Private school plumbs new depths

[Lemonsole]

Well. I have browsed many a thread here about the depths that Queen Ethelburger's school/faculty/college will go to in the quest for pupils.

Here I am, one of the people least likely ever to use a private school, and today they sent me a mail shot.

My jaw hit the deck when I saw inside it a list, by full name, of their leavers, together with their university destination and course, and full A level results.

Would anyone here ever send their DC to a school that sent that information out to randoms? Really? Here is my email to them, but I am wondering whether I should also report them elsewhere. Has any other Guardian-reading southerners been sent this rubbish?



I am horrified that you have mail shot me. My children are far too important to me to take the risk of educating them in any school that needs to send out mail shots to people who have never expressed any interest in your school.

However, as a teacher and parent, I am even more horrified that you sent the names, A-level grades and current university of your leavers in a mailing. This alone shows me that you have no respect for the personal data of your pupils and show scant regard for the most basic safeguarding procedures. You can show destinations without names, you know. Any good school or college can do this. 

Do not contact me again. I am a member of the mailing preference service. Do not pass my data on to any other organisation. The reference on your envelope was jhjhjhjhjhjhjhjhj Please confirm my email that you have deleted my details and that they will not be passed on. I would also be interested to know where you got my address from.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

I'll never ring them and tell them to stop mail shooting me: their drivel is entertaining! A bit like Xenia larfing and larfing at the state school results I suppose!

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I got one, too - and am completely bemused. I don't think it can be a Boden mailing list, because I gave never bought anything from Boden. I have looked at the catalogue, when it's come in a magazine - maybe that was all it took, and *Jphnny Boden knows where I live^!! >

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

Epic italicisation fail. Plus spelling mistake. I give up.

[blisterpack]

We got that one too! In DH's name. I did wonder why they targetted us. We are Boden customers too, is that the common link?

Must say, I loved the way they'd done the "league table" putting them at no. 7 on it. Out of all private schools, first you eliminate all single sex schools, then you eliminate all the day only schools, then the boarding only schools. From all that remains, Queen whatever ranks No. 7. Well done.

I was gawping at the boarder's bedrooms though. Even DD in Year 6, who should have been impressed, asked why on earth would each child need a PS3 of their own in their room.

[LJBrownie]

I got it too! Despite living in London, having children many years off secondary school age and definitely not having ever expressed an interest in private schooling... Such a random direct mailing must have cost them a lot for presumably low return - not just a cheap one page flyer either!

[maxmillie]

It's funny, everytime I read an education thread that mentions private schools, where Xenia inevitably pops up, it makes me more inclined to send my dc to a state secondary school after their prep school, rather than one of the schools that she would deem worthwhile.

Perhaps it's some kind of gameplay? I think all her dc are safely ensconced in their expensive and therefore acceptable schools or at university, so perhaps this is to keep us plebs out of the private sector and leave more room for the children of her clients and friends?

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

'league tables can be confusing so we have made our own. And who'd've thought, but it turns out we're top!'

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

I dunno, max, it is always fun to laugh at pupils from state school who've done well! Pathetic little proles eh?

Just vile.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

In general and on the whole it is certainly the case that many many parents of children at NLCS and habs girls are revolting snobbish bigots. In general and on the whole. What am I being asked here?

[RyleDup]

I got one of those mail shots. I know where it came from though. I signed up to a different parenting site a long time ago and used a false name, but for some reason my own address. Anyway the mail shot arrived advertising a local private school, addressed to my fictitious name.

[APMF]

@welovecouscous - Well, I got AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and I went to Oxford AND Harvard at the same time AND I went to an indie. Who is to say which one of us (or both) is lying to make a point.

Anyway, we get it that fees does not necessarily equal academic success so stop acting as if you are the only one clever enough to see it.

Not every one sends their kids to private schools expects their DCs to get As. If they are rich enough to afford £30k pa for x DCs then something tells me that they aren't obsessing about their DCs getting good grades so that they can get good well paid jobs.

My friend's DD recently did her GCSEs and got mostly Bs with a few As and Cs. To you my friend didn't get much to show for £20k a year in school fees. From her viewpoint her DD had a wonderful time being educated in a former stately home which had its own lake for watersports. And its not as if they had to do without over the years.

[TheOriginalSteamingNit]

She's not sneering at ads, she's sneering at children from state schools in local newspapers for having done well.

By and large and on the whole, it is certainly true to state that some people are utterly vile, ignorant, uncharitable and downright unpleasant.

I think I'm getting the hang of this now!

[APMF]

What has the owner being on holiday got to do with it? If your Virgin Atlantic flight is cancelled do you blame Sir Richard Branson?

[Xenia]

There is nowhere in the country with as good state schools in the region as where I am. From here people send children to Henrietta Barnet, QE is that the name? Also although technically comprehensive Watford Grammar.

No one disputes that their exam results are excellent. What I meant in passing was some of our schools which take children who don't go there will trumpet someone in the local paper with relatively mediocre grades, that's all and all it does is mean that parents from private and also selective secondaries will see the difference. Of course I accept there may well have been a lot of added value.

[Shattereddreams]

My DH got it too, SE London. He is on No mailing lists as he is incompetent unable to perform any administrative roles in our house, so even the credit cards are my name and he gets the 2nd card.

The only thing he is on a mail list for is his profession (medical - member of HCP) so those of you whose DH got one, does this apply?

will attempt to be a spook for few hours

[Felicitywascold]

Xenia you do understand that part of the reason for good grades at selective schools is because they select based on ability?

The child being trumpeted may have far more value added than the A* child at the independent?

It is simplistic to suggest that the A* is all thy matters.

[happygardening]

Can't be Boden as so many DH's got them it sounds like its something men provide an email address for ?energy company passing on details or TV licence on line supermarket or maybe broadband provider? Im not a tremendous fan of Johny Boden who's incidentally is an old Etonian but I cant see him giving them email details of his customers to a very minor and poorly regarded public school.

[blisterpack]

Maybe it's just the phone book then they've used.

[breatheslowly]

I don't have a problem with boarding - it may be the right solution in certain circumstances. But they list boarding fees for reception. The thought of a 4 year old boarding makes me want to cry.

[Lemonsole]

It's not the phone book, as we're not in it. We also opt out of the commercial bit of the electoral roll. Don't have cable tv either. The sheer scale of the mailing points to multiple list purchases, so we could all be correct.

Regardless of how little it may have cost, it must have had completely the opposite effect to what they wanted to achieve - nobody wants to send their DCs to a school that is desperate for pupils - state or private.

[Greythorne]

Xenia
Yes, silly state schools. They take everybody. All children in catchment. The bright ones. The not so bright ones. The ones with learning difficulties. The ones with absent parents. Or parents working two minimum wage jobs to stay afloat. So amusing of them to highlight their modest exam successes.

How the private school parents with £20k a year per child to spare, plus a bright child who is academically able must giggle.