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Original poster

MN Code of Practice For Private Schools

64 replies

zanzibarmum · 17/02/2010 21:21

Based on Mumsnet contributions and the fact that private schools are providing a 'public good'(in the economic sense) here are the first few clauses of a code of practice that such schools' collective bodies might institute. (Please add your own clauses).

We being members of the HMC, GSA, GDST etc follow this code:

Our charges for registration shall only cover costs of administration and the exam marking;

Offers will be made in line with national offer day timetable;

If we take your child we won't kick them out at end of GCSE's unless for behaviour or attendance reasons;

If we offer your DC a reserve place we will tell you where on the reserve list you are;

All children can receive their marked exam papers within 8 weeks of offer day (after all their yours and you did pay for them);

When we interview your DC we won't ask where else you have applied to;

We do not interview parents;

More to follow??

OP posts:
BoffinMum · 18/02/2010 22:33

1990-1998, so a long time ago now, but I am still reasonably plugged in ... I taught in London.

If you are a peer of the realm or stinking rich, you just say you will sort out all the anger management problems by going privately to a very expensive top consultant psychiatrist, btw.

Jajas · 18/02/2010 21:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BoffinMum · 18/02/2010 21:33

Here's some from the inside (former independent school teacher).

  1. Independent schools should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
  1. Refund the registration fees of parents whose children aren't given a place.
  1. Have elected parent representatives on the governing body or school council.
  1. Don't sell client lists of pupils to other schools if you are closing down.
  1. Apply the same child protection standards to children in independent schools as maintained schools - don't let peers of the realm and the wealthy cover up incidences of child abuse with their money and influence.
  1. Make the audited accounts public.
sungirltan · 18/02/2010 21:16

i'd like to add.....the board of governenrs will pay attention to whats going on and not employ a v egotistical head who changes lots of famous things about the school which ends up spoiling the atmosphere of the school.

(gripe about my old school where i'd like to send dd if its in a fit state)

MmeBlueberry · 18/02/2010 21:11

What's wrong with 'nice but dim' kids. Don't they deserve a good education?

bloss · 18/02/2010 20:51

Message withdrawn

said · 18/02/2010 20:16

But what would be the point of employing a great mathematician if they couldn't actually teach the subject?

Original poster
zanzibarmum · 18/02/2010 20:14

Thanks Ladies. So we have established one fact that at least one private school let's people in despite not being the sharpest knife. Why should we have a clause in the mumsnet Private Schools Code of Practice which would stop this.

OP posts:
bloss · 18/02/2010 20:12

Message withdrawn

loungelizard · 18/02/2010 20:00

Erm, yes and Prince Charles getting into Cambridge with 5 'O' levels (even in the olden days that was fairly bad).

loungelizard · 18/02/2010 19:58

'The Royals' passed the exam???? Oh come on, please (didn't Prince Harry have to have a couple of goes at Common Entrance before getting into Eton?? As they are always bleating that it is the most academic school, it is fairly unlikely that anyone else would get in under those circs. Still not much point in being Royal unless you get a few perks)

Original poster
zanzibarmum · 18/02/2010 19:57

So harry 'the nazi' and even sweet William got in on merit. Well of course they would have with a father who was gifted a place in Cambridge and a mother with just a couple of o levels. Otherwise please let them tell us their tutor

OP posts:
campion · 18/02/2010 19:45

ps 'The Royals' did their exams under assumed names ( presumably not the Hon Lord Muck Earl of Clacton) so wouldn't have been currying favour to get in. Maybe they passed the exam?

campion · 18/02/2010 19:38

It's not simple, zanzibarmum, because, if the school sets its own exam it won't want the papers in the hands of prospective pupils, who could then be force fed ( even more than happens now!).

Some schools genuinely want to see what a child can do with questions he / she wasn't necessarily expecting. It can add another dimension to selection - ie is this child actually going to be able to cope with this school?

Plus an endless stream of parents arguing about the answers could be a bit trying

frakkinaround · 18/02/2010 18:14

Private schools are now charitable companies limited by guarantee not charities any more (in most cases).

Original poster
zanzibarmum · 18/02/2010 17:28

What I would do with the marked exam papers would be to see how DC did; what they got right and what they got wrong. Simple as that;

Transparency around academic entry standards - and the meeting of these or not - would also make it more difficult for schools to admit "nice but dim" kids (the Royals for example into Eton; or perhaps in some cases the children of rich celebrities who can fund the new concert hall etc - I won't mention any names but I am sure we all have suspicions);

As for interviewing parents I can see no case for this - even in faith schools the adherence to the faith can and is usually checked by reference to the priest etc. Truth is so called faith private schools seem to do little or no faith check (not saying they should but they don't). Interviewing the parents - in a minority of schools - is surely part of the social selection that goes on in some of the schools. Besides, how can you judge parental commitment in a 10 minute intereview

General point is that private schools do have a public duty and that perhaps some of the breaches of this code by some of the schools gives a bad reputation to them all.

The other point is that if private schools hadn't engaged in a facilities arms race over the past 20 years they might well be educating more than 7% of the age cohort. Some of the heads of these schools continually criticise state schools but the private sector has hardly grown its market share - to me that suggests that the private schools are not doing everything that is right; that's all

OP posts:
KittySpencersEmerald · 18/02/2010 16:43

we will not tolerate lines such as " oh well it gave me so many advantages in life"

we will nto put hearty red faced children on the website"

we wil not avoid haveing proper ofsted inspections in

we will make sure all our teachers have teachign qualifications

KittySpencersEmerald · 18/02/2010 16:42

we will not make your kid wear a boater

campion · 18/02/2010 16:40

What would you do with those marked exam papers once you'd ' got them back' ( not that they were yours - you paid to take the test not to own the papers. The school has copyright. )?

Original poster
zanzibarmum · 18/02/2010 15:50

mrs guy of gisbourne - most of them are not "businesses" they are charities with favourable tax and other treatment. All of them are providing public goods - private water companies can't do the hell what they like.

New clause:

We will not illeagally collude with other private schools to fix fees (ok we have done this before but this time we really promise)

(no not bitter but exercised as it seems others are - thought private school heads with highly socially and academically selective intakes slagging off state schools does annoy. Surely they could market their offer without feeling need to slam the competition)

OP posts:
islandofsodor · 18/02/2010 13:20

I agree totally with frakkinaround with regards to 6th Form entry. If a child has not done well in their GCSE's then carrying on to 6th form is pointless and they would be best advised to look at more suitable options, possibly vocational or re-taking GCSE courses.

MrsGuyOfGisbourne · 18/02/2010 13:09

Bele, agree about some of those points, but soem will be obviouslf rom the start - eg unrasonable amount for reg fee, refusal to wait till offer day for acceptances etc. If they unreasonable before they have a big wodge of dosh, unlikely to be any better after

frakkinaround · 18/02/2010 12:36

Flame me if you like but I don't see them problem with some of those. I do, bviously, with others but:

interviewing parents? Surely that's important for some schools where parental involvement is expected?
faith? If it's a faith based school does this also apply?
post-GCSE automatic entry? Does that mean all schools which have entrance requirements for 6th form (as some state schools do) should no longer apply them?

These 3 jump out as being quite illogical things to ask schools not to do.

MmeBlueberry · 18/02/2010 12:31

Are you bitter about something, zanzibar?

senua · 18/02/2010 12:31

Ah, there's another one fluffy:

We promise not to close down the school, because we found something more lucrative to do with the land, with only a term's notice.