Winchester College - supposing you're not at all quirky?

Thanks for the correction sendsummer. Will be more careful to read the rules next time.

Wormthreads wise move for you to avoid further digging yourself into a hole.
In case it helps for future threads OP means something different to how you have been using it. Here is a link to MN acroynms www.mumsnet.com/info/acronyms

Thank you @Motherstongue for that insight and to the OP's who took the time to explain your various positions.

@Sendsummer

Not sure how successful you've been at restricting or even influencing your DS friends set? Our DS knows his own mind and makes these decisions for himself. Having said that, his friends are all from his pre-prep and prep, which tend/ed to 'release' boys that are/were disruptive.

As this thread has becoming diluted with comments from OP's that do not do help prospective DM's or DF's understand W, H or E further, I will not waste OP's time going over and over my earlier comments.

What may help OP's to know is that DS now has a choice of schools. We will visit them in order to establish which he feels suits him best.

Simply, in order to give some basic info (help) to other MNers who's DS's are on the waiting list at H, W and E, the decision will be made having met HM's at E later this year. By then, we will have met HM's from all three schools and in order to keep the options open will have have paid acceptance fees to all three schools (W = £500, H = £3000, E = £2.1k)

As DS will only go to one of the three schools, two places will become available towards the end of the Autumn term. I hope that info is helpful to OP's.

Wormthreads your first post on this thread said Based on the report (from ISI), I'm beginning to form an idea (rightly or wrongly) about the quirky comments. The movie 'Rain man' springs to mind
Since the film Rain man is a portrayal of autism you were clearly associating that condition with the label 'quirky'. To claim that you only thought of that 'condition' because of others' posts is intellectually dishonest.

Yes, this.

Wormthreads your first post on this thread said Based on the report (from ISI), I'm beginning to form an idea (rightly or wrongly) about the quirky comments. The movie 'Rain man' springs to mind

Since the film Rain man is a portrayal of autism you were clearly associating that condition with the label 'quirky'. To claim that you only thought of that 'condition' because of others' posts is intellectually dishonest.

'Quirky' is not a description of those with a medical condition, people like Boris Johnson spring just as much to my mind as some with ASD traits (that you were inferring your friend's DS had) or a passion for some subject that is not mainstream conversation.

The staff at Eton, Harrow and Winchester (they tend to move between the schools) will in the main all attempt to deliver an all round education including tolerance and appreciation of others. Boys at all these schools are bright enough to achieve highly academically and do at least one extracurricular activity well or indeed extremely well. BTW I do not know of a single boy at Winchester from all that I have heard of including at College who just focuses on academics.

Your DS will I hope enjoy any of those schools and Eton is as good a choice as any but please do not ruin a good education by restricting his future friendships (either at school or later) by the sort of prejudgements that you have exhibited here.

My DS is without a doubt "quirky" but has never been diagnosed with any SEND. We were told he would be a good fit for Win Coll but he and we chose Harrow for him. I know Harrow has a name for being a "robust" sort of school but we felt it would be good for him to mix with a more diverse group of boys (a bit more out of his comfort zone) with some boys very very different to him, as that tends to be what you find in life. As he was boarding it allowed him to learn a great deal of tollerance for boys completely different to himself but he was still able to seek out and find boys in his house and other houses that he rubbed along with really well. He had 5 great years there as an academic scholar. He might have fared equally well at Win Coll and met an equally diverse group of boys, who knows, but he has no regrets, it just felt like the right fit for him. All these schools are fabulous. I don't get the whole nastiness about other people's choices to be honest.
The higher number of English as a second language at Harrow could be to do with the Harrow School in Hong Kong?
There were a lot of nationalities at Harrow, it was something my son loved about it. He has wonderful friends from all over the world and a tollerance of all different cultures as a result.

DS hated rugby with a passion so he did football. Had lots of opportunity to do many of the "geeky" things he enjoyed and spent many an evening in lectures by visiting speakers like politians and philosophers.

Saturday nights though were for ordering pizza in to have with his mates and often some 5 a-side.
Good luck to your DS whatever you decide

In the meantime, due to the furore here, I really did wonder if I was the only person wondering about this and trying to get to the bottom of it.

Turns out, I wasn't.....

Interested in Winchester College but many people seem critical (8 Posts)

Tansie Fri 15-Aug-14 12:45:32

I know a couple of boys at WC. Both are academically, 'off-beat' brilliant- but frankly, quite odd; Socially a teeny bit misfit.

I gather that WC suits them down to the ground but neither are likely to end up doing anything 'mainstream', shall we say!

@Battleax

I disagree and have absolutely no idea why you would call me disingenuous. Crass, inept and thoughtless - yes. Disengenuous - no.

What happened was that I described a personal experience at Wincoll from earlier this year in detail.

The moment OP's told me the description related to a medical condition, I was completely mortified and unreservedly apologised.

Usually, I am able to 'read between the lines'. On this occasion though, I had not realised that 'quirky' was the way OP's were describing a specific medical condition.

I have apologised. It was not a back handed, pathetic apology. It was full and complete.

Sorry to all those offended again.

You’re being incredibly disingenuous worn.

You went well beyond “trying to find out what ‘quirky’ meant”.

The ‘flavour’ of some of this thread is unappetising. That ‘quirky’ (different) for whatever it’s reason, is somehow undesirable.

I find it interesting that parents of non-SEND children are interested in the numbers of (diagnosed) SEND admissions/kids receiving support. Unless of course it’s because you’re looking for a diverse, supportive environment.

I’d like to believe that some schools are a little more enlightened to the admission hurdles that SEND children face, and understand the difference between low ability v low attainment of SEND kids.

