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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

For those who held onto offers at Eton and Westminster until the last minute.

63 replies

Colleger · 03/05/2012 12:35

Id be interested to know if more parents end up going for Eton in the end and when they relinquished the other place. So I don't agree with holding onto two places but I am resigned to the fact that this happens. So I won't bash anyone for it, I just want to work out how likely my child will move off the waiting list and when it will happen.

OP posts:
Moominmammacat · 07/05/2012 13:58

... and music scholars can often drop a GCSE for extra practice time. My son did. Marylou is absolutely right ... if they want to practice they will, adn if you have to be involved then as a teenager, it's not for them.

happygardening · 07/05/2012 18:24

Boarders don't have less time than day children as they don't have to travel back and forwards to school everyday and usually have specific prep times so can hopefully organise their practice time easier (assuming they want too). I believe at my DS's school (I might be wrong about this my DS is not musical) they are allocated times to practice and in his house there are also individual music practice rooms so you dont need to "pop" over to the music school to practice!

happygardening · 07/05/2012 18:25

But we can all find an excuse not to do something if we really want too.

Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 19:03

There are very, very few top professional musicians that went to boarding school and our idea of top is not the music worlds. Most music scholars at Eton and Winchester wouldn't get into a specialist music school. Practice at these schools for strings and piano is five hours minimum per day and on wind it is close to three. I'm not saying I want that but if it's what he wants to be then there is no way he could fit such practice in.

OP posts:
languagepedantic · 07/05/2012 20:34

But what about Cheethams, Purcell and Yehudi Menuhin? They are boarding schools. Many of the current BBC YM cagetory finalists are from these schools.

Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 20:39

They are specialist music schools. I don't understand your argument?! Confused

OP posts:
Greythorne · 07/05/2012 20:50

Do you want him to practise 5 hours a day?
You need a specialist music school in that case.

Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 20:54

He's at a specialist music school!

OP posts:
languagepedantic · 07/05/2012 21:10

I don't think you say anywhere in this thread that he's at a specialist school.

spendthrift · 07/05/2012 21:48

Colleger, completely understand your concern but worth asking because the child I am talking about was doing minimum of about 6 hours per day imv. Piano, strings I think , I think had taken up a wind and singing.

Obviously it's easier if they want to be a conductor or singer because the choral side helps.

happygardening · 07/05/2012 22:31

I am unsure that a child should devote that much time to one thing be it music sport or whatever. I am also unsure that a child of that age can really know what he wants to do when hes grown up. Finally do we as parents know either? I have tried to provide both my children with a broad education I would not be happy for them to "specialise" at this age on one thing. I want them to experience as much as they can and in a broad range of activities because I'm hoping that this will make them balanced individuals. I'm not trying to critisize you colleger just sharing my views I know ultimately we are all trying to do the best for our children.

Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 22:31

What school was this Spendthrift?

OP posts:
yesbutnobut · 07/05/2012 22:43

Collleger are the boys you refer to as holding places at West, Win, Eton and St Paul's at the specialist music school? Are they holding out for a music scholarship at one of these schools? I don't believe there are many who could afford the deposits at these 4 schools and don't understand why they would want to (unless it's to decide between day/boarding). These must be exceptional candidates in any event. Confused

Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 22:51

What has specialist music schools got to do with my original question! But to the last poster, No they are not at specialist music schools. My other son had offers from W, W and E although we turned two down immediately and I know a few boys with offers at the four mentioned and I just want to know what they chose so I can try and understand what list moves the most and what list barely moves.

OP posts:
difficultpickle · 07/05/2012 22:55

Surely if you have a child who is exceptionally talented then they will be putting in the hours to practice? What about those who do swimming? They have huge numbers of hours practice every week.

Colleger if your ds is already at a specialist music school why would you want him to move to Eton?

Greythorne · 07/05/2012 22:59

colleger

Your posts make no sense.

Yu son needs a musical education that he can't get at boarding school, according to you. So why on earth have you apllied to Eton and why are you fussing aout whether he will move up the waiting list?

Keep him at his music school!

Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 23:09

At any point have I said the place was for me? But even if it is or it is not that has nothing to do with him being at a music school or if we want to keep him there.

OP posts:
difficultpickle · 07/05/2012 23:13

I just want to work out how likely my child will move off the waiting list and when it will happen.

Confused
Original poster
Colleger · 07/05/2012 23:26

That must have been a spell check error! Wink

OP posts:
difficultpickle · 07/05/2012 23:37

Fair enough. It is never easy making decisions on schooling for yours or anyone else's dcs!

happygardening · 08/05/2012 06:35

I do know a boy who is at a normal boarding school (not a particularly academic one there could be a connection there) who is future Olymipic hopeful who is being allowed to swim 5-6 hours a day the school are bending over backwards to help him.

interest · 08/05/2012 09:40

I understand most waiting list places for Eton, Westminster and St P come up at the start of the Autumn term when parents have to pay a hefty nonrefundable deposit. That was when our own headmaster asked us to give up our second choice school. He did, however, tell us that a tiny minority of well-heeled parents pay the deposits on all 3 (or even 4!) schools, holding on to them until the Spring term, which is clearly unfair as waiting list parents often pay a deposit on another school (which they can ill-afford) while praying that a waiting list comes up.

Original poster
Colleger · 08/05/2012 10:06

I'd say they are well-off rather than well-heeled! Hmm

OP posts:
happygardening · 08/05/2012 10:15

The problem is that in London in particular, as my DH will cheerfully testify, there are lots of people with loads of money who for some inexplicable reason are dithering about which school and can stump up three to four deposits.

happygardening · 08/05/2012 11:22

Ok I'm scratching around a bit here to try and remember although we are only talking two/three years ago (must try and remember to book that early senile dementia screening test) but I think we were offered a place at St Pauls when DS was in yr. 6 but only had to confirm we wanted it at the beginning of yr. 8. Win Coll on the other hand offered a place near the end of yr 6 and we only had three weeks to confirm we wanted it and the amount of deposit you were asked to pay was only £500.