How and why St James is a very different place

[The O]

Good afternoon,
I'm here because people are misrepresenting our school. (Note: St James Pupil, this is how you spell our, not "are") I am currently in the St James' 6th Form, Year 12, it is brilliant. Not only are there no savage beatings or barbaric canings, but I get along with all of the teachers. There is not one that I can say that I could not possibly get along with. They are good and honest people, and the standard of teaching is very high. We now have women teachers under the age of 30, in fact my first teacher at St James was a lovely lady and now has 2 beautiful children, and her assistant was also a lady that I got on with very well and, she married a man that was in the very first class of St James and was head boy in St James. The women in St James Senior Boys School play a major role in the school, Mrs Lacey is a leader in the senior management team, Mrs Davids is a young lady who is deputy head of the Maths Department, she is respected by all, the head of Judo is a lady, the Head of French is a lady, The Heads of English are both women, they are all reasonable and honest people. None of the teachers would endanger a pupil or even harm them by their own reckless actions. The punishments are a hell of a lot less severe than the ones told by these ex-pupils, even lines have been abolished, there is no early morning circuit training, even a shower after rugby is no longer compulsory.

I have been in St James since I was 4 years old, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I stayed in St James until I was 10, and then left to go to a local school, because my parents saw the trip all the way to Twickenham was too long, (I live in Hampstead, behind Sarum Chase.) I was disappointed, but decided to get on with my life, I first went to a local, well reputed, state school, which I despised, and then to a local private school with the sole aim to get my 11+ exam to get into Highgate, I managed it, I almost aced both exams, with marks in the high 90's on both papers, I must say, this was not due to my new school, this was most definitely due to the St James education, but looking at the type of people that go to schools such as that are not the sort that I wanted to go to school with, or become. I told my parents that I wanted to go back to St James, they of course respected my wishes, and went to meet Mr Debenham . He welcomed me back to the school with open arms without even having to take an exam. By the time I was back in the school, at the age of 11, I was miles behind the class in every area, except in English. Eventually I managed to catch up, and was ranked in the higher end of the mid-table (a large drop to the top 5 I was experiencing before I left.) but still, I did well in my GCSEs and am now in 6th Form.

During my time in the Senior School I joined Cadets which I found great fun, I have travelled to Holland with the cadets, and done many challenges with them on British Army Training Areas, thoroughly enjoying them all. The cadets in non-compulsory and one may leave at will. The school also run various trips around the world, to Greece, to Florence, to the Alps, to Wales, to the Lake District, to France, to America, to Austria for Skiing (there is s new skiing club starting) To South Africa (on the Wilderness Trip) and they are also planning a trip to Peru to go climbing on the Andes.

I utterly sympathise with The St Vedast and early St James pupils, I completely understand that they are enraged about the way that they were treated, but they have to realise that the school is a completely different place now, and they cannot continue badmouthing and misrepresenting the school and the SES now. Joining the SES is completely optional, not even all of the teachers are in the SES these days, they are not brainwashed and neither are we. I admit that joined the SES because my friends were joining, but the truth is that we have a laugh, the tutor lets us choose what we wish to speak about, we don't even need to need to turn up every week, we go to the pub with the tutors after the group and talk about whatever we want. The SES is not a cult, despite many thinking that they have all the characteristics of one, they now adopt a take it or leave it policy with the material. The girls and boys in both the schools and the SES have many activities together, the school even organise parties for 6th form leavers. The school is a completely different place and has a completely different atmosphere, the facilities have improved and they do not try to "toughen us up" by brutal methods. The St James pupils are not brainwashed asexual puppet-like zombies. We have lives and the school understand that and do not condone out social lives. We have more friends outside of St James than in it. We along with the school have grown up.

Thank you for reading

[Tom Grubb]

OK. Assuming that you believe the findings of the Townend Inquiry, what (if anything) do you think should be done to make amends to the former pupils who were punched, kicked, beaten with cricket bats, etc. etc.?

Tom

[parent]

How many of you have been told that you receive "superior" education or are part of a great renaissance?

