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Original poster

harrow-a very British school?

110 replies

scrummummy · 11/09/2013 20:09

is anyone watching or is there a thread?

OP posts:
Loopytiles · 22/09/2013 21:30

Must declare chip on shoulder as I went to a comprehensive, have negative views of boarding, and DH went to and enjoyed boarding school (though co-ed and much less famous and posh).

As things come across on the programme, things that seem good about it:

  • "geeky" activities that could be taken the piss out of seem to be seen as normal/fine.
  • support between the boys.
  • amazing facilities, budgets. They get to try lots of things.

Things that seem odd:

  • no interaction with girls' schools for things like drama.
  • they seem to have packed schedules, having to be doing things all the time, and told off for relaxing. Manic and exhausting.
motherstongue · 23/09/2013 00:33

Madaki, the Housemasters choose the boys they want for their houses. Though I like the idea of the ahem... Sorting hat or in this case, a sorting boater hat.

yesbutnobut · 24/09/2013 11:52

Madaki - it's a mixture of applicants requesting certain houses and housemasters requesting certain boys. For instance if a housemaster sees there's a brilliant footballer coming up and his house could do with such a boy, he might request that the boy is invited to look around his house. Because there is so much inter-house competition in all areas - the series has focused on drama and music so far but there is a huge amount of inter-house sport - housemasters will be looking to get a good mix of boys in their houses. West Acre is very sporty as well as musical, so a good all-round house.

mintgreenchilli · 24/09/2013 11:58

I think constant activity is v good for growing boys. Defo better than "relaxing" i.e. playing on phones and computer games...just makes them frustrated with all that pent-up energy!

Bue · 24/09/2013 12:58

I don't know mint, I think it's a balance. We live in at a boarding house at a school similar to Harrow, and my main criticism of boarding is that some of the kids often seem exhausted. They do have down time, but it is overall a very packed schedule. DH says well, they will learn to go to bed earlier if they're tired, but that can be hard when you live with your friends! The other side of it, of course, is that they have significantly more holiday time than children in day schools, so there is presumably plenty of time for recharging at home.

Vintageclock · 24/09/2013 13:29

I watched the first part of this series and, to be honest, I found it a bit dull. Just a bunch of nice well behaved boys and nice considerate teachers having a nice time. I'm sure in real life that's what you'd want from a school but it just didn't make for rivetting television, imho.

grants1000 · 25/09/2013 20:53

They seem to sing lots and do doubles a lot!

boschy · 26/09/2013 12:57

oh dear, I'm probably the only one who snorted 'tosser' every now and then then?! I watch it with my 2 DDs, both at a sec mod (we are grammar area).

loved lazy Henry, wanted to kill pretty boy with the floppy dark hair (Hugh?)

no problem with the hard work in class aspect; but the continual "up the house, ra ra ra" is very wearing. there seems to be no space for dreaming, or thinking - they have to be constantly 'doing'.

and I thought the housemaster was awful! patronising. not too keen on matron either.

it seems you have to fit the Harrow mould, so I too would be interested as a PP said, in how many leave early on.

however we are all hooked and fascinated by the arcane nature of the rituals (product of catholic girls boarding school, I thought some of our rituals a bit odd, but Harrow takes the Biscuit !)

DeTamble · 26/09/2013 14:07

Badminton, that's another well known girls school.

DeTamble · 26/09/2013 14:19

Also, watch it here.

There are more episodes.

Gunznroses · 28/09/2013 11:56

i cant get "All the leaves are brown......" out of my head now, ds too!

NanaNina · 29/09/2013 00:01

Agree with you Boschy - those bloody arcane rituals are unbelievable, with such stupid names. I'm watching but am getting bored as it's just more of the same every week. That bloody House master is really starting to annoy me with his grinning face and soft chuckle and that bloody dog Tara!

Coconutty · 29/09/2013 12:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pinupgirl · 29/09/2013 16:41

No you weren't the only one snorting tosser-I found a lot of them irritating little oinks. Lets face it who cares if they get a great education or not-none of them are going to have to worry about money courtesy of mummy and daddy.

Dh loves it but that's because he feels the guilts because we cant afford to send our dcs to private schools as most of his friends doHmm

robinofloxley · 29/09/2013 20:42

Pinupgirl - those of us who are scraping the barrel to get our DCs through schools like Harrow won't have much to give them after! I hope our DS doesn't have to worry about money by giving him a great education. He won't be getting much from us, it's all going to schooling and the mortgage!

difficultpickle · 29/09/2013 20:53

Not all of them come from wealthy families at all. We know one of those featured and he definitely doesn't have that kind of background.

southeastastra · 29/09/2013 20:58

all the kids seem a bit weird to me, these public schools seem to like to produce a 'type'- the housemaster is like someone from a 1920s play.

wasn't the best documentary i've seen about public schools, was twee with that awful soundtrack

difficultpickle · 29/09/2013 21:04

southeast I asssume that the editing has a lot to do with that. The boys I know at those type of schools aren't a particular type at all ime.

nogreythatmatters · 29/09/2013 21:54

25% of UK house moves are inspired by economically advantaged parents moving to obtain places for their kids in " better schools."

That is parents exercising their rights because they have the money - exactly the same as some parents exercising their right to make sacrifices to send their kids to Harrow.

Pinupgirl · 30/09/2013 10:02

33 grand a year is what my dh brings home after tax. You are NOT scraping the barrel if you can afford to spunk that on school fees-honestly do any of you live in the real world?

Dobbiesmum · 30/09/2013 11:58

upjacobscreek ah, I think we went the opposite way! Grin
DS has been watching it with interest, he said he would love to go to a school like that, but without the boarding!
I really don't think that the boys coming out of Harrow or similar schools are going to be able to rely on Mummy and Daddy for money in the future, it seems to promote a very strong work ethic and I would bet that most of the parents are very hard workers in their chosen (and probably quite high flying) careers.
A friend of ours sends his children to a quite prestigious co ed private boarding school. He started up his own business from scratch and is now what you would describe as a self made millionaire. I doubt he or parents like him would be happy with their children getting the best education money can buy and then sitting on their arses sponging money.

Gunznroses · 30/09/2013 14:54

i'd say parents who expect to financially 'prop' up their sons for life do not normally send their children to a Harrow or the like.

MortifiedAdams · 30/09/2013 15:03

A Years fees are mine and dhs combined wages. If we send a DS, we would have to move in too! Grin

Davros · 01/10/2013 15:18

Insider info says that the housemaster featured in this programme was the inspiration for Mr Bean, Richard Curtis went there! I can really see it

difficultpickle · 01/10/2013 15:52

That housemaster has only been at Harrow since 1980 and Richard Curtis would have left before then.