While a dedicated brotherhood of clever tweeters spread the denial of the boarding problem by robustly yelling “Where’s the SCIENTIFIC evidence that boarding harms children?” bringing normal folk and clinicians to their knees with this penetrating logic, finally their favourite newspaper, The Times comes to the rescue:
“Boarding schools save children from lonely family life and protect pupils from the “ruthless competition” prevalent at leading day schools and shield them from an obsession with perfectionism,” says our favourite purveyor of scientific truth.
Well, in fact it was Rhiannon Wilkinson, new headmistress of Wycombe Abbey, a highly academic girls’ boarding school which tops the league tables.
Phew! Thank Newton that there is no subjectivity or vested interest creeping into beloved science. Heisneberg would be much relieved to know this.
And it only costs a pound or so to log into the marvellous Times website for the full story. On second thoughts, hang on to your change – you might need it in a future Wounded Leaders-led Britain – and try this instead:
There is not, and never has been, one single theory of child development, since the scientific age began – which discounts the Jesuits and the Spartans – that recommends bringing up children outside the home.
2 comments
Very interesting. There was also an article in the Independent on 13 November 2014 along these lines. Under the heading of ‘Chalk Talk’, Richard Garner writes “Yes, there is more to school than exams” and goes on to say that there is “childhood itself”, a phrase used by a mother who had recently opted to send her children to Gordonstoun School. It similarly promoted the idea of saving children from the “exam factory” of day schools. This extraordinary concept of “childhood itself” was defined as children being given the freedom to go kayaking every day or enjoy sports. This is stated as if a child can’t play at home, or go kayaking at home. What is more, these freedoms and the provision of so-called “childhood itself”, considered as a central part of this school’s philosophy, are in fact not included in the school fees – you have to pay extra for such “extra-curricular ” activities. So where is the logic in that? This seems to be latest deceitful way in which Boarding schools are promoting themselves.
Very interesting. There was also an article in the Independent on 13 November 2014 along these lines. Under the heading of ‘Chalk Talk’, Richard Garner writes “Yes, there is more to school than exams” and goes on to say that there is “childhood itself”, a phrase used by a mother who had recently opted to send her children to Gordonstoun School. It similarly promoted the idea of saving children from the “exam factory” of day schools. This extraordinary concept of “childhood itself” was defined as children being given the freedom to go kayaking every day or enjoy sports. This is stated as if a child can’t play at home, or go kayaking at home. What is more, these freedoms and the provision of so-called “childhood itself”, considered as a central part of this school’s philosophy, are in fact not included in the school fees – you have to pay extra for such “extra-curricular ” activities. So where is the logic in that? This seems to be the latest deceitful way in which Boarding schools are promoting themselves.
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