What are your teachers views on Rock Music? Could you do a project on a Disco, for example and get your 95% SES staff to approve it?

And the women wear long skirts beacause....? and emotions are treated with a glazed look because.....? and friendships are encouraged because....? and what exactly is the view on disability?

[Sam Hyde]

How many of you have been told that you receive "superior" education or are part of a great renaissance?

Never in my 14 years at St James have I heard that in reference to my education. Pretty funny though!

What are your teacher?s views on Rock Music? Could you do a project on a Disco, for example and get your 95% SES staff to approve it?

Our teachers are safe! We are aloud to bring in instruments and at break times on many occasions I have been going round the class rooms and been invited in to jam with the boys on their guitars. (I have been playing for about 3 years now) As I posted earlier, to prove this general acceptance of variation, our music competitions hold a LARGE variety of music even under Mr. Debenham, it was more liberal. Drum Solos, guitar solos and 4 piece bands performed.
I have a little friend in Mr. Wray's class (he was my form teacher from 10-16) who is an avid EMINEM fan. He wrote an essay on 'music' or 'hobbies' anyway it was ALL about EMINEM. I was intrigued in exactly the same way as you are so I asked him what Mr. Wray said. I was surprised to learn that he accepted it in no problem, marked it and gave the wee man a good grade.

And the women wear long skirts because

We have had a variety of French teachers in the school, some ancient some young and I should say, very attractive. I guess the reasons for long skirts are, mind you they are not long, if that?s long, I'd LOVE TO SEE WHAT SHORT IS! Is to prevent the boys getting distracted I guess. Doesn?t stop us that is for sure! Hehehehe (no disrespect)

emotions are treated with a glazed look because

They are in no way suppressed or discouraged, infact, I can not think in 14 years on any occasion when I have been told off for crying or speaking out under current St James staff.

friendships are encouraged because....?

They are GREAT! And without friends the world would be a very different place. Just to give you an idea, we cheekily call 6th form, a 3 grand a term social club. Or how ever much it is.

and what exactly is the view on disability?

Ummmm no vies expressed in school what so ever. We have a HUGE special needs/learning aid department with extensive care taken on an individual basis. At 7 every child is 'screened' for learning difficulties and any assistance is given. They even have a lift and full disabled access at Olympia.

[The O]

Hi Tom,
Thank you for your comment. In response to your reply, I believe that the teachers that punched, kicked and beat you with cricket bats should make a public apology to your face, if they are still alive of course, seeing as it did happen 30 years ago. I am not condoning what they did, I just do not think that compensation should be given because the school would not have enough money to pay you all (surely you would not want huge amounts of budget cuts to be made that would negatively affect the pupils currently attending St James.)

Also I believe that Mr Boddy has a lot of balls, coming straight into the school and dealing with this in the way he has, especially when his sons were in the early classes of St James, he has dealt with this in the way he thought best. Has anyone written to him, personally, after the report was made?

Regards[/quote]

[Matthew]

message deleted and re-posted below

[Sam Hyde]

Well as the govenors don't run the school, NO!

Don't you think this is all rather more falls under the jurisdiction and accountability of the school Governors?

Otherwise it would'nt have been the head's initiative to start the investigation, I think you know this as its closer to home than you might remember?

[Matthew]

I believe that the teachers that punched, kicked and beat you with cricket bats should make a public apology to your face, if they are still alive of course, seeing as it did happen 30 years ago.

The O,
You are obviously unaware that not only are they still very much alive and kicking, at least four of them are still being employed at your schools!! And actually it was not 30 years ago. There are accounts of this type of abuse throughout the 80's and even into the 90's. Just because they tried to limit the scope of the inquiry to 75-85 does not mean it did not continue after that. They even tried to exclude the girls and parents from participating in the inquiry. That would have remained the case if it had not been for all the pressure that was put on them to change the terms of reference. What does all that tell you?

Also I believe that Mr Boddy has a lot of balls, coming straight into the school and dealing with this in the way he has

Mr Boddy only became headmaster (of one of the schools in question) last September. Don't you think this is all rather more falls under the jurisdiction and accountability of the school Governors?

