NLCS ethnic mix

[Pushy Dad]

londonmum - methinks Ellie thought you was white and was expressing concern about the ethnic mix. There has been a few threads in recent months where this concern was expressed by white parents.

Both DCs are at indies where a sizeable chunk of Year 7 kids came up from their respective prep schools. DD had no problems breaking into/joining these friendship circles. DS did but after half a term the kids got to know each other and new friendships were formed.

As for the ethnic mix thing, DD's is predominantly white so the question isn't really applicable. DS's has more of an ethnic mix. His 'gang' consist of boys from Asian/African/Jewish/Taiwanese/English backgrounds. Kids will choose their friends depending on interests, personalities, academic ability and the like as opposed to race, religion or economic class so don't worry about it kids not mixing or being isolated.

[Jojo2000]

Thanks coffeemorning for sharing that your dd made good friends at SAHS. I was getting truly worried after reading Daogroupies comments especially as I have accepted SAHA in place of St Helens where she went to junior school, and I have been worrying about whether or not I made the right decision!

I guess no matter what decision you take, you never stop worrying about your children!

[Daogroupie]

Sorry to hear you were worrying jojo2000, it was just one experience among the many and could be a personality issue. I am sure your dd will have a lovely time there. DG

[Ellie]

Pushy dad, Londonmum mentioned in her original post that she was from an ethnic background therefore your assertion that I assumed londonmum was white is wholly incorrect. Furthermore her ethnic origin was not a factor in my reply to her post and I simply mentioned that it was unclear why she was raising questions relating to ethnic origin of pupils after the school place had been accepted. There have been helpful replies to Londonmum's original query and I hope that she is reassured.

[First-timer]

NLCS is about 1/3 Asain, 1/3 Jewish and the remainder are plain vanilla and Afro- Carribean.

Vanilla? Unbelievable!

[shootmenow]

Sorry. Vanilla wasn't meant to be offensive. Couldn't think of a better way to describe concisely white, Anglo-Saxon, Christian, majority cultural girls who aren't hyphenated with an ethnicity. Or, to put it another way, girls of the background most commonly found in the fee paying sector and indeed the UK as a whole.
The OP's concern was one that is common to parents from minorities ( ourselves included) that their child might be the only one who is of the same background. This can have a serious impact at school. My husband has awful memories of feeling utterly humiliated to have to ask the head to move an exam that was sheduled on a religious holiday and then, when permission was refused, of having to make a choice.

[Yummiemummie]

Shoot me now Vanilla is offensive and inappropriate. Also do not make assumptions about people's faith purely based on their skin colour.

[Karo]

My DD has been attending this school since reception, and I agree with the previous poster who said about 1/3 Jewish, 1/3 Asian and 1/3 everything else. Do they "stick together"? Well, some of them obviously know each other from outside school (places of worship etc.), so naturally might be a bit closer. But to be honest, this has never really been a problem from what DD (now nearly 12) tells me.

[shootmenow]

My DD has friends of every background. Not tribal at all. One of many reasons we love the school!

[Camphillian]

Shoot me now Vanilla is offensive and inappropriate. Also do not make assumptions about people's faith purely based on their skin colour.

Yes, indeed, a very dismissive way to speak about children, or anyone else for that matter. Also, I'm not sure what the situation is in London schools, but here in Birmingham it is very far from the case that the indigenous population is in the majority either in the fee-paying schools or in the population as whole.