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Secondary education

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

Eton, Harrow, Winchester, or Westminster?

272 replies

MECC · 09/07/2019 20:06

So our son is in prep school, and it's around the time that we begin considering which schools he should apply for.
His marks are very good and he enjoys reading. He is apathetic to sport, so we think an unashamedly academic school may be good for him. That's why we initally thought Eton and Harrow were probably not good choices, although we don't want to completely rule them out.
The issue with Westminster is that os only boards during weekends. It is also partially coeducational, and we want our son to have an all-male education.

OP posts:
howwudufeel · 14/07/2019 16:54

We all want good educations for our dc. Some of us want a good education not just for our own dc but for every child in the UK. Whether you like it or not, your dc’s education is a political issue and no poster has the right to tell another poster what they can or can’t say.

Needmoresleep · 14/07/2019 16:55

OP, a number of posters have tried to make positive contributions. You have not responded to these. If you want a civil conversation you need to take part. Otherwise you cannot complain if it goes off at a tangent.

peteneras · 14/07/2019 17:15

This reply has been deleted

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howwudufeel · 14/07/2019 17:19

Your unpleasantness really know no bounds peteneras. Referring to supporters of state education and people with less money than you as vermin really shows how vile you are.

peteneras · 14/07/2019 17:31

That was deliberately written directed at you, howwudufeel to give you a doze of your own medicine in the same way you disparage private schools and the people involved with them. What's the matter? You haven't answered me what "equal opportunities" you dished out to those poor unwashed outside your front door.

peteneras · 14/07/2019 17:33

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howwudufeel · 14/07/2019 17:34

It’s ‘dose’ not doze and the rest of your post is semi-literature. It’s very difficult to understand what you are trying to say. Is English your second language?

peteneras · 14/07/2019 17:39

Considering the amount of words I write, compared to you, surely I'm allowed a typo or two. No? Auto correct is a good thing but sometimes I fight with them because they try to put words in my mouth.

peteneras · 14/07/2019 17:43

I speak three languages and four dialects and English is my second language. How many do you speak?

howwudufeel · 14/07/2019 17:44

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peteneras · 14/07/2019 17:57

Nobody else had problems understanding what I wrote. I seem to remember an Oxford classicist, no less, in these forums being impressed with my writings and came out publicly out of the blue to say so recently.

So how many languages do you speak? - Forget about the dialects.

peteneras · 14/07/2019 19:05

"Your unpleasantness really know no bounds . . ."

It's 'knows' not know and all your other posts are just unreal.

Hold both your hands up in front of your face. What do you see? Fingers and thumbs. Some long and some short; some fat and others thin. That's what it is in real life - inequality! You have it even in your own hands so stop dreaming and get real. The sooner the better.

howwudufeel · 14/07/2019 19:06
Smile
EstoPerpetua · 14/07/2019 20:57

I am not ashamed to have a son at Eton, but I am ashamed that anyone might think that Peteneras is representative of the school. Sad He really isn't.

Wimbledonsemis · 14/07/2019 22:02

I have always been under the impression that Peteneras is a chat bot.

Do people think Pete is a real person?

Needmoresleep · 14/07/2019 22:11

I've always assumed that posters who are rude to Pete are a tiny bit in love with him.

GoFiguire · 14/07/2019 22:14

Sadly he is a real person. Just not a nice one, that’s all.

Cyberworrier · 15/07/2019 08:48

Hmmm, I thought that kind of attitude was past its expiry. Even in Elizabeth Bennett’s day Mr Collins was considered a fool for thinking that when a woman doesn’t like a man, it’s actually their secret way of loving them. Not sure why I’m bothering saying anything!
I think it’s great that Mumsnet is inclusive to all, but it is shameful ( and doing a disservice to his sex who fortunately are not all this way inclined) for one man to choose to come into such a woman focused space to come to pick fights and just generally be unpleasant. I get that it’s his choice, free speech, etc, just saying! Bit of a shame, shrug.

peteneras · 15/07/2019 14:00

Well, I suppose many of you can do away with all that "political correctness" crap. Really have no time for all that sweet nothin' talk. What faceless characters in the worldwide web (or even in real life) think of me is of no importance to me - as if you don't know already? I'm not seeking political office when I've to cement my face with a permanent smile or kiss every baby's bottom that comes my way. Grin

But the amount of PM's that come my way thanking me profusely make this "job" more than satisfying. Anybody else got (conditional) offers from Eton in the last week or so?

