What happened to the Brighton College thread?

[Lollipop180]

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@FacebookFun - https://www.mumsnet.com/i/terms-of-use

Sorry the nuance is they have unfettered rights over your content.. pretty much. You have given them an unfettered right over your posts, subject to the above terms and conditions.
However, with GDPR I don’t know. You raise an interesting point - I am not sure if all posts are personal data. If someone insists on having all their posts deleted going back many years and multiple user names, I wonder if they are now obliged to make sure that happens (or if it only applies to the identifying personal data posts). No idea, but an interesting question nevertheless. I suspect if someone insists it might be easier to just delete all their posts rather than just identifying personal data posts (because it might take a long time and much discussion as to what that is). If you are worried about it, email Mumsnet Headquarters.

I have always regularly name changed. I still feel if I am going to share my thoughts and invest my time, then they shouldn’t delete my posts if they do not breach the guidelines. If they are not offensive, libellous etc. then I have a legitimate expectation that my posts remain.
Otherwise it becomes no better than the likes of certain builder review websites - we certainly don’t want that for schools, in particular. Freedom of speech is important.

I don’t think people warning that highly academic schools are not for every child is a bad thing. It makes people think twice about what is right for their child. There is a similar thread about The Perse School running. Point being that fast paced highly academic schools can be the totally wrong fit for some children, even some very academic children, if they don’t like pressure.

I was following the original BC thread and felt confused when it was taken down before I had a chance to respond. I’m quite new to MN so still trying to wrap my head around how things like privacy/copyright work around here. I presume MN has the ultimate authority to take down a post if certain sensitive words flagged up on their system and they think it could potentially harm the OP or individuals who are more vulnerable? And for everyday posts like sharing experiences or advice on schools to be removed, do one need to report a post first for an investigation to be launched?

I emphasise with the families in the original BC thread who were advised by their prep schools to consider a different senior school instead of their desired main college. It can be especially distressing if parents and their DC had their hearts set on a particular school. But it would be a cause of concern and outrage if a student was asked to leave half way through their GCSES or ALevels because they show signs of falling behind their work or target grades.

As I read through the original thread, I came across a post where a parent shared their positive experience of the college, only to be criticised and dismissed by quite a few posters for not using paragraphs in their comments. I also noticed one poster mentioned that their family member had received a funded place, which was met with some skeptical feedback. I presume this might involve sensitive information, particularly if the funding was awarded through the means of a bursary, which is then reviewed annually? I understand in such cases, parents would typically be required to sign a discretionary contract with the school on the amount offered, and sharing such information with others may result in the funds being withdrawn.

Hello,

I’m the OP on the original BC thread.

Firstly, I’d like to thank all of the people that took the time to share their experiences with BC - on the thread and via personal messages.

The comments reflect what I have heard about BC from other sources.

People that I know that have children or have had had children about the school generally rave about it. However, they also say that the school is suited for very academically able children with a love of learning.

As other posters on the thread wrote - it’s quite common for Brightonians to send their children to one of the local primary schools and then trying to get them into BC at 11+ or 13+.

The prep- school does not seem to offer good value for money and attending does not in any way guarantee a place at the senior school. BC make that very clear in their recruitment materials.

The only new information that surprised me was hearing that some children had been asked/encouraged to leave during their GCSEs and prior to the 13+ entry. if this is true - I find it truly outrageous.

Finally, I am deeply disappointed with Mumsnet for saying that the thread was pulled because I asked for it to be taken down. I’ve been on this site since 2007ish and this has been the first time I’ve seriously considered packing it in for good.

not your finest moment Mumsnet….

@dylexicdementor11
that shocked me too. Did they tell you they were pulling the thread? Presumably pissing off Brighton College is more of an issue than annoying a few Mumsnetters.

Not a great look for BC either.

I think it's absolutely fine to have a prep school that doesn't automatically escalate the kids to the senior school, as long as BC makes it absolutely clear to parents that this is the case (which it appears they are). I have no issues with this.

But asking kids to leave at exit points that do not make a transfer easy for the students? Not cool. They absolutely should not be doing this. I think there tends to be pressure on state school places in Brighton? If that is the case, students who are asked or "pressured" into leaving at odd times risk being left high and dry with no school place other than somewhere that is poorly suited or miles away. If BC really is doing this, it's just not OK. They have a duty of care to students in such situations. BC need to engage with these concerns, not keep trying to shut threads down.

I cannot comment on BC itself.

However, I have thoughts on the ISI guidelines https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/800615/Independent_School_Standards-_Guidance_070519.pdf

I think the ISI should be more proactive and make it a point that parents can actually appeal to them effectively and quickly in practice in situations when schools try to manage out children (and parents have already followed the complaints process). I think schools should absolutely not be able to do anything which conflicts with a child’s wellbeing, whether state or independent. If the child is a real danger to others and has had multiple warnings or taken drugs or dealt drugs or committed other criminal offences, then of course they should be suspended and expelled. If the child is happy and just not achieving according to some artificial benchmark or if the child is going through eg family or mental health issues, they should absolutely not be expelled or asked to leave. Especially if in the case of private schools they have already applied their stringent admissions process.

