harrow-a very British school?

[scrummummy]

is anyone watching or is there a thread?

[Caribbeanpuss]

Just wanted to add another opinion to the many varied - we live overseas.... we both work and have a business, which takes many hours and much "toil" and have no option other than to board for our DS in U.K. We are self made and didn't get a rich parent to help???

Harrow was the last on our list... too snooty we thought. A friend convinced us to visit, when we returned to see several schools - we were bowled over by the new thinking to teaching and the respect between teachers and the boys... The program has added to our initial impressions. Interesetingly our 10 year old son is also now of the same opinion. Yes the housemaster is old school, but he has a very funny wit.. if you bother to listen past the accent and clealry cares unbelievably about the boys.
Much is said about the fees - boarding is 30,000 pounds across the board and there is little difference between the best schools and the worse....so if you can afford that and like us have little choice then why not harrow. Our son knows that we are working hard to pay for his education and he is turn (at his own instigation has declared is working hard to get a place - fair trade I think!! Problem is we have been quoted 12 applicants to 1 place in 2016 - after the sereis I fear it may be even higher than that.

[difficultpickle]

Is that 12:1 who pass the pre-test or just those who apply?

[Davros]

Bisjo, good point. I will question my source closely when I see him soon

[harrowmum2]

I have one son at Harrow and another who's just finished from there and is now in his 1st year at university. One myth is that the boys at Harrow are all posh and privileged. Undoubtedly some are. The vast majority however, are boys from homes where the parents work very hard and make certain sacrifices to set their sons up in what they believe is the most secure path in life.

With regards to the houses and housemasters, the West Acre housemaster couldn't be more different from that of my sons. Our housemaster is a lot more dynamic and competitive (and less annoying). The houses have different cultures depending on the housemaster and even my husband and I, in watching the programme, are sometimes surprised at the differences in ethos and philosophy between West Acre and our house. Now we understand why it is so important to pick the right house for your son.

Of course Harrow is not perfect and we don't agree with every decision taken. On the whole however one son flourished at Harrow and the other looks set to do even better. We look at how our sons are progressing and write those termly cheques with satisfaction.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I'm enjoying the contrast between this and "Educating Yorkshire".

[boschy]

rhubarb me too!

yes I do accept that the editing is designed to present a particular point of view...

but really do they never get any downtime? can this be true? surely everyone needs time just to dream, or pootle about and not be constantly 'achieving'?

[Davros]

Everyone needs downtime except teenage boys

[Sparklysilversequins]

The Head Master is Hot.

[boschy]

Ugh sparkly !!! sooner you than me.

but sooper dooper old boys network going on there, he practically admitted that it made the fees 100% worthwhile.

davros I know lots of teenage boys (grammar and sec mod) and they do seem to need their downtime... is it kind of a boarding thing?

[YouHaveAGoodPoint]

The boys get an amazing education and amazing opportunities but I struggle with the way the boys are made to feel so special and elite. I would hate for my children to think they were superior to others.

[Loopytiles]

Harrowmum, to afford £30k annual fees a family would need that net income to pay the fees, plus whatever it costs them to live.

For the vast majority of people on average wages that would never be possible, whatever "sacrifices" were made. Any big bursaries excepted (don't know how many of those are paid out each year) the boys there are all from wealthy backgrounds.

[Sparklysilversequins]

That's probably one of the smuggest posts I have ever read on MN Harrowmum.

[themottledcat]

Agree with Loopytiles. The vast majority of people,regardless of any 'sacrifices' made, would not be able to afford the fees at Harrow,

It is absolutely ridiculous to suggest otherwise!!!

It just serves to illustrate the bubble in which these parents live....

[FannyFifer]

I can't think of much worse than having my son turn out like the boys at that school.
What a bunch of unbearable children.

Even if I was a millionaire, I wouldn't want my child to grow up like that.

[boschy]

fresh from tonight's Educating Yorkshire...

what seems clear to me is that children are moulded from the beginning. you (one) could not survive successfully at Harrow unless moulded via prep school or so exceptionally bright at your state primary that you always knew (or were told) you had something exceptional ahead.

We (DH and I) are nouveau pauvre if you like - both privately educated, no way of being able to do that for our kids (and actually wouldn t want to). Kids also too thick for grammar!!

Yet if you look at Grant in tonights EY, he was a good kid til something happened to set him on the wrong track. Had he been at Harrow, he would have been told to 'play up and play the game' til he fucked it up and was advised to move elsewhere. at the state school they did the best they could with the options they had.

[difficultpickle]

boschy I don't agree. A good school is a good school, whether private or state. Imho a good school is one that has teaching staff that care about the welfare of their pupils.

Grant reminded me of the boy in Educating Essex who was doing very well until his parents split up.

[boschy]

pickle totally agree that a good school is a good school whichever sector.

I think what I am trying to say, probably rather badly, is that you wouldnt cope with the arcane rituals and constant activity and having to excel at Harrow UNLESS you had been 'trained' for it via your prep school.

My girls just watch it with a kind of bemused amazement that the boys are so rah rah up the house well played old sport kind of thing, and I try to explain to them that its kind of bred into them from the beginning.

[Sparklysilversequins]

Anyone still watching?

IS Hugh actually The Poshest Boy In The World.

[difficultpickle]

I watched it on youtube but they've only put the first three episodes on, which is a shame.

[boschy]

sparkly that made me laugh.

Hugh is indeed the Poshest Boy in the World, and boy does he work at it! he will either come a huge cropper somewhere and turn into a person, or he will waft out of Harrow, into Oxbridge (or maybe somewhere like Exeter for the yah quotient), into a merchant bank and continue living that wonderfully insulated life. Am sure he's terribly brainy, and awf'ly nice to meet at a drinks party, but where's the spark and the grit??!

I like the bit with the kitchen staff, where the head cook (?) was asked if she would send her son there and just said a point blank NO.

And as for CCF... what on earth is the point? loved KC with his head too big for the beret, he was so relieved bless him.

[motherstongue]

The housemasters work incredibly long hours. He was up at 5.30 in the morning, sorted out 70 boys throughout the day and taught too. That is a committed job when you consider the boys don't go to bed until after 10 for the majority. I made a mental note to self not to complain about any overtime again.

[Caribbeanpuss]

sorry bisjo been working away for a while - 12 to 1 who apply. Thats what the test is for - to narrow down the field.

[chocolatemartini]

I used to live in Harrow when I was a teenager. Met some of the Harrow boys occasionally through friends. I remember I thought they were very posh and that one of them was called 'Randy'

[drawsofdrawers]

Really liking the programme. I think everyone comes across well. Can't bring myself to call a child a 'tosser'!

The kids are very lucky to go there and I've got the impression they know so, or most do.

There are some bits I've thought would work well in any school like when the ex pupils come back and talk careers and stuff. Can't other schools do that?

There are some interesting points above. It certainly doesn't seem to hold people back going to Harrow so why are some so set against it? Personally I don't think I would send my children to private school as they would be as likely to do as well in a state school with a parent like me and I just don't like the unfairness of it all.

On arrogance, isn't it just confidence you don't like - I think everyone would do better if they were more confident and perhaps a bit entitled: in the sense that they believe they can achieve anything and 'why wouldn't go to Oxbridge or go on to be a millionaire?'

[drawsofdrawers]

Fanny - what makes them unbearable? They're smart, respectful, polite. I don't get the criticism