Charterhouse

[BusyDad66]

DS is in prep school at the moment, there have been some very interesting items on these pages but I haven't seen any mention of Charterhouse recently. Seems to me from visiting the general area (not the school yet) and the website that it looks very sophisticated and have seen a few of the boys out and about, they seem very polished young men indeed.

Any one got any stories/views (good or bad) to share?

[grovel]

More money than manners at Charterhouse.

[difficultpickle]

The school secretary was very strict when she used to inspect the house I rented from a master at the school (when I was a student at the law college many many years ago).

[BusyDad66]

Grovel: personal experience?

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

Not sure what 'sophisticated' means.

GSG says

"Girls here do not HAVE to be confident, attractive and from a well-heeled family - but it certainly helps. Ditto for boys"

Seems like it would suit the more macho type?

[happygardening]

We know of friends of friends with boys there and they're very happy. What I understand is that it's trying to become a super selective and for the boys to still have "fun." Everyone always says "very boyish."
As for "from a well-heeled family" if you can pay £32 000+ per child in school fees your not likely to be one benefit!
OTH.

[milkshake3]

I think they will struggle to become super selective with their admission policy, which is basically put your name down and have an interview with the housemaster. 60% is CE passmark. Some nice boys going there this year from our school. Not sure the families would describe themselves as well heeled! I would describe their website as slick rather than sophisticated. It is a football school (rather than rugby), and a large number go home at the weekends, so by definition a lot of London and SE families. I think schools that are basically single sex (which C is until 6th form) risks being macho because there is no oestrogen to dilute the testosterone.....one can discuss if that is a good or bad thing (see numerous other threads on single sex vs co-ed)!!

Am not considering it for my DSs so this is what I've heard from others that are.

HTH

[BusyDad66]

@Milkshake why not for your own DSs? Looking at Eton/Winchester instead?

Agree with @happygardening, I can obviously afford to send my children there, so I am not poor!

@SYFET by sophisticated I mean that they have such excllent facilities and very nice grounds.

[milkshake3]

geographically not right, weekly boarding and football school! Also wasn't sure about pre-U vs A levels vs IB.

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

"Not sure the families would describe themselves as well heeled!"

Shome mishtake shurely?

www.charterhouse.org.uk/fees

Boarding fees £31,680
Day fees £26,190

[BusyDad66]

Ah, you more of a rugby man?

[grovel]

Eton play rugby and football. And the Field and Wall games.

[happygardening]

"I think they will struggle to become super selective with their admission policy, which is basically put your name down and have an interview with the housemaster. 60% is CE passmark."
I suspect they are being pushed to be more academic because of their location. They are in the same area and competing for the same very bright children as Eton and Winchester, the London day schools and indeed Surrey/Berks day schools, Schools like Wellington (wince) Radley and Marlborough are also increasingly improving their results year on year. This is why I'm assuming they adopted the Pre U in more subjects becasue some of those named above have only adopted it in very limited subjects.
"I would describe their website as slick rather than sophisticated."
Im not sure I can distinguish between a slick rather than sophisticated website!! Most websites make are exceedingly tedious and samish.

[propatria]

Thats interesting,met the Head (Rev something or other) at a function,the way he was going on I got the impression that if you werent top in top sets at good prep schools,they would not be interested,60% is not the level he gave the impression that was required,he struck me as a pompous a.. but you pays your money etc.
He also said something along the lines of "we dont have day pupils but some pupils go home to sleep"
Wouldnt trust a school that didnt play Rugby and inflicted Genesis on the world.

[grovel]

The Rev Witheridge is retiring soon I think. May be wrong.

[happygardening]

OP if you and your DS like Charterhouse and think the boys were "very polished young men indeed" and thats what your looking for, like the look of the grounds etc, have hopefully looked at least one other so that you've got something to compare it against and the sort of boarding you want is predominant then go for it. Whatever school you mention it will have its supporters and detractors.

[SkippyYourFriendEverTrue]

rugby is a dreadful game.

[happygardening]

Rugby doesn't do it for me or my DS so am pretty relieved that his boarding school doesn't do rugby at all!

[BusyDad66]

To be honest, it's between Harrow, St Pauls, Eton and Charterhouse at the moment, I see the others discussed fairly regularly, but not Charterhouse and I was wondering why this was.

As a longtime lurker though, I know which one you would choose HappyGardening! My DS is already showing promise for sport though, so a bit worried about the lack of rugby now that you mention it. The reason to go private is to give my kids the most opportunities, not reduce them!

[difficultpickle]

That's a real mix of schools, all very different. Which year is your ds in? I would expect your prep to be giving you a steer on schools which would be a good fit for your ds.

[happygardening]

St Pauls IMO wins hands down if you want an outstanding 21 st century education but very early registration date and very very oversubscribed no boarders left either (well 20 but all in the 6th form).

[BusyDad66]

Well, this is looking ahead a bit, DS is only in year 3, so it is some way off yet, I just want the best for him and think you can never start too soon. I will admit to being a novice at it all (first of three children to sort out!)

[difficultpickle]

Year 3 is pretty early to start looking for a school that starts at year 9! Year 5 is early enough. The risk of looking too soon is that your ds's character and interests can change. The school I chose for ds when he was 3 was completely the wrong choice by the time he was 8. Based on that experience I'm not planning on looking too far ahead (but keeping an eye on registration deadlines).

[happygardening]

By the way as you're interested in these; Harrow, St Pauls, Eton and Charterhouse and my DS isn?t at any of them then the lack of rugby shouldn?t be an issue!?
Fortunately for my DS the lack of rugby rather than restricting his opportunites has in fact opened up sports and other cultural activites that are far more suitable for him. His choosen sport was just a once a week extracurricular activity at his boarding prep, now rugby, football and the much hated cricket (the last two are of course played) are not compulsory and this means he can pursue it three times a week instead and particpate on 4 other sports as well.

[gallicgirl]

I hear Charterhouse treat their staff pretty shabbily but that's probably not what people when choosing which school to pay for.

[gallicgirl]

bah, what people consider when choosing...!