgrounds, those who would be eligible for free school meals and so on. THIS is what makes it a school like no other. Why on earth not shout it from the rooftops while it still holds true, rather than go on about the school's proximity to Gatwick and Heathrow?

Anyway, the school is too far away to make access practicable now that it seems that boarding in reality only means weekly boarding.

This is actually not the case at all, a rumour put straight in the last Head Master's letter. I have stood up for CH a couple of times before and will do so again. Whilst I fully appreciate, understand and share some of the concerns mentioned, I am so so grateful and so happy with the education and experience my DS has been given by CH.To us it is really a school like no other, and there is no doubt in my mind that it is indeed still a life changing opportunity for the majority of it's pupils. Not just because of the education but also because of the fantastic pastoral care and the diversity of it's pupils, which you simply do not get in Public Schools.
It's unique, in my humble opinion. Fabulously so.

Expensively over-designed in my opinion, and short on hard information. What is not clear is if this lack of information will be made up for by inserts in the pocket at the back. And have you noticed the carefully photo-shopped pics which add to the rosy glow? In particular though, have a look at the aerial shot which shows that Col A has mysteriously grown an extra entrance porch tower! How on earth did that happen? Makes you wonder what else is being manipulated...

There used to be huge competition to get into CH. It was a privilege to be accepted. So why the need for a prospectus?

My son made the comment that the whole prospectus did make it seem a school like any other Public School, apart from the uniform, rather than a school like no other. He was amused by the lad inside the back cover and how low his belt was!

Could I add to the dissenters who are voicing concern about the cost?

I have school age children and therefore may have had an interest in going, however I would request prospectuses of those schools I am interested in rather than receiving an unsolicited glossy mailshot. If the school would like me to encourage others to be interested, I am sure I could provide far more useful info than that contained in this publication.

The pictures are very nice however my other half did point out the caravans 'dumped' by the sicker in the aerial shot don't really give the right impression.

Overall a crass waste of money, if anyone on the SMT is looking - so much for a foundation requiring additional funds. As someone in business for many years I would love to see the benefits case that justified the expenditure and what additional revenue it will generate - as has been posted before entrance exams are many times oversubscribed anyway.

I also received mine a few days ago, and decided to let myself 'cool-down' somewhat, before making any comment.

I have to agree with everything above !

I did try, with the help of a local school to get two of my grand-children in, but failed. Mum, (our youngest daughter), is a single parent mum and has just been classified as 'severely disabled'. Yes - She IS a blue badge holder and was told a couple of weeks ago that she will probably be in a wheel-chair by her 40th birthday !

Money obviously now talks louder than needs and ability !

I, as a moderator on this site, would welcome all points of view, bearing in mind that The School DOES monitor this site !!

Incidently, the CH Association is looking for new Committee members ! Any takers ?