Should grammar schools take overseas pupils?

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T.i.p.s.y

Should grammar schools take overseas pupils?

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

I have just been reading the Good Schools Guide for CRGS and it mentions that the head goes over to China each year to recruit pupils for the sixth-form. I think this is wrong as why should a current tax payer in this country be denied sixth-form entry place because a brighter boy from abroad has been actively sought out. I believe that the competition for sixth-form places are high and therefore I cannot imagine there is a shortage of british candidates. Does anyone think this is wrong?
melinda
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Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: surrey

Post by melinda »

Do these overseas pupils pay towards their place at school? I'm sure they do, in that case it is purely financial (see the thread re contributions to Tiffins, they seem to need the cash!)
If not then I also see no reason to actively seek out pupils from abroad. maybe someone else knows better.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

I looked into it a bit more. Apparently its open to all EU passport holders, which means people who are not british too, and the only fee they get is the boarding fee which british kids at th same school have to pay if they want to board. There is no tuition fee for the EU passport holders :x
Bad Dad
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Location: South Warwickshire

Post by Bad Dad »

I am shocked to hear that China has joined the EU and feel this should not have been allowed.
T.i.p.s.y

Post by T.i.p.s.y »

I can only assume the kids hold british or EU passports, but are their taxes being paid into this country - I imagine not!
perplexed
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Location: kent

Post by perplexed »

It does sound a curious little arrangement, but quite interesting educationally too.

It is currently only 30 boys that can board in the Colchester Royal Grammar School sixth form, and they have to be British or EU passport holders.

Now I'm a little puzzled as to how many Chinese children there would be of sixth form age with British passports living in China (maybe something to do with Hong Kong I wonder?) for it to be worth the headmaster going over each year to recruit.

But whatever, good for them. OK, it may mean a couple fewer locals who get into CRGS each year (but maybe it does not, maybe it is hard to fill the 30 boys boarding places) but this needs to be weighed up against the potential advantages.

I don't know for real what these advantages are, but I presume there must be some otherwise why would the head of such a good school bother otherwise. My personal guess must be that it must give the other students an important lesson in hardwork and enthusiasm to see a clever kid from another country value their education enough to up sticks and board in Colchester, and probably get into Oxbridge. Also, these days, it is probably very important to gain an understanding of other cultures, particularly China. This may help other pupils of the school in their future business life, and is not possible to put a price on.

I'm guessing at the cost to the taxpayer too ....... how much is a sixth former worth to a school in formula funding terms these days £5000 p.a. ? I'm not sure, but again I guess there must be a long term payback. If just a few of these children become high earners in the UK they will more than repay the formula funding.

Outside London, I find large areas of the south-east terribly parochial, and verging on xenophobic at times, and lacking anything cosmopolitan. I don't know Colchester, but perhaps bringing in some overseas students adds a dimension to the education which is more beneficial than any other artificial attemps to bring "diversity" into the curriculum could be.
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Perplexed - xenophobic? A bit strong! I know many very cosmopolitan places in the SE -
yoyo123
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Location: East Kent

Post by yoyo123 »

:shock:

you mean there are places in teh South East outside London???

:shock:
tco
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Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:49 pm

Post by tco »

Bad Dad wrote:I am shocked to hear that China has joined the EU and feel this should not have been allowed.
LOL!

Bad Dad you are bad!
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

I know of some schools that used to be state Grammars, but went private, and are now standard private schools, thus can take from anywhere.

I also know of some private schools over in Bristol that are turning into State schools!
Capers
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