Oh, and NO, I'm not "connected" with Eton nor does Eton know peteneras from Adam.

peteneras · 15/07/2019 14:28

It's a shame what I thought was a very helpful post to OP got immediately deleted by MNHQ no doubt instigated by someone who had nothing else better to do in life than watch these boards all day long. That's because I had "contravened" some Talk Guidelines or other. Well really, because of just one [factual] sentence out of the scores that I write, that's what MN told me.

But it takes more than a deletion to deter me from passing an important message and therefore, here it is again, albeit with the "offending" sentence removed:

Just an acknowledgement to say @MECC, nice to see you popping up again at your own thread. And I can fully understand your absence due to leftist detractors who have not the foggiest of ideas how these premier public schools work and therefore, have not a pea to offer for advice, instead, making a conscious effort here to sabotage your thread. [Line removed]

Now, back to your queries. Much have been said about the pros and cons about single-sex schools. Like you, I'm an ardent supporter of single-sex education solely and purely drawing from personal experiences. I went to one since Day One at primary school right through to the end of secondary education aged 16-ish. When I went to a co-ed school for Form 6 because previous school didn't have them, my academic concentration took a bashing of biblical proportion because of distraction from the opposite sex. Still remember getting a big fat goose egg, 'Zero' - 'Nil-Pwa' - in one of the test papers after all these years! Grin

At least 3 of the schools here are located right in the middle of town/city or High Street (don't know about WinColl) and therefore, boys see and interact with the general public - men and women; males and females -everyday of the year. The schools concerned are not exactly a monastery with closed doors with monks living inside by themselves totally oblivious to the world outside. On the contrary, Eton, for example, is a tourist hotspot with coach loads of visitors coming from the four corners of the globe regularly to have a peep at this world renowned greatest of schools. You should see for yourself some of these tourists, especially the teenaged girls from the Orient (Japan, China, Korea, etc) getting all highly excited when they meet up with the young Etonians in the vicinity. Many will demand a selfie or two taking the opportunity to hug and get up close and personal with these innocent handsome young lads in their superb uniforms - the smartest school uniform in the world if you'd asked me.

A boys' school it may well be, but take a quick look at the School's 'Fixtures' booklet (a posh name for nothing more than a detailed diary; remember - the school does everything with Excellence) and you'll see dates allocated for different year groups (Blocks) to travel to other Girls' boarding schools in the area or slightly further afield for socials and other events. And the visits are returned in kind on other dates when girls visit the boys at Eton.

Plays, concerts, musical and other productions are a big thing at Eton! On average, stage plays alone will take place on more than 20 occasions spread out throughout the three terms. Often, girls from other nearby schools or other boarding schools join in for the productions and take the female parts. So, plenty of opportunities for the Etonians to meet girls during rehearsals and the actual productions.

Another myth about lack of females at the school dispelled and unceremoniously consigned to the dustbin!

marytuda · 15/07/2019 17:16

Sorry bit late back to this, no I wasn't bothered by anything you said Esto think it was BigBall and Pete I was reacting to. . . I am totally prepared to believe Eton is a wonderful school, it sounds fantastic . .It's what it stands for I object to and that has nothing to do with any individual parent but is a totally legitimate target (in the way laying into our local comp kids is not) given the influence so many of its handful of graduates every year will end up having over billions of ordinary lives . . .And Mediocrity . . That's only in proportion to that inflated influence I'm talking about. I mean, (imho) they'd all have to absolutely saintly Geniuses to merit that! (And who do we get? Boris Johnson FFS!)

peteneras · 16/07/2019 14:12

This reply has been deleted

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GoFiguire · 16/07/2019 15:16

Classic bit of GFery there.

marytuda · 16/07/2019 21:53

Gosh pete is it worth trying to engage with you? Probably not. I haven't attacked anyone anything like the way you have me, nor have I directly quoted anyone, just responded to Esto once . . . I've explained twice already my objections to Eton are not about the school itself (of course it must be a great school, on its terms!) but what it and many others stand for, and you know absolutely nothing about my life, so how can you be so sure I'm a hypocrite (in your terms)? Or is Anyone who thinks the intensely segregated and divisive education system we have here is wrong automatically a hypocrite in your view? So . . . it's Think Everything is Great as it is, or . . . Go back to where you came from? As a certain odious US president might say . . . ??

MECC · 16/07/2019 23:55

For every 'positive contribution', there are three comments ranting about David Cameron's dad or Boris Johnson, and another three defending them. How an I supposed to respond to all of this?

OP posts: