Independent schools for the quirky/odd/non-conformist/downright difficult!

Squiff Thank you!

My sister-in-law who is the only qualified music teacher, together with 3 or 4 others run a properly licensed ?music school? with scores of registered students. It is called, ?Yamaha Music School? which occupies the top two floors of a three storey building, the ground floor of which sells YAMAHA pianos, organs, guitars and all musical instruments YAMAHA.

Great! The students are happy, the music teachers are happy and YAMAHA very happy because the ?music school? makes more money than the music shop below.

As for Eton, with a total of 80 music teachers in its music dept. they never call themselves a music school some might call it a third tier music school any more than Oxford/Cambridge/Imperial/Harvard etc. calling themselves a medical school simply because they just excel in every faculty.

peteneras you are obviously more initiated that Mr A and now Mr J, neither of whom would be as informed as you to think Eton a music school.

Most kids don't worry about size if there is a space for them, and that is done well provided you choose you Housemeister well and your boy is lucky enough to have a good Block. Surely milkshake you considered all this before applying?

vixsatis - if your DS is intelligent but not typically so, then I think King's Canterbury should definitely be on your radar. There is a new headmaster in, and there is a feeling that things will get tighter in terms of bringing the academic standards up, but someone who is intellectually interesting should not - I imagine - have anything to fear.

Milkshake, my DS left Eton a year ago. He loved it. I absolutely shared your worry before he went.

I don't have time now to address your question in detail (will try to come back) but would say that the small houses -50 boys- create a strong community/home from which the boys launch themselves out into the wider Eton experience.

Because the Houses are small the Housemasters and Dames know the boys well and there is little chance of them becoming lost or forgotten.

Thank you so much. I'm just worried he will slip down a crack so to speak but it sounds like the house system has it covered.

Milkshake3, first of all, congratulations to both you and your son for opting for Eton. I sincerely hope he makes it. I understand this year there are appx. 1000 boys vying for about 240 places, the Oppidans, in Eton argot.

Additionally, there will normally be between 120-150 exceptional boys vying for the 14 King?s Scholarship places each year who will enter Eton as King?s Scholars (KS) if successful.

Eton is the largest public school in the UK but please, please don?t be scared about the size of the place. Your boy won?t be covering every inch of the campus if he goes there. He would spend most of his time between his House and his classrooms and perhaps going to the playing fields in the afternoon. His Housemaster with the assistance of the Dame (matron) together with his personal tutor will be the 3 most important adults in his life at Eton. Just think of the House as a small prep school (there are 25 of them including College) and each House has its own quirks and rules. The boys? allegiance is to their House.

Besides College where the 70 King?s Scholars live, each House has a total of appx. 50 boys, i.e. five year groups (called ?Blocks?) with roughly equal number of around 10-12 boys in each Block ranging from ages 13 to 18.

Your DS will quickly learn the ropes about the school and the size of the school never did pose a problem for any boy or his parents after a couple or so weeks once he?s there.

PM me if you think I can be of further help.

Can anyone help answer my genuine query about Eton ( which is now a few posts up, before the PR debate)? Thank you in advance....

PR departments is just a 'facon de parler' and did not just apply to you. So far everyone I have spoken to from Eton has been nothing but friendly and helpful. However, the same way I don't wear a T.shirt of a football club I don't take on a school's motto as my nickname. Being impartial is key...it keeps our minds clear.

No, pastoralacademia I can categorically assure you I don?t come from any Eton PR departments, if that?s what you mean. I just happen to know the school and many of their staff better than most.

There?s no such thing as a PR department at Eton. The school doesn?t need one. But the School Office will be able to answer any questions from anybody about anything about the school. For more specific enquiries you?ll be directed to the proper people/dept who will answer your queries. Believe me, they?re a very nice and polite bunch of people.

Some comments seem to come out from the PR departments of these schools!?

Peteneras, can you (or any other poster) help me? My ds2 will be sitting for eton next year but the size of the place scares me. Do the kids get lost/forgotten? 250 in a year group - how do they find their thing? It's making me err towards the smaller all boys schools......yet I know if he gets in he'll want to go. Or am I over analysing this and should just stop worrying and get on with some work?!!

"Not many (if any) would think Eton a music school."

That's true to the uninitiated.

The very Foundation of Eton was laid in the memory to God, or rather the ?Mother of God?. The school was then called "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor".

Music played a fundamental part in the foundation then as it is now and amongst other things the foundation provided for 16 choristers to sing the praises of God.

My son's prep recommend Eton for musically gifted children whose parents don't want them to go to a music school.

Not many (if any) would think Eton a music school.

No wallowaway, not many (if any) will think Eton is a third tier music school.

Tis obvious peteneras that you're an experienced world class performer.

And the rest of us are uninitiated in what Eton can offer a serious aspiring soloist.

?Methinks tis a little early to relegate the boy's musical aspirations to the third tier.?

Here?s for the uninitiated to educate themselves about Eton Music.

Never mind about a school for the ?quirky/odd/non-conformist/downright difficult? and even unbelievably bright let alone ?bright?, Eton will have the resources and ability to deal with all these without so much as moving a hair let alone batting an eyelid.

But let?s just stick with the music here. There?s more than enough opportunities and facilities for your chorister son to fit in somewhere; I?d be more concerned about how he?s going to manage them.

Don?t know exactly what or how many instruments your DS plays but should he decides even to play the didgeridoo or (seeing that he has Scottish blood?) Eton will be more than comfortable to accommodate him that would leave Purcell gasping!

And why. . . if like me, should DS suddenly takes an interest in playing, singing and dancing the peteneras, all he has to do is ask and very soon he?d be playing and singing

Ole!

Oh I am in such a flap about this!

Ds (10) is sort of quirkily intellectual but dyspraxic, slow and useless at IQ type test (as was I at his age- found esn then but went on to Oxbridge etc). He's not a sporty, hearty type and I just can't see him or us at any of the glossy schools (Marlborough, Wellington-and I can't stand Anthony Seldon-Stowe etc.). All his friends are the bright boys, he discusses art, politics etc very intelligently and I think he would be happy at WinColl or Eton. Unfortunately, I just can't see him getting in. He's down for both and for Harrow, which is also v competitive. We too are desperately casting round for fall backs. I've heard good things about Kings Canterbury and Rugby but don't know any current parents and no-one from his school goes there

State school not an option, not because I'm a snob (which I probably am) but because I loathe the national curricululum and league tables and ds loves boarding

He will go to Eton. Full stop.

Methinks tis a little early to relegate the boy's musical aspirations to the third tier. However if music is not his life, why not?

I am unconvinced that Eton is the best place for the "quirky/odd/non-conformist/downright difficult" a couple of friends with boys there have also recently made the same comments but maybe I'm/they're wrong.

He will go to Eton. Full stop.