If a school manages out kids and then publishes stellar results it is misleading for consumers of private school education aka parents. So if this actually does happen, I am quite shocked.

If it happens across many competitive independent schools then it appears they are in some sort of artificial rat race with each other over results and competition for best pupils that can pay etc. I doubt the majority of the teachers at these schools would be on board with this kind of practice. So it must be coming from management.

That is not healthy and means the independent sector requires further regulation for the protection of children.

Personally, I also think schools terms and conditions and policies should never be allowed to conflict with guidelines either. Again, I think what would be better is if there were some standard terms and conditions every independent school has to have and apply which are regulated and only grade entry requirements for Sixth Form 11 plus 13 plus should differ. But maybe this is not what private school parents generally want? Maybe the schools/aka management feel their actual clients (aka the parents) want this kind of environment so they can say my kid went to that school etc and they are buying reputation and prestige? Perhaps management are incentivised in a certain way? ( I do not know how the pay structure of senior management at private schools works)

In reality, there have been instances of state school management pulling similar e.g Saint Olave’s. There was a thread on mumsnet at the time about it which I remember following. Eventually the head had to leave.
So freedom of speech is important.

No idea about BC but all the South London independent schools manage ourt kids who aren't keeping up academically ....

Stealth outmanagement is controversial, but so is discouraging children to take subjects where they are not projected an A, or even enrolling them with an outside exam agency to improve league tables as a certain school in Brighton has been known to do so in the past.

In my view, transparency will sort most of these issues. If there are clear markers and milestones known well in advance, then parents can make informed decisions and the consequences can be anticipated, and alternatives can be considered.

That way families will not feel like their kids are chips on a roulette table.

BC parent here 👋So yes, as others have said BC absolutely does manage our kids who aren’t keeping up. IMO they’re very transparent about this. To make it from the prep to the senior school is a lengthy process involving interviews, assessments and exams, all starting 2 years before entry at 13. Many kids don’t make it and move to other local private schools (Lancing, Hurts, Roedean etc.).

However what I’ve never heard of is kids being managed out once they get to the senior school. I have heard of kids being asked to leave for behaviour issues, but never because they aren’t going to get the grades (admittedly this may happen in other year groups & I just haven’t heard about it, but the parent gossip grapevine is strong…).

Not allowing kids to sit certain GCSEs because they aren’t going to get top marks goes on all over. This was even the case at the (inadequate, failing) state comp I went to over 25 years ago. If you weren’t predicted to get above a C, the school wouldn’t enter you for the exam. Period.

IMO if BC have accepted a child into the senior school, after endless rounds of rigorous assessments, and they couldn’t get that child to achieve their potential then that’s the schools fault & they should pull out all the stops to get them where they need to be. Reputation is everything for BC and I honestly think that if they were booting kids out mid-way through GCSEs, there would have been a huge backlash.

I can't quite figure out why a student might fall behind in their learning at BC if there are no extenuating circumstances, or how BC would allow this to happen in the first place? I'm speaking of the main college as we never went through the prep school. The learning pace is fast, but what we experience so far is that teachers and staff seem always available to help and clarify any questions. The quality of teachers’ feedback on schoolwork always seems clear and helpful. Students' progress is regularly reviewed (seems to me on a weekly basis), and the school does act on it very quickly if they have identified a concern. It works very well for us as all learning is done in school and we don’t have as much time and resources as we would like to help our DC with their schoolwork. It also gives our DC the chance (from day one) to be more organised, independent and responsible for their own learning and time management, as there’s always a variety of events happening in school and there’s a vast amount of emails from faculty and information on Teams/OneNote that they need to go through each day.

Out of all the independent secondary schools on our application list, BC's 11+ admissions process was definitely the most thorough. They use a standardised computer-based ISEB pre-test in verbal/non-verbal reasoning, English, and Maths - which is great because DCs only need to take the test once at the school with the earliest test date, and the results can then be shared with other schools that use the same system (the ones near Brighton are Lancing, Hurst, and Ardingly). On the day of the ISEB pre-test, DCs will also need to sit BC's own written papers in Maths and English (creative writing and comprehension), bringing the total number of tests to 6 in one day…There is also another action-packed day scheduled for group activities and interviews with senior staff.

While all of these can understandably be overwhelming for DCs - especially those from state schools where the only test they have ever taken is the KS1 SATS - it serves the purpose of giving the school a clearer idea of how candidates cope with a more demanding timetable and how they engage, learn, and interact with teachers and peers. Our DC's admissions experience has given us the impression that the college genuinely goes above and beyond to make candidates feel at ease during these assessments, and there will be opportunities for each of them to share their true selves and unique qualities. The school gave us feedback when they called to offer a place, including any particular strengths and weaknesses observed during the admissions process.

I would say it would be very helpful for DCs to attend one of the taster days if they are interested in applying. This way, they can familiarise themselves with the environment and get to know the teachers and other applicants a little bit before their assessments.

People do that with universities on mumsnet too. Post as if they are experts on all universities, when they are clearly not as they are posting incorrect information about accomodation etc.