Discuss The Archers here. There's hut construction, new teen arrivals, pastured eggs, pining Pip and other fun Spring-like stories to choose from.

[PseudoBadger]

Maybe if we don't look directly at the other storyline it will disappear?

So, question: WWYD if you were Kirsty and had given your word to your friend not to tell anyone about her husband hitting her? I think I'd regard myself as totally not bound by my promise, but given Helen's obvious terror I'd have to be very careful who I told. I suppose the best first step would be to phone someone like Women's Aid, but maybe (given the SWs' need to keep things within the same group of characters) she'll opt for Harrison?

I meant he has tolerated her long enough to be sure she will do what she offered. For the good of all the family.

How is Rob going to get Helen's agreement to the new school? I wonder if his plan might be to wait until the birth and within minutes of labour ending: "I know you're exhausted, darling, but there's just a couple of forms you need to sign, then I'll get Henry out of your way so you focus on our new son."

In RL wouldn't Kirsty be researching online and calling a helpline for advice on what to do next??

I think K will talk to Tom. And Fallon. And Hint about DV (but not be explicit as she promised). Fallon will talk to Harrison. Surely once Tom gets a sniff of what's going on he'd be in there?? Is he matey with Harrison at all?

The school would be remiss to not accept both parents signatures without having firm evidence she is unable to sign on her own behalf

But does Rob necessarily need Helen's agreement as he has parental responsibility?

Oops, cross post. Maybe he'll just forge the signature.

Harrison arrived after Tom left I believe so no reason to think they know each other well/at all

And don't forget - the Internet and national services don't seem to work very well in ambridge

Yes - the school would need both parents' consent. I haven't heard tonight yet but no school would accept a child resident in England without meeting and assessing them first. This is an utterly ridiculous s/l.

Is anyone else idly pondering that the Rob actor will never be able to work on R4 again? Well, maybe the odd comedy character with a heavily disguised voice

Surely they all go to the pub on a Saturday night.
I think Kirsty will talk to Fallon first.

Must be a pretty shit school tbh

Words, my own thoughts exactly, Ambridge needs a lesbian relationship. But not H and K please.

Does it matter if it is a shit school, if it gets Henry out of the way? I don't think a good education is the main aim. Rob's probably a big fan of the current government.

And even if he could forge a signature he's got to make Helen believe she has actually agreed to let Henry go.

We don't know what stupid lies Rob has told the school. If he said he was sending Henry to school because his mother was psychotic/abusive then they might think they were helping ease the pressure. I agree the storyline is silly. DS is at private school; they take boarders at 7. I still can't imagine pat and tony letting Rob do it, even for 'Helen's own good'.

The school would want evidence - otherwise can you imagine all of 'those' parents trying to get their kid into eton by claiming the mother is psychotic...

'Don't you remember signing the papers, darling? You really aren't on top of things any more, are you? Thank goodness you've got me to take care of everything...'

Didn't we hear Knob saying on the phone to the school that they were to ensure all correspondence to be theough him only? Wouldn't the school think that rather odd?

Oh well it doesn't really matter, this is all going to end long before Henry tries on his new uniform.

Knowing a few families where kids have boarded from a very young age - though that's 7 or 8, rather than the 5 or 6 that is possible in a couple of places- it's not entirely clear to me that even now all boarding schools (bad or good) are very good at safeguarding. I can think of one case (a very, very good school in other respects) where they were doing all the right things on one safeguarding issue but then had a spectacularly elementary slip-up on a different area of safeguarding, thankfully with no consequences but which could've been devastating.

So while I agree that the whole send-Henwee-to-board is all silly and pantomime, it's not completely implausible that a school might take Knob at his word about Helen being unable to sign the forms. Obviously Henwee won't be going anyway so its all moot, but in the meantime Helen doesn't need to be convinced that she agreed or thought of it, all she needs is to be told is that she's dangerously unstable so it's for the best.

Helen might think Henry is safer at boarding school

At least Kirsty has repeatedly told Helen that none of it is her fault and even if she did launch at him herself, that was no justification for him hitting her. Helen knows she has someone she can confide in who believes her. It's a small step in the right direction, but I think Kirsty must respect her promise or Helen will withdraw again.

magnificat - that's what I mean by Helen "agreeing" - being bullied into it until she meekly gives her consent because Rob has framed it as best for her and Henry and the baby. That's how Rob operates, because she then can't express any further objection to the idea.

But I also agree with everyone else that I can't believe even a really flaky old-fashioned prep school would offer a place to an unseen child and provide boarding from five, even if dad is a former pupil.

Just to reiterate, there are at least two* schools in the UK that offer boarding in Year 1. That's five rising six, isn't it, i.e. the right age for Henry to go in September?

Otherwise Dad^3 I agree entirely

*and I didn't spend very long on Google. Many preps are interestingly reticent about precisely what age boarding can start.

Well at least Ursula is going for the time being so anything that happens to her now is down to him. He seems confident he can make Helen agree but I think that might be her red line, especially now Kirsty has planted a seed of doubt.

Can we have Dotheboys Hall in the next thread title, please.