Private School Wars
In today's Sunday Age newspaper, on the front page, accusations were flying about Haileybury College in Keysborough, Victoria, 'stealing' top female students from neighbouring girls' schools, by offering them scholarships.
Being a parent of one of the girls about to transfer to Haileybury in October, I thought I would give a perspective from where we sit.
The "aggressive campaign" that the Sunday Age refers to did not happen, except in the eyes of the schools that are losing the students. We were never pushed by Haileybury, chased or cajoled. They treated us with respect & were simply helpful.
The only aggressiveness we have heard of has come from other schools intent on blackening the reputation of Haileybury. The "escalating competitiveness between the private schools" appears to be on the side of the schools trying to keep up with the Haileybury vision.
Some of the private schools are now going 'co-educational', with another school's representative being seen driving around Haileybury grounds, blatantly trying to promote that their school now takes boys, with banners across the vehicles!
I heard from another parent of a girl going to Haileybury, that the school that her daughter attends had threatened to fail their daughter in year 11, so that then she would not get the 'S' needed to pass the year and therefore attend Haileybury.
These schools seem more intent on retaining their numbers for the sake of their school, instead of making the transition to Haileybury as stress-free as possible for the students and their families. The dollars they are losing is a major factor in this 'war', the students' welfare is secondary and their average ENTER & school ranking everything.
As regards the "generous government funding", more students may mean more money for the school, whether the students are fee-paying or not, however, has it been forgotten that the two TOP secondary schools in Victoria, also happen to be academically elitist, and regularly 'pinch' the private schools' best students from year 9 onwards?
These are, namely, Melbourne High School & MacRobertson Girls' High. You canÃ?t tell me that these schools don't get as much money as Haileybury. Do we hear the Haileybury bleating about their losses in year 9, with potentially their future year 12 top students leaving?
It is a fact of private school life - these top government schools steal private & government school students at a crucial time in the child's academic life. These schools don't complain, they just accept it without question. A slight double standard in my book.
When schools talk of "the needs of the young people we serve", and how detrimental the shift to another school will be, they contradict themselves by not serving the children by having Haileybury banned from taking part in GSV (Girl Sport Victoria) activities, so that the students will not be able to play against other private girls' schools so easily. In effect, they are punishing the students for wanting the best schooling.
How can this be in the best interest of the students? To me, it smacks of bitchiness and bullying, two of the behaviours they are trying to be rid of at schools. All I can see is these schools are setting a bad example to the students by enforcing this sports ban. It is ridiculous & vengeful.
So, some schools are finding "the loss of students disruptive & disconcerting"... for whom - the administration at the school or the students? Some students are disappointed at friends leaving, it's only natural, but if their social networks are strong enough, this won't be a problem.
One principal says it is "offensive if Haileybury took credit for the year 12 achievements of the girls next year". What about the full fee paying students who are going there, to enable them to have the best teaching and small class sizes ... the effort that Haileybury will need to put in to undo the damage caused by some schools' bad advice and teaching methods? They will have to accept the consequences of this too.
Also, how can scholarship offers be deemed "dirty tricks" if we are looking at giving girls a chance at the type of education their parents could only dream about? Haileybury has always been held on a pedestal in our house. We were lucky that the timing was right to apply for a scholarship, at our daughter's insistence, I might add.
Our daughter presented a very good argument for applying. She had been researching what the school was really like, through the eyes of current students, the boys she knew there. Haileybury's own students were advocates enough for the school, and what better way to find out what it is really like?
Not content with taking the school's word for it, we also spoke to a few students, and were very impressed with the enthusiasm these boys had for their school, especially when one said "the teachers are more like friends, they really care about us as individuals".
More intellectual' pursuits, like chess, moot courts & debating are pursued by 'popular' kids as well. Being intelligent is looked upon by other students as a positive quality, and not something to be ostracised about.
These kids enjoy thier intellect. Sure, there is the 'jock' mentality there, but there is equally the academic side as well, especially in the senior years. It is, after all, about kids discovering what they are good at, nurturing that side of themselves & exploring the possibilities that may await them in the future.
One boy told us that the Haileybury environment helps students to be the very best they can be, without fear of being picked on, unlike his previous private school that made his life hell, not only by the students, but also the teachers. If you did not conform, and were an individual, then consequences ensued.
At the orientation night, which we were invited to for the year 12 girls coming into Haileybury (even though at that stage an interview had not taken place), the one thing that impressed us was the way the teachers talked to the new students, they did not talk down to them, but to them, with respect and enthusiasm. They didn't need to sell the school, the attitude and culture were evident in everything they did & said.
We would have done an injustice to our daughter by NOT considering the possibility of her going there. Financially, we were so strapped it was hurting us, as we sent our girl to a private school this year as the public system had failed her dismally. The prospect of a scholarship seemed a long shot.
Here we had a very smart & talented daughter, yet she thought she was average, even after being accepted in an accelerated class at the local government school. It destroyed her confidence in her abilities when she entered a regular class, she lost her momentum and she did not attain her all the skills needed to be very successful at school in her senior years, thus being given a good chance of gaining entry to university.
Haileybury, by having small class sizes and a wonderful culture, is already having a positive effect on her confidence, even before she starts. She is genuinely looking forward to the move, and basically canÃ?t wait for October 23! This is due mainly to the attitude of current students & the head of drama. The day she was offered the scholarship, boys who saw her there were contacting her that night, one even inviting her to take part in school activities in the future.
All the planning for the transition to the school has been aimed at the students. Attractive uniforms, a new cafe replacing the canteen there now, mixed and single sex common rooms plus a welfare system in place that will be second to none. Our girls are there to set the standard and act as role models for the 2nd set of graduates in the girls' school. Haileybury also appreciates them for making the move & admires their fortitude.
So, before the media starts to admonish the efforts of Mr. Pargetter and his team at Haileybury, maybe they should look at who is doing the bullying tactics, the bitching and seeking revenge - these schools' actions do not dignify a response from Mr.Pargetter.
I feel fortunate that my daughter will be attending on scholarship, will be in the group of the first 'Old Girls' and we feel thankful that this opportunity arose.