School calling children piglets?

[GoToSleepBabyPlease]

Came across this on another thread but felt discussing it there would constitute a derail, so bringing it up here.

On a school website (link below):

'To make table manners fun at Hanford we have devised the ‘Manners Table’, a ranking system of eleven different levels with ‘Piglet’ at the bottom and ‘Royal Guest’ at the top. Each level has a different name to describe the behaviour, for example, a messy eater will be a ‘Panda’ or even ‘Cave Lady’ whereas those girls who have mastered dining rather than merely eating will be a ‘Favourite Auntie’ or ‘Best Granny’. When new girls join they start somewhere in the middle with the aim of working their way up as quickly as possible. If they should become a ‘Royal Guest’ they are allowed to bring their own jam to breakfast. Every Friday after lunch, Miss Morrey reads out the week’s manners rankings. If a girl is moved up then they are given a sweet while others may be warned or some even moved down.

1. Royal Guest (allowed to bring their own jam or other spread and can also move people up and down)
2. Best Granny (allowed to move people up and down in manners)
3. Favourite Aunty
4. Primrose
5. Panda
6. Cat (can go to Tuck Shop on Sunday)
7. Squirrel
8. Hyena
9. Boa Constrictor
10. Cave Lady

10. Piglet'

AIBU to think that referring to children as piglets doesn't exactly model good manners?

hanfordschool.co.uk/wellbeing/manners/

This would have me straight to the head's office. No no no.

@randomer What a bizarre comment! Why on earth would they need to be ‘doing unsavoury things’? Are you suggesting working at a burger place unsavoury too? Why can’t people work where they want? I’m very confused by your comment.

Some are artists, some writers, some doctors, vets, lawyers, farmers, musicians, scientists and more

No burger flippers then?

@randomer there might be. I don't know! I worked at Costa Coffee while at university, there was no burger flipping but a lot of milk frothing - does that count?

This is weird at best, cruel at worst. Some kids just are messy eaters, so what? Doesn’t mean they have bad manners. It’s also a totally stupid way to allow bullies. Other girls move others up and down the list? What the actual?

I'm not associated with this school, but when I think of particular traditions at schools I attended and worked at they would sound absolutely bonkers written down.

I think this is true. Whenever any of the teachers at my prep school were going to get married, the Deputy Head (female) would put on a morning suit and top hat, the bride-to-be a wedding dress, and they'd parade around the playground at lunchtime with her class acting as bridesmaids.

If we'd been a bridesmaid, we were allowed to take our dress into school and wear it, then stand at the front in assembly and tell everybody who had got married and where the church and reception had been. You did the same if you had a new baby brother or sister (name, date of birth, weight etc). Looking back, that was to get us used to speaking to an audience from a young age.

Those were some of the more normal traditions we had.

I don't understand how in the same breath, private schools are elitist and entrench privilege and it's so terribly unfair that only a select few get the advantages of having attended one, AND they are terrible and damaging and substandard and you couldn't pay me to send my child there.

We've now got multiple posters on here explaining that they actually went there, experienced this system, lived it and loved it. Are sending their own daughters, were sent by their mums who were sent by their mums, etc. We've got multiple posters (like me) saying we would have loved it as kids, and would love to send our own daughters there, if only we had the money.

It's been very clearly explained that as a private school, no-one HAS to send their child there and in fact anyone who does decide to send their daughter will have made a very conscious choice that, yes, this is the sort of environment and education I want for my girl, and yes it will suit her, having read all the info, visited the school, met the staff, talked to the current students, probably talked to ex students as well, probably talked to parents of current students.

But noooooooo, A.N. Internetuser obviously knows better and is in a far superior and more knowledgeable position to pass judgement on the school despite having no idea of greater substance than "I don't like it".

You don't have to like it! That's the bloody point of these little, quirky schools - not everyone is the same and you pick the school you DO like!

I think that an education like this is a bit like Nanny McPhee: the children who really need it have parents who don’t want it, and the ones whose parents want it don’t need it as their parents will have taught them manners already.

There is an issue with children coming to school and having no knowledge of table manners. Not sure how best to encourage good manners though. To be honest as a TA I just feel it's yet another area where schools have to make up for lack of parenting at home. Eg closing mouth when eating or not taking with a mouthful of food, using a knife and fork (even a fork would be good) for things like roast with gravy, eating pudding after main course, not throwing food around the table, not licking the table if food is spilt, not pouring water onto plate, not mixing ice cream in with main course food etc etc.

Fantastic if parents do their job properly their child will be in the top group.
Socialisation and discipline should be taught in the home, and are important to function at a decent level in society, who wants to raise a piglet.

@Bvop

I think that an education like this is a bit like Nanny McPhee: the children who really need it have parents who don’t want it, and the ones whose parents want it don’t need it as their parents will have taught them manners already.

I think you’re completely missing the point that table manners are a tiny component of what this school offers. I’d have loved it and would have loved to have been able to afford it for my daughter. If its old girls on this thread are anything to go by, it does an excellent job.

Oh goodness me! They’re wearing Boden! How dreadful!

Is that dreadful?

How do the alumni cope on the outside world? Do they work in a burger place or have to resort to unsavoury things to fund themselves through Uni?

It's a primary school, right?

Say what you like about the style of Boden’s children’s clothes, but I can’t think of many brands that would withstand daily rough and tumble and institutional laundering.

Yeuch who on earth thought this a good idea? It’s bullying. Why not get out the dunce cap too 🙄

I know someone who went to a school like this - she doesn’t have anything good to say about it. And, while her manners may indeed be pristine, she also comes across as the most tense, uptight and inhibited woman ever. Which is a shame.

Say what you like about the style of Boden’s children’s clothes

Who's saying anything about Boden? Clearly their image aligns with the school.

I'm in no position to judge, my children would lose two thirds of their wardrobe if I removed the Boden.

@Bishbashbosh101

Oh goodness me! They’re wearing Boden! How dreadful!

Is that dreadful?

The poster was being sarcastic as someone had mocked the girls clothing.

Would hope it was an (inappropriate
) April fools .As you pointed out there is a risk of bullying with pupils dictating other pupils positions.The piglet rank could be very offensive.

Of course Hanford girls would hate cricket and rugby:

Hanford was created especially for girls. The front drive is not flanked by neatly mown cricket pitches or towered over by imposing H-frame rugby goal posts.

backin

Thanks for explaining. I was the poster she was responding to, and I hadn't. Hence my explanation that I couldn't judge because my own children wear it...

It's good to have standards and encourage good etiquette perhaps more schools should follow.

Send the child to a state school instead?

Well I have all boys, am poor and would never use a boarding school, but beyond that I'd totally send my kids here!

@littleredberries

This would have me straight to the head's office. No no no.

But then presumably you'd not choose to spend a small fortune deliberately sending your child there??

@SleepingStandingUp haha exactly! But calling these children names is not indicative of "manners" at all.
But my daughter will probably just go to a normal school here in Germany so I can sleep peacefully 😴