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Beautiful Young Minds
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:44 pm
by KenR
Did anyone see the Beautiful Young Minds programme on BBC 2 last night about the the UK contestants for the International Maths Olympiad?
One of the people featured was Jos Gibbons from KE Camp Hill Boys who got 11 GCSE 'A' Levels this year (10 Grade As and 1 Grade B) and has just gone on to Keble College Oxford.
I must admit that when we visted Camp Hill Open day a couple of years ago with my son we came away with the distinct feeling that there were a significant number of ultra high achievers like Jos in the school.
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 12:57 pm
by Guest
How sad
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 1:19 pm
by Guest
Anonymous wrote:How sad
why sad? ITS TERRIFIC !
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:09 pm
by fm
I think the 'how sad' commentator is assuming such children have very limited lives which revolve around academic performance and possibly driven by pushy parents. I am not totally certain this is the case. I believe the exceptionally bright/intellectual are quite different to the fairly bright children I encounter as a tutor. I have had one really high performer and he was certainly self-motivated and driven, but had parents who did their best to make him 'chill' a little; he was the one setting his high standards and had little interest in anything that wasn't of an intellectual nature.
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:51 pm
by Guest
I agree, having 11 As at A Levels doesn't prepare you for the BIG world or assume that you have any COMMON sense !
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:17 pm
by Guest
I agree, having 11 As at A Levels doesn't prepare you for the BIG world or assume that you have any COMMON sense !
No it doesn't but nor does leaving school without any qualifications or even 10 GCSEs and 3 A levels. I believe you either have it or you don't!
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 8:31 pm
by Guest
Have what? Does Bill Gates have IT?
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:05 pm
by Guest
Have what?
Common sense and the ability to cope in the big wide world!!
Does Bill Gates have IT?
......and yes I think he probably does. He also has I.T. in a big way. I believe its called Microsoft.
Re: Beautiful Young Minds
Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:18 pm
by solimum
KenR wrote: when we visted Camp Hill Open day a couple of years ago with my son we came away with the distinct feeling that there were a significant number of ultra high achievers like Jos in the school.
I don't think that's entirely true Ken - Jos is clearly an exceptionally talented but unusual boy, but I believe the overwhelming majority of the boys are content with the usual 3 or 4 A levels (plus general studies) and have plenty of time for sport, music and a social life as well! Possibly there is a slightly higher proportion of aspergers-type amongst the very highest achievers - as the film showed - but that would be true in many schools. At least Jos was given the chance to pursue his interests as far as they would take him.
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:06 am
by KenR
Hi Solimum
I actually don't disagree with you about the vast majority of pupils at Camp Hill Boys being content with 3 or 4 A Levels.
I know there are only a small number of boys at Camp Hill with similar aspergers characteristics, but perhaps it was the fact that Camp Hill boys has a relatively small entry (93 boys) that made us come away with a feeling that it was higher than it is in practice.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it isn't a very good school; in fact it's exceptional; but we questioned if it was the right school for my son.
As I said this was in the main a subjective feeling but often such feelings can be key when it comes to choosing the right school. Interestingly, we didn't get that feeling about Camp Hill Girls when we visited a couple of years earlier with my daughter.
Regards