What happened to the Brighton College thread?

[Lollipop180]

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BC is known for its rigorous academic standards and students are expected to work hard and keep up with the pace of the program. As concerned parents, we too had heard numerous unsettling stories about BC. We also understood the importance of firsthand experiences and thus availed ourselves of every opportunity to gain insights into the school and its offerings.

We diligently attended open days and taster days at multiple secondary schools to help us and our DC make an informed decision about their education. After all, they will be the ones who will spend their precious teenage years there!

Surprisingly, BC turned out to be the clear front-runner for our DC - who also, thankfully, turned out to be very happy there! DC feels that they’re always encouraged to have a go at things, to look out for each other, and they know who to turn to when they need help or support.

Perhaps most importantly, I have noticed a positive impact on our family dynamic since enrolling our DC at BC. The stress and tension that often accompanied homework and school projects in the past have been greatly reduced, thanks to the focus on individualised attention and in school prep clubs whenever they feel the need to brush up their essay writing skills or clarify some points they don’t quite understand in lessons, for example.

The College keep their students busy! Never mind what they say about being an academic hot house, in reality it’s like a tropical rainforest of activities - there's always something bloomin' marvelous happening. From cleaning up the beach to chess, science to drama and the arts, it's all there for everyone to join in. And the best part? Our DC is now a whole new person - more engaged, motivated, and confident, which has translated into a more relaxed and enjoyable home life for all of us. What we have now at home is a more relaxed (and happily exhausted) DC!

Ultimately, choosing the right school for your child involves taking the time to research and experience the schools yourself. Don't simply rely on hearsay, but instead make an informed decision based on your own observations and intuition.

It’s crucial to look beyond the opinions of others and form your own informed decision. While friends and family may have well-intentioned advice, it's important to remember that they may not understand the unique needs and preferences of your child.

Visiting schools in person is essential to gaining a deeper understanding of their culture, curriculum, and overall learning environment. You can arrange a private tour during school hours to suit your needs. It allows you to witness firsthand how teachers interact with students and observe the level of engagement and enthusiasm among the students. You can also talk directly with teachers and staff to get a better sense of how they interact with parents and what their educational philosophies are.

Attending taster days is also important. These events allow your DC to experience what it’s like to study there, and give them a chance to meet teachers and other students. This will also help them feel more comfortable and confident as they start at the new school.

By taking these steps, you are on the right track for making a more informed decision about which school is best for your child. Fingers crossed 🤞

Great, just great. Very convincing PR, thank you BC😋

Absolutely outrageous work from the BC Marketing department 😂

It puzzles me how you can't seem to believe that a parent could actually have a positive experience with their child's school?! It's like you think we're just out here trying to pull off some kind of elaborate PR stunt, when really we're just trying to make sure our little ones are happy and thriving in their school.

I can reassure you that when you find a school where your child actually likes and is thriving in, it’s like winning the lottery! So if anyone wants to call that a PR stunt, they can go ahead and take a long walk off a short pier.

Yes, as a parent, choosing the right school for your DC is an important decision that requires careful consideration. However, there can be a social stigma attached to certain schools, particularly if they are perceived as being too competitive or having a particular reputation that may not be entirely positive. Unfortunately, this can lead to unfair assumptions about the children who attend these schools, with some people assuming that a child who attends a certain school must be unhappy or struggling in some way.

In reality, this kind of thinking is often based on stereotypes and assumptions rather than actual evidence. Every child is different, and what works for one child may not work for another. What I shared here is my own personal experience with my own DC.

So let's keep an open mind, stay focused on DC’s needs, and choose the school that will best fit their needs and help them thrive!

@WayDownInTheHole I thought the same 😂
@Saltscooper god are you always this condescending?

@Saltscooper You're obviously in a mood to type based on the paragraphs. Maybe write something to the school office. If my kids school were taking down threads off Mumsnet at a rate where they were known for it, and forcing MN to lie about the reasons, I wouldn't be writing paragraphs singing their praises on here. I'd be livid.

In any case, I am sure that the OP of the original Brighton College thread have already gotten her answer, even if it is not visible to the public anymore. What is your takeaway @dylexicdementor11 ?

It appears to me that you have a strong negative view/sentiment towards the school. I'm curious as to what led to this perspective? Have you or your DC had any unpleasant experiences with the school? Have you tried addressing your concerns with them directly and have not gotten an appropriate response? Or you’re simply upset and disappointed because you believe the original post was removed because the school requested it from MN? I think it's important to try and understand the root cause of these emotions so that things can move forward.

I understand that the OP requested for feedback from parents with children currently attending the school. I also understand each family's experience may differ. But labelling someone as condescending or a PR stunt based on their sharing of positive experiences may not be the most productive approach.

I don't think it's because you wrote positively about the school. It's because the post sounds like the kind of gushing piece that would be written by a sponsor or someone in marketing. EG 'Never mind what they say about being an academic hot house, in reality it’s like a tropical rainforest of activities - there's always something bloomin' marvelous happening'. Maybe it's just the way you write...

Well, shiver me timbers, you've acknowledged my writing style! Living by the sea in Brighton has a way of making words flow more expressively. I'll admit, though, that me hearty way of writing might not be everyone's cup of tea. So, I may have to find me sea legs and tone it down a bit. Or, I could always just put a disclaimer that says I'm not being sponsored by some big shot company. As a happy mum of a little buccaneer who's killin' it in school, I hope my enthusiasm oozes with genuine appreciation, rather than making me sound like a barking parrot. If you think I might be gettin' a bit too carried away, no sweat! I still appreciate the kind words, and I'll try to keep me excitement in check. Arrr!