@Idadown,

If you'd read the thread (and my apology), you'd realise there was absolutely no malice intended and that I simply did not understand what the word 'quirky' meant. I (and no doubt others) had been confused by the term for some time and were simply trying to establish exactly what was meant by it - simple as that.

Many congratulations to your DS on being offered a place that you've decided to accept. Our DS has an offer there but we're undecided and are trying to find out more about the school (and the other schools that have offered him places).

In the process of unravelling what the word 'quirky' meant, I described a friends son, who OP's have described as being ASD.

Subsequently, the posts have moved on to compare the facilities at the various schools, rather than the boys characters, which is really helpful to anyone trying to decipher which school to send their DS to.

Nonetheless, I'm really not going to apologise for trying to find out what OP's were inaccurately describing as 'quirky', when had they simply been more honest and stated ASD, Dyslexic e.t.c, there would have been no need to ask what 'quirky' boys at Wincoll meant.

What a depressing thread in places.

DS will be starting WinColl. Yes, he has ASD. Yes, he is dyslexic. Yes, he had ‘quirks’.

But don’t worry - it’s not catching.

@Momonatrix The figures I have given for the sixth form are for the whole sixth form (upper and lower VI) for each school. They were not broken down in the Good Schools Guide. The number leaving is for a single year only. It still allows a like for like comparison to be made.

@Globalizer - just was confused as to your stats. You list St Paul's Oxbridge stats as 68/400. Where does the 400 come from as the year group at Upper Eighth is much smaller than 400? Just confused.

In terms of SPS rowing achievements - absolutely this year was a phenomenal year, but i also think it just might be a once in a generation one as their numbers were mind-blowing. The real stats are more impressive - 3 are going to Harvard, 2 to Princeton, one to Cal Berkeley, and one to Oxford (this number includes their excellent coxswain). 2 have one more year left. 2 are World champion rowers with one having the indoor 2K erg record. No bad for a group of schoolboys!

More seriously, US top unis are increasingly the destination for these boys (and girls)- not just at SPS, making Oxbridge results interesting, but not everything.

I live very close to Radley College and whilst I don't know anyone who goes there I do generally get a good impression of it.

The facilities look amazing. My daughter has done loads of different things there. Sporting events, trips with the Guides (including a visit to the science department which left her begging me to get her a Crested Gecko, of all things), she's performed at the theatre. I don't know how normal this is for other schools but generally they seem very relaxed about letting the community use their facilities which as I say gives me a good impression of the place generally.

And they do seem to have an excellent sporting reputation so if your son is really keen on sport sounds like a good environment for him?

@propatria I agree about the need to combine academic excellence with excellence in other areas, particularly sports. I believe the new Winchester head is taking steps to improve the standard of sport.

Looking at the figures in my post above, I'm surprised by the large numbers of boys with English as a second language at Harrow and Winchester. Can anyone shed some light on this? Recruiting overseas pupils is a way for schools to either boost falling numbers (unlikely to be a problem for Harrow or Winchester) or to boost academic success. The Winchester figure is almost 20%!

Not a college parent but a local whose first teen job was in a college house kitchen.
Boys seem to be a real mix. There was often a food fight to clear up after breakfast on Sunday, 1 or 2 boys were very arrogant, particularly the foreigners, many were shame-faced and apologetic.
Around the town they are gracious/polite. Trailed a group along Kingsgate Road once chatting to a group of cleaners. Miles apart in class but cheerful and respectful chatter, certainly no communication issues.
I also know a family with 4 old boys who are delightful and can talk to anyone.

OP’s sorry.

That sounds like a fantastic place and many congratulations on such a heap of success. It’s rare, so enjoy it and savour every moment.

Due to location, London day schools wouldn’t work for us. Although we were told yesterday our DS has been offered a place at E, so we’re looking forward to meeting House Masters and finding out much more about it.

From PO’s comments, sounds like it would be a good fit, so looking forward to getting a bit closer to it now the selection process has finished.

In the meantime, we’re v proud of our DS and his prep for the work they did to achieve three offers from the schools he applied to.

All these school are amazing. Try no to over think it!

Globaliser..excellent points,had the privilege of watching the race,would have liked a different result but St P are an exceptional crew
It is possible to combine academic excellence with excellence in other areas,that is what is missing from Win,there is(or should be) so much more to a school than academic results..Why just settle for that when you can have so much more.?
As an aside, its Head of The Charles not the Charles Head.

There is, of course, more to schools than Oxbridge entry figures.

This is the final of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup on Sunday. It’s worth a watch. It’s incredibly impressive by both crews, all 17-18.

St Paul’s beat Eton breaking all records. Their crew has completed the treble of winning the National Schools, the Schools Head and the Princess Elizabeth, and also won the Charles Head in Boston. In the commentary, it mentions that of the upper sixth formers in the St Paul’s VIII, one is going to Oxford, one to Harvard, one to UC Berkeley and one to Princeton IIRC.

English as a second language

Winchester 136/685

Harrow 134/828

Eton 80/1320

Radley 18/684

Oxbridge admissions v Total sixth form size

Winchester 37/240 (website states it averages 32%)

Eton 80/520 Estimate

Harrow 21/360

Radley 18/281

St Paul’s 68/400

Westminster 78/410

From ISI reports and GSG

I know plenty of ex Winchester boys and they are perfectly normal , confident but by and large modest. I think the quirky weirdo thing is something of an MN myth. I have no skin in this game - just let your son look round schools and with any luck he will decide for himself where he finds most congenial. Non of the schools you speak of could be a disaster , unless your son does not feel happy there.

Doesnt need to play Rugby at E,can pick football,its roughly a 50/50 split,yes many boys that were star sportsmen at prep find themselves in third or fourth teams
Winchester will always be about the academics,everything else is second..