What is Eton actually like as a school?

[RosiePosiePuddle]

Eton is being mentioned loads as boris Johnson creates more chaos around Brexit.

But what is it really like as a school? What do they do there that is different to a state school or another private school?

I am not completely naive. I am a teacher and teach in a girls' private secondary school abroad. I know the differences in my school compared to a state school (better behaviour, more supportive parents, much more emphasis on pastoral care).

Does anyone have any experience or insider knowledge?

*PaddyF0dder you can read that there are posters saying they or their children attended EC? Don’t be so bloody rude.

I find it very hard to believe that no-one knows who the scholarship kids are.

Prince Harry did alright in the end

Well he was never going to end up dossing in the street was he?

DS1 is there having got a scholarship. He was state school educated for most of his school career. He got there and was initially totally overwhelmed by the fact that his perception of clever or good at music wasn't even approaching what he found in the boys he met there. Those that have been 'in the system' for years have clearly been trained like racehorses so it took him a while to realise if he was going to keep up he would have to approach things in a much more energetic and determined way than he had for the rest of his school career where he had 'rested on his laurels' and innate intelligence and was somewhat lazy judging himself by his peers at an all boys' state school. He is now thriving but we had a couple of months that were shaky as he adjusted. I have found some of the masters just amazing - they spend time really focusing on the individual and academically 'feeding' them with time and attention in a way that time just doesn't allow in the state sector. The boys I have met there ie the friends he has chosen are delightful and well mannered .I enjoy their company. There are a few that are clearly totally loaded but they tend not to talk about it. What seems to be respected is skill and brains amongst the boys rather than work 'not being cool' - and as a result many excel I think. I feel sad that they are being tainted by those in the public eye of Cameron's generation.

The scholarship boys aren't a secret, the school is very proud of them as they are exceptional young men. Obviously not everyone wants to make a fuss about it, but the school does like to give them a puff from time to time, so as to encourage other boys to apply. One scholarship is specifically for boys from the Middle East (there were several Palestinian boys there) another for boys from Liverpool. Another is sponsored by a former drama master and is aimed at gifted actors, there is an organ scholarship too, amongst many others.

@TSSDNCOP there is a chap called Ian Bone (I think he's the guy who went and shouted at JRM's children); who regularly goes and stands by College entrance and shouts things like Paddy has posted here. It really doesn't worry anybody, in fact it's good practice for not letting fuckwits get under your skin but thank you anyway.

This article is interesting

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-etons-cosseted-world-shaped-boris-johnson-2k7dkppkh

This country would be a better place if Eton didn’t exist. It’s an elitist kid of tosh that creates over-confident, under-qualified rich tosspots who go on to wreak havoc on the country.

Nothing like generalising about thousands of people eh? I've got no experience of the school but was friends with an Old Etonian in my early 20s. He was funny, creative, unconventional and a lovely person as was his brother who also went to the school. I'd describe them as middle class rather than rich (not that it should matter).

I suppose not, WeshMaG, but what I mean was he did well at Sandhurst and took to the army like a duck to water.

Think David Cameron, George Osborne, Boris Johnson. That will answer your question.

CE is not a filter: incredibly rare for anyone to fail Fact= Charles passed at his second attempt

Think David Cameron, George Osborne, Boris Johnson. That will answer your question

😂 Osborne is not an OE.

DD had a boyfriend for a couple of years who'd been a head boy at Eton around the time the princes were there. We had never come across anyone who'd been to Eton before - they met at work.

He came to visit with two of his schoolfriends. DH and I went to state school in Scotland and I'll admit we wondered what they'd be like. They were polite and charming and obviously practised at making intelligent conversation. More polished than most of our kids' friends, as I guess you would expect.

A friend taught there in the 1990s and has never said a bad word about it, other than hating having to be a cricket umpire for school matches.

I don't think we should blame Eton for Mr Johnson.