Private schools, times a changing?
Discussion
Countdown said:
Does anybody ever get rejected due to a failing in "personal characteristics"?
I'm pretty confident that the answer to that is yes, although "failing" is perhaps the wrong word. We know families with academically bright kids who didn't get offered places. At the time we were surprised but we can see now that they are looking for more than just entrance exam performance. I think they have a very good idea of the traits that lead to success in their culture/environment. That's fine; successful organisations in all walks of life tend to have this level of self-awareness.
Leithen said:
It is a competitive environment. Competition for places, but also for pupils, for staff, and for the best leadership teams.
One of my oldest school friends is Head of a well known and very successful Southern-England Public School. His workload is immense, and the need to navigate very difficult HR, Safeguarding, Compliance etc whilst at the same time leading an organisation and running a very successful business is something I wouldn't touch with a bargepole. He hasn't taught anything for years.
I my opinion he deserves every pound he earns and probably more. He could be earning far bigger bucks in the city and not having to deal with parents who are in city....
Obviously he ultimately carries the can, but he should, especially bearing in mind the budget he's likely to have, have a crack team around him dealing with those things so he can swan around being head-teachery.One of my oldest school friends is Head of a well known and very successful Southern-England Public School. His workload is immense, and the need to navigate very difficult HR, Safeguarding, Compliance etc whilst at the same time leading an organisation and running a very successful business is something I wouldn't touch with a bargepole. He hasn't taught anything for years.
I my opinion he deserves every pound he earns and probably more. He could be earning far bigger bucks in the city and not having to deal with parents who are in city....
As for not teaching - even state school primary Heads don't teach.
okgo said:
All of the sought after schools around here do assessments for entry at 4+.
Its only a few bits any 4 year old should be able to do nothing to much. Periodic table, alphabet backwards and a little long division. Any half competent 4 year old should be able to do it with ease.Only joking, I think its just seeing how they play with others a few basic tasks and seeing if a trained eye spots any areas of concern before formally giving a place.
JimmyConwayNW said:
okgo said:
All of the sought after schools around here do assessments for entry at 4+.
Its only a few bits any 4 year old should be able to do nothing to much. Periodic table, alphabet backwards and a little long division. Any half competent 4 year old should be able to do it with ease.Only joking, I think its just seeing how they play with others a few basic tasks and seeing if a trained eye spots any areas of concern before formally giving a place.
deckster said:
I'm going to suggest that at 4 years old they are going to be assessing the parents a lot more than the child.
Nope. Kids for one of the schools are taken off without parents. Assessment done approx 10 months from the start of reception year so as a July kid my son would be a 3 years 4 months old. Mad really. What are they going to look at in a parent, not like there’s going to be any parents in Trapstar clothing and a Pitbull in tow. It’s one of my fascinations with the whole thing. Still, they turn out near perfect academic students hear after year so they obviously know more than I on the topic.
okgo said:
Nope. Kids for one of the schools are taken off without parents. Assessment done approx 10 months from the start of reception year so as a July kid my son would be a 3 years 4 months old. Mad really.
What are they going to look at in a parent, not like there’s going to be any parents in Trapstar clothing and a Pitbull in tow. It’s one of my fascinations with the whole thing. Still, they turn out near perfect academic students hear after year so they obviously know more than I on the topic.
You'd be surprised what you can learn by watching how a parent interacts with their child. And (discreetly) screening parents is absolutely part of the process.What are they going to look at in a parent, not like there’s going to be any parents in Trapstar clothing and a Pitbull in tow. It’s one of my fascinations with the whole thing. Still, they turn out near perfect academic students hear after year so they obviously know more than I on the topic.
My wife teaches at an independent boarding school and it's a basic fact that there are very few problem students who do not also have problem parents.
Sheepshanks said:
Very different scale of job though to a school head though.
I'm gonna be a bit bold and say, I think a school head role is a more complex/difficult job than a regular university VC nowadays. (more than 70% of their income (average) comes from home students, and their fees mostly about student loans, it's almost automated)WindyCommon said:
The interesting question is whether the recipient should be viewed (as some posters propose) as the leader of a substantial business, or as the leader of what is technically a charity. Turnover is approx £30m, which I suspect is quite small for a charity https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.go...
Really good point.deckster said:
JimmyConwayNW said:
okgo said:
All of the sought after schools around here do assessments for entry at 4+.
Its only a few bits any 4 year old should be able to do nothing to much. Periodic table, alphabet backwards and a little long division. Any half competent 4 year old should be able to do it with ease.Only joking, I think its just seeing how they play with others a few basic tasks and seeing if a trained eye spots any areas of concern before formally giving a place.
He was 2 years and 9 months at the time when we were invited to have a ‘chat’ with the headmaster.
The headmaster questioned me on my background, qualifications and job plus my expectations of the school and views on education.