[Matthew]

the govenors don't run the school

The governors don't run the school? Really? Well who does then? And what, therefore, is the governors role?

Otherwise it would'nt have been the head's initiative to start the investigation

?????

Sam, it was the governors inquiry. Their initiative, they set it up, didn't you know that!!?

[daska]

Well as the govenors don't run the school

So Sam, lets get this right shall we, just so we all understand...

I got the following description of the governors role from the bbc web site so that nobody could claim I was decribing the role of the governors at some esoteric institution (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/schoolgate/h ... rnor.shtml):

"School governors are a team of people who work closely with the head teacher to make key decisions vital to the successful running of the school. The governors appoint the head teacher and make decisions that directly affect the education and well-being of the children. They play an important role in improving standards throughout the school and agree the school's budget. In other words, it's a very meaningful role!"

But the governors of St James don't run your St James? Which St James do they run then? Or are they running a completely different school? Or is someone else running St James in their names...?

[Sam Hyde]

OH I dont knowwwwwwwwwwwwwww (CRIES!) Its getting all too complicated to keep up with!

Sam xox

[The O]

Mattew,
Yes I know that at least four of them are still working in our schools, and I know who they are, but that is NOT the point. They do not still beat students! They are kind to us, I have NO beef with them. All you seem to be doing is picking at parts of the comment. WHY??? Why don't you comment on the fact that MORE people found St James a good school than a bad one? About 10 people in my year left before 6th form and within a month of starting their new college they ALL want to come back. Can you please comment on that please? I have spoken to my dad who was at school around about that time, he remembers the exact same things happening in his grammar school in North Manchester, this was reputed to be a good school. He was systematically caned every day for over a term at one point, and he has turned out perfectly fine, he in fact was voted journalist of the year last year without even studying english past GCSE, which he got a D in. What I would really like to know is why are you still talking about this? It is in the past, why are we still hearing about it now when it obviously doesnt happen anymore? Are you trying to cause disquiet in the school towards completely innocent pupils and parents? If so, why?

Regards

[The O]

Also, the governors do NOT run the school, the headmasters and headmistresses do. The governors may have a say in how the school as a whole is run, but they legate their power to the Heads of the school, who then legate their power to the teachers. The governors only come into the school once a term to see HOW the school is run, they do not say to Mr Boddy, this school is not being run how we want it to be run, the state of hygiene in the toilets is not high enough and there are not enough laptops for the boys to enjoy, they discuss more important matters, such as how are we going to apologise to these ex-pupils. They do not have an active say in how the school is run and above all else, who are the ones really having the say in how the school is run? THE TEACHERS, they're the one's carrying out the headmasters orders, they're the ones doing all the hard work, how can you say that the Governors run the school?

Regards

[Planet]

Governors in my opinion hold a key responsibility. They effectively approve or reject appointments of staff or certainly they have a say.

A good leader who doesn't live or exercise the values he or she expects others to aspire to should surely fall on his sword so to speak and not cling to the shadows of the past or hide behind the cloak of time gone by.

It is very strange for a school who has high values not to have teachers or governers who really practice the values they expect the children to have.

Should it be practice what you preach or maybe practice what you teach ?

In the ST James school prospectus/web page it states:-

"The need for courageous and ethical leaders in the world is both obvious and paramount to all our futures, and my aim as the new headmaster of St James is to help any boy grow into a leadership role appropriate to his capacities and potential. "

"This approach generates tolerance, respect and understanding; qualities of character which we believe are essential if a boy is to play a leading role in his family, community or wider society.".

I'm not sure we have seen any of that on this board.

It was only an aim anyway from the new leader.

Maybe its a bit ambitious given the current campaign which I think seems to be tire out the poor old**ies on the message board in the hope that they give up.

[Matthew]

Theo, my response was in connection with your suggestion that you didn't even know if the teachers were alive or not, when you know full well that several are still there today; and also to correct your fallacy that it all happened 30 years ago.

As for the proper role of school governors I would suggest you read Daska's post just a few messages above.