Seems Prince George will be attending Eton after all, same as his father and Uncle Harry.

I'm guessing that Prince George is quite a bright lad. Both of his parents graduated from St Andrews University, so are likely to be above average intelligence, and he has had every advantage in his pre-school and primary school education.

Would it not be just great for him to attend his local comprehensive school near Windsor?

Obviously the school would have to make some adaptations regarding security, etc, but he could do very well.

Clever children with parents who are interested in their education and give the child and his school every support, do very well academically.

Prince George would then also have the tremendous advantage, which none of his father's family have ever had, of learning alongside a cross section of children from ordinary local families.

Would that not give him much greater understanding of the nation he is one day destined to rule?

Well, as there are many boys attending Eton who have help with fees or pay none at all, from different backgrounds, he probably will meet a cross-section of society.

He has a sister so girls will not be alien to him either.

Indeed. I doubt he has to attend the local comp to meet people from different backgrounds, or girls.

Callistemon21

Well, as there are many boys attending Eton who have help with fees or pay none at all, from different backgrounds, he probably will meet a cross-section of society.

He has a sister so girls will not be alien to him either.

So you think that meeting some scholarship boys at Eton and having one sister is just as good a representation of a cross-section of society as going to a local comprehensive school????

Some public schools run a swap week with pupils from State schools. I don’t know if this scheme is still available and I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not. My friend’s daughter wasn’t blown away by the academic side of the public school swap but then she was at a high attainment secondary school!

MOnica, I wasn’t an army child, I was a police officer’s child. Dad joined in 1949, the tear I was born. These days he’d have been a university entrant but then he was an ex royal marine. He was ambitious and retired from cid as chief super.
Police officers weren’t allowed to buy a house though by 1980 that had changed and my parents bought the police owned house they’d lived in for some years. The practice was to move officers on promotion, or after two years. We moved within a large County, each time I changed school. 5 primaries, 3 high schools. I learned to appear to be sailing easily whilst paddling so hard to keep afloat. I loved just before O levels, just before Diploma - married at 18 just so I could have stability in where I lived. Divorced.
I wouldn’t want to send my children to boarding school but I never moved them. Male friends all had negative boarding experiences. Female friends positive but - bits sent at 7, girls at 13.
My education would have benefitted if I’d gone to weekly boarding school, home at weekends

Should he be expected to meet cross section of society age 13,
He can do so if and when he goes to university

Pray he doesn’t get the treatment his grandfather had to cope with

Why should wealthy people send their children to the local comprehensive? If they can afford to pay for private education, why not?

May as well say why should they go on exotic holidays, just have a week at Skegness or Blackpool.

And wait years for an operation, instead of going private, or having their teeth seen to privately.

If they have the money, it’s up to them how they spend it, and if the rest of us cannot afford to do so, well, that’s life.

About 30 years ago there was a writing competition in for school children and the 15 winners (my DS being one of them) were offered a 2 week residential course at Eton.

We took him on the allotted day and were allowed to take him to his dormitory to settle him in.

To say I was astonished at the state of the dormitories is an underestimation 😳 The beds were wooden with a thin mattress, the so called wardrobe was a bit of ragged hessian as a door. A prison cell would have been better. We were so upset at leaving him in such a miserable looking place.

We collected him 2 weeks later and he said he had had the time of his life, as well as lessons, they had picnics on a small island, lots of fun and sport.

Perhaps the accommodation will have improved for Prince George. I hope so.

My DS has gone on to be a children’s author, so perhaps he will write about his experiences at Eton one day.

Sounds a bit like my school, particularly the beds!! We were fortunate that our school had extensive grounds having once been a country house in a former life, so lots of fresh air and nature walks which could be a bit bracing in winter. Chapel, well it was a C of E Convent, was a prominent feature of our lives, particularly for the boarders. The heating system was pretty inefficient so getting a desk or bed near a radiator was fairly important but not always successful. Music was high on the agenda which suited me, academia? ok but at a much slower pace than the Grammar School I failed to get into. Nonetheless, most of us, including me, left with fairly respectable O'levels, including for me one A'level!! I think Prince George would stick out like a sore thumb at the local Comp and have a horrible time, especially having been to Lambrook! Bearing in mind that children can be very cruel, why on earth would his parents do that to him?

Such good memories from many on here about their boarding schools, nice to read. Like others DHs, mine (at CH) enjoyed his time. While not particularly academic, my DH was a chorister, which he continues in cathedrals to this day. Also an obsession with the theatre - the school has its own - which kickstarted an early career in Lighting Design.
Me at a London comprehensive got used to the "selling" of stolen stuff, and worse, in the loos, and fights after school on the way home, but came out with top academic qualifications.
I think you just make the most of what is available to you, but like Jaberwok, I wouldn't advise the local Comp for Prince George. Not that it will ever happen.

Joseann my abiding memory of school is when a rumour broke that a boy was in the woods and the whole school raced down to find him. Not sure what would have happened if he had been found.

varian

Callistemon21

Well, as there are many boys attending Eton who have help with fees or pay none at all, from different backgrounds, he probably will meet a cross-section of society.

He has a sister so girls will not be alien to him either.

So you think that meeting some scholarship boys at Eton and having one sister is just as good a representation of a cross-section of society as going to a local comprehensive school????

Sisters have friends

So you think George should be sent to a bog-standard comprehensive? Is he going to meet a cross-section of society there?

I've had a good idea - he should be sent to a Welsh comprehensive where language teaching, apart from Welsh, is abysmal. That will stand him in good stead if he ever meets European Heads of State when he's King.

"bog-standard comprehensive" is a meme promoted by right wing media.

93% of children in the UK attend state schools. Obviously some are better than others, but there is no way a child cocooned in the 7% who attend private schools could ever claim to have been educated alongside a cross-section of UK society.

varian

"bog-standard comprehensive" is a meme promoted by right wing media.

93% of children in the UK attend state schools. Obviously some are better than others, but there is no way a child cocooned in the 7% who attend private schools could ever claim to have been educated alongside a cross-section of UK society.

It was coined by Alistair Campbell.

I don't really care where Prince George goes to school but the thought of him being bullied at a state comprehensive (and you can be sure he would be) is not a happy one.
Sink or swim and the bullying can be dreadful.

I agree , Prince George wouldn’t fit into a comprehensive. He’s probably much safer and well served in private schools. Same for his sister and brothers.
But - I’m not an Eton fan. It’s turned out too many thoroughly unpleasant arrogant barstewards. My impression of George (tho what do I know) is he’s unlikely to join the narcissistic Eton graduates

My late friend who attended both Eton and Gordonstoun, was horribly bullied at both, in spite of coming from a wealthy aristocratic family.

He had the good sense to send his own children to their local community school, where they were never bullied.

My niece was horribly bullied in a state school

So Prince George might be bullied wherever he goes. Why then restrict him to the company of the most privileged 7% of his peer group?

Why not

We are living in the 21st century.

If the monarchy survives long enough for George to inherit the throne, it will surely be very important for him to understand the 93% of UK citizens who have not been separated from everyone else during their formative years.

You don’t understand ?

I think varian is just projecting her personal wish list Anniebach, she has taken Sue Townnshend’s book about the Queen living on a council estate a bit too much to heart.

That explains it Casdon

Casdon

I think varian is just projecting her personal wish list Anniebach, she has taken Sue Townnshend’s book about the Queen living on a council estate a bit too much to heart.

What utter tosh!