New 6th Form Awards

[Momto2]

Anyone fancy commenting on these -

http://www.christs-hospital.org.uk/sixt ... awards.php

[J.R.]

I'd rather not at the moment.

[LJG]

Firstly, this will effectively reduce the chances of a less well off child from gaining a place at CH no matter how they pretty it up. Secondly, how are they going to ensure they have the places - start asking still more children to leave who do not quite make it to the standards demanded based on their GCSE results? Which ones will they choose if there is a tie- those paying full fees - I think not!
Most other Independent school are bending over backwards to be more inclusive - positively courting less well off children to apply and here is CH doing the exact opposite.
What is going on?

[Eruresto]

Interesting. Very interesting.

I have discussed this with others at the school, and it seems that CH is taking a Taize-style stance on the matter. At Taize, those from the UK pay more than those from LEDCs. This means that the UKites etc. are effectively subsidising the others, which seems to be the case here. It is my opinion that if having a dozen clever, full paying students for two years will enable those who are less well off to come to the school, then this is a very good idea.

We shall see what happens, I suppose!

[Momto2]

I wonder what the "all inclusive" fee will be?

[Momto2]

.. and Josh as LJG says, where are these places coming from?

It's all very well in theory going with the idea that they will be enabling others to benefit but that's 12 less places available anyway!

[Hopeful_2009_Dep]

I'm confused... why is this happening and what does it mean? P'raps I'm just being dopey but it seems like it's saying clever people have a chance to attend at lower fees? Or not?

[Ajarn Philip]

I'm confused... why is this happening and what does it mean? P'raps I'm just being dopey but it seems like it's saying clever people have a chance to attend at lower fees? Or not?

In my day (oh my God, I've said it at last... is there a suicide emoticon?) your parents wouldn't pay full fees unless their circumstances improved substantially after you started at CH (at least, that's how I understood it to be). The whole point of the school was to provide a public school education for families who wouldn't normally be able to afford it. This offer seems to be saying that they will waive this financial limit, so that families with more money will be able to submit their children for entry to CH, when they would previously have been above the limit (in terms of income).

I think.

Sorry - didn't express myself very clearly there, but it's almost 1 a.m. here and I'm not going over it again!

[blondie95]

interesting, is this a step towards the public benefit test?

[Eruresto]

.. and Josh as LJG says, where are these places coming from?

It's all very well in theory going with the idea that they will be enabling others to benefit but that's 12 less places available anyway!

Good point. I suppose we shall see, is my only answer! It may be that they simply enlarge the 6th Form year groups. This would be viable - the Grecians Houses are only about 70% full - and would not deny places to those entering normally.

Or they may raise the bar at the end of GE, whether academically or disciplinary - or both. This would work, and in my opinion, would be a good idea as so many people on 6th form continually complain about the school and squander opportunities.

Or, as you say, they may simply decide to lower the number of normal new deps. However, there are normally no more than, say, eighteen-two dozen, and so this seems more unlikely.

[Hopeful_2009_Dep]

I'm confused... why is this happening and what does it mean? P'raps I'm just being dopey but it seems like it's saying clever people have a chance to attend at lower fees? Or not?

In my day (oh my God, I've said it at last... is there a suicide emoticon?) your parents wouldn't pay full fees unless their circumstances improved substantially after you started at CH (at least, that's how I understood it to be). The whole point of the school was to provide a public school education for families who wouldn't normally be able to afford it. This offer seems to be saying that they will waive this financial limit, so that families with more money will be able to submit their children for entry to CH, when they would previously have been above the limit (in terms of income).

I think.

Sorry - didn't express myself very clearly there, but it's almost 1 a.m. here and I'm not going over it again!

Oh, thanks!
I wish I'd know that before.
Even if I get in [unlikely!!] we think we will have to pay the full fees which is basicly impossible. We would have to take out a loan [or say remortgage the house] which would be an extra £300 a month for 16 years and my parents are prepared to pay no matter how much I want to go
So I can see this as being a good thing but also I know how others won't like it.

[LJG]

interesting, is this a step towards the public benefit test?

I very much doubt it, as it seems to be taking CH away from the strap line that I seem to remember being on their advertisement "The best education money can't buy".

[nastymum]

HOW TO APPLY
The majority of Christ’s Hospital’s pupils are assessed according to ability
and family need on a means-tested basis. The new Special Awards
Scheme for Sixth Form entry opens the door to a limited number of
able students who will be offered places based upon academic merit along
with prowess in music, sport, drama or art for an inclusive and competitive fee
without the usual means-testing.

This is from the leaflet on how to apply.It seems reasonable to me.The blurb always has said pupils from 'all backgrounds' can apply.Good, that's fair.

[midget]

I can not see that this would have any relevance to the "Public Benefit". They* seem more interested in schools opening their facilities to the local comprehensive (where do their own pupils go in the meantime?) and giving scholarships and bursaries, which CH presumably still does in spades. They also want public schools to open their playing fields, swimming pools etc to the local community. Again where do their own pupils fit in?

* 'They' are the Social Engineering Dept of this unlovely government.

Rant over
Maggie

[Great Plum]

Have I missed something here... the links didn't say what these 'special awards' are... are they full fee paying sixth formers? Or, say one musician, one sportsman, one artist etc...