Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

What exactly is a well rounded child?!!

32 replies

Shapeshifter5 · 21/09/2022 10:45

I'm just over pondering this... On many of the education threads certaim schools & types of parents are credited for producing "well rounded children"... What does it mean?

OP posts:

Changechangychange · 21/09/2022 16:11

Shapeshifter5 · 21/09/2022 13:53

Seems like private schools can produce this type of child better than state. My dc's school have no afterschool clubs & sports facilities aren't utilised as much as they could be. No off site trips either... We do enough with them outside school but it's very time consuming

Some private schools do and some don’t. Some state schools do and some don’t.

Sounds like your state school is a bit lacking honestly - DS is at a state primary and they all have the option of learning an instrument from Y2, all learn Spanish from reception, the ASC is all activity-based (DS is doing football and karate this term, did art club and yoga last year, there is also a cookery club, coding club, etc).

They go on trips each term. They do a Christmas play, act in class assembly in front of the parents each term, and do a summer dance show. This is in inner city Lambeth, and parents aren’t subsidising this (aside from the ASC which obviously we pay for, but it’s only £7.50 a session for 2.5hrs including tea).

So I can’t see why other schools couldn’t offer that as well if they wanted to.

The local secondaries also have plenty of afterschool sports and clubs, so I suppose it depends on what parental expectations are.

Ladyofthemanor11 · 22/09/2022 09:35

@Changechangychange , our state school is dire. Pre covid there was after school football but parents had to bring the dc to the astroturf 10 mins away...now there's no clubs & they seem to spend less time on art, P. E etc as alot of kids were way behind after covid.
If we had the funds we'd move them to the private in the town...

Changechangychange · 22/09/2022 09:48

@Ladyofthemanor11 do you know why your school doesn’t do any of that? It can’t be financial, as we’re in a pretty poor borough. And it definitely isn’t subsided by the parents.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education

Ladyofthemanor11 · 22/09/2022 09:58

I think it's lack of teachers after to run them but there really is nothing!

BlackeyedSusan · 22/09/2022 10:03

The opposite of well rounded would be concentrating on one area. It's for the average /clever across the board and prep for university/employment. If you have a particular talent you might want a school that is less well rounded and more specific...eg acting or dance or sport or maths.

5zeds · 22/09/2022 10:10

A well rounded child (or person) has had their deficits supported so they can grow unfettered and be less abrasive. So the child who struggles with socialising is taught how to manage, the child who tantrums when they lose is supported into more balanced behaviour, the unmusical are given the basics so they can try at least…. A well rounded child is a cared for child who’s education has been fitted to them allowing them to pass through life more smoothly.

watcherintherye · 22/09/2022 10:11

I think of ‘well-rounded’ as being academic, but not to the point of eclipsing other, non-academic activities such as sport, art, music. Also having the ability to socialise and ‘get on’ with people , without being ‘queen bee’ or the male equivalent!

Flip

1 2