During the ‘chat’ he gave my son a box of duplo and asked him to build a car. My son said “duplo is for babies, I play with big boy lego” and proceeded to build a car, bridge and some buildings.
Following that exceptionally show of talent, my son was invited back for an ‘observation’ day a few months later. They check to see how he interacts with other children, asked him to count, questions on alphabet and I think some writing eg his name and some other basic stuff.
Plus they teach them something and see whether he is listening and has understood.
He was subsequently offered a place and the contract said it was subject to being ‘dry’ (out of nappies).
Fat hippo said:
deckster said:
JimmyConwayNW said:
okgo said:
All of the sought after schools around here do assessments for entry at 4+.
Its only a few bits any 4 year old should be able to do nothing to much. Periodic table, alphabet backwards and a little long division. Any half competent 4 year old should be able to do it with ease.Only joking, I think its just seeing how they play with others a few basic tasks and seeing if a trained eye spots any areas of concern before formally giving a place.
He was 2 years and 9 months at the time when we were invited to have a ‘chat’ with the headmaster.
The headmaster questioned me on my background, qualifications and job plus my expectations of the school and views on education.
During the ‘chat’ he gave my son a box of duplo and asked him to build a car. My son said “duplo is for babies, I play with big boy lego” and proceeded to build a car, bridge and some buildings.
Following that exceptionally show of talent, my son was invited back for an ‘observation’ day a few months later. They check to see how he interacts with other children, asked him to count, questions on alphabet and I think some writing eg his name and some other basic stuff.
Plus they teach them something and see whether he is listening and has understood.
He was subsequently offered a place and the contract said it was subject to being ‘dry’ (out of nappies).
.pingu393 said:
Fat hippo said:
deckster said:
JimmyConwayNW said:
okgo said:
All of the sought after schools around here do assessments for entry at 4+.
Its only a few bits any 4 year old should be able to do nothing to much. Periodic table, alphabet backwards and a little long division. Any half competent 4 year old should be able to do it with ease.Only joking, I think its just seeing how they play with others a few basic tasks and seeing if a trained eye spots any areas of concern before formally giving a place.
He was 2 years and 9 months at the time when we were invited to have a ‘chat’ with the headmaster.
The headmaster questioned me on my background, qualifications and job plus my expectations of the school and views on education.
During the ‘chat’ he gave my son a box of duplo and asked him to build a car. My son said “duplo is for babies, I play with big boy lego” and proceeded to build a car, bridge and some buildings.
Following that exceptionally show of talent, my son was invited back for an ‘observation’ day a few months later. They check to see how he interacts with other children, asked him to count, questions on alphabet and I think some writing eg his name and some other basic stuff.
Plus they teach them something and see whether he is listening and has understood.
He was subsequently offered a place and the contract said it was subject to being ‘dry’ (out of nappies).
.But not after paying (and losing) a deposit.
There was a bit of panic after I had signed the contract as I wasn’t sure if my son would play ball with the nappy situation.
I remember trying to explain to him the importance of using the potty. In the end I ‘encouraged’ him with the promise of the Simpsons house lego set. That seemed to work. He was dry within a week.
On the point re secondary schools, it is still possible to get into top grammar and London independent schools in the 11+, as my son has proved to me.
Not easy, but by no means impossible. If you are top of the class, or on the top table, at the very least, then you stand a chance
Well of course. All the kids must go somewhere from these prep schools.
I went to Dulwich Prep the other day and of their 75 students, almost 50 won scholarships in senior schools which I was quite amazed by. 95% apparently leaving the school at 13 get their first choice senior school (and the list of destinations is fairly punchy as you’d imagine). Seems being thick isn’t a thing for the paid sector.
I went to Dulwich Prep the other day and of their 75 students, almost 50 won scholarships in senior schools which I was quite amazed by. 95% apparently leaving the school at 13 get their first choice senior school (and the list of destinations is fairly punchy as you’d imagine). Seems being thick isn’t a thing for the paid sector.
okgo said:
Well of course. All the kids must go somewhere from these prep schools.
I went to Dulwich Prep the other day and of their 75 students, almost 50 won scholarships in senior schools which I was quite amazed by. 95% apparently leaving the school at 13 get their first choice senior school (and the list of destinations is fairly punchy as you’d imagine). Seems being thick isn’t a thing for the paid sector.
I think that you will find that there are very few genuinely thick children who don't also display some sort of disability. There are, though, lots of kids who are lazy. Paid education don't allow the kids to be lazy. They are encouraged and their peers strive to achieve, as opposed to striving to skive.I went to Dulwich Prep the other day and of their 75 students, almost 50 won scholarships in senior schools which I was quite amazed by. 95% apparently leaving the school at 13 get their first choice senior school (and the list of destinations is fairly punchy as you’d imagine). Seems being thick isn’t a thing for the paid sector.
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