@Saltscooper Genuine advice, at this point I really don't care if you're a legit BC parent or not, but if you are, you're making your kids school look at lot worse. Your posts read like an example PowerPoint slide on a PR lecture. You may not mean it, but that's how it looks. Just stop.

Yes, it reads remarkably like marketing. If not for the use of 'DC' I'd say it could even have been AI-generated 😉

@Saltscooper if you're genuine, a career in advertising could await you!

@Dodgeitornot I am sorry to hear that you feel this way about my posts regarding my DC’s school. Responding in a confrontational or dismissive manner, telling people who express themselves in a way that feels comfortable and natural to them to ‘just stop’ doesn’t make you look any better. Rather than making assumptions or passing judgment, it may be more productive to engage in a respectful conversation and open-minded way and express your concerns in a constructive manner.

I was also rubbed the wrong way by this
robotic PR piece. Timing is suspect, and it really doesn’t sound genuine. Parents don’t write to or talk to each other like that. Executives in a formal setting do, media, marketing and legal depts come to mind. Brighton, sea legs… maybe the pollution got to you?

@WEEonline The only reason I'm suspecting it's not BC is because they're not stupid enough for this. Exactly, it's not how parents online talk to each other. It's reading like a patronising email. Or those fake reviews on Amazon. If I was a genuine BC parent and saw how they're deleting threads I'd be fuming. This would not be my response. You cannot function online as a business without having some aspects of your business criticised. Its extremely patronising to suggest that all negative reviews are fraudulent but happily keep up the ones that are positive. How do you prove the positive ones are genuine? No parent makes a decision on a school solely based on reviews on Mumsnet, esp if they're all glowing. That's not normal. People want to know the negatives because they exist everywhere and knowing what they are helps you make an informed choice.

I am only sharing our family's personal experiences at the school, without intending to invalidate the experiences of other families or prove ourselves.

A parent who currently has a child attending the school and shared their positive experience previously on the OP’s BC threat also got deleted and their experience was too being dismissed by some people here due to lack of paragraphing in their comment.

Resorting to personal attacks or being dismissive when someone shares their (positive) experiences is not a constructive or appropriate way to respond. It appears that your arguments lack solid evidence and are instead grounded in assumptions and bias. What are you hoping to accomplish?

@Saltscooper I have no intention of getting into the table tennis match on this thread but felt compelled to thank you for sharing your experience on here. We can all make our own choices at end of the day.

@Saltscooper ’s posts are ChatGPT generated. It’s pretty transparent. I will report, but I’m not sure what the motivation is here.

@ttbn I completely agree with you that it is up to each of us to make our own decisions. There will never be a one-size-fits-all type of school and each family has varying needs and interests. I am very grateful that we have the privilege to choose a school that aligns best with our child's preferred learning style and interests.

But of course, choosing a school is only the first step in their education journey. Once enrolled, it's important to stay involved and engaged with their education, to make sure that they are continuing to thrive and grow. This may simply mean encouraging DC to talk about their day and offering support and encouragement.

Again, the decision of where to send your DC to school will depend on a variety of factors, including your family's values, financial situation, and the individual needs and interests of your DC. Whatever the OP decides, I wish them all the best as they navigate this exciting and challenging chapter in their lives.

@NotARealCat That may well be one of the reasons why the OP's thread on BC was taken down. People like you accuse, name, and label others who share their positive experiences with the school and then report them.

@Saltscooper If you were writing up your own experiences of BC, then fine, but you’re not - you’re posting what ChatGPT thinks of the school. Why?

The thing is eventually people with a certain amount of knowledge and time stop posting on Mumsnet if their opinions, given in good faith and for free, are pulled.

We already don’t own the copyright to our posts given mainly in the interests of free speech. If Mumsnet continue to pander to legal threats posted by commercially driven outfits, posters leave for good.

Anything that is posted that is true and simply represents someone’s actual opinion should be fine! If nothing libellous is posted then it should stay.

Brighton College partners with international schools under a Brighton College brand name… perhaps, in my opinion, they are incentivised to defend their brand more than some other schools, with charitable status in the U.K.

@Saltscooper saying positive things about the school is all well and good, but surely you can't deny that when you use AI to write it, it makes people question how genuine you are.

@doglover90 and here are the results for my original share of our experience of the school…

To put things in perspective, I feel that elaborating on our DC's circumstances may help balance things a little. Our DC attended a local state primary school. Not the typical academic type of child but rather a curious minded and laidback individual who would happily lounge back and only do things if they absolutely positively have to.

Throughout the primary school phase, our DC presented quite a challenge for both teachers and ourselves with regards to completing tasks in class and the very occasional homework due to their SEND needs. Our DC would often express their dissatisfaction with the learning experience at school, describing it as ‘boring’.

As the time approached to select a suitable secondary school, we explored almost every available options within sensible travelling distance, including state and independent schools, hoping to find the best fit for our DC.

Upon realising the requirements to secure a spot in an independent school, our DC understood the need to undergo a comprehensive assessment process that involved tests on verbal/non-verbal reasoning etc. We got hold of some Bond books for our DC to familiarise themselves with the contents. No extra tuition needed.

…

The rest of the story is now history but if the OP is still interested in finding out more about BC’s admissions/scholarships process, I’m happy to share our experience. Best of luck.