Education of the Cambridge Children, Part 1, Until 2022


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I love how this suddenly is 'news' every time a royal starts school :lol:

George certainly is not the first. His dad, uncle, the York girls all did the same thing. Anne and Edward's kids had last names to use. Did anyone honestly think kids or even teachers would say 'your royal highness' ?

Precisely. It defeats the purpose of sending them to be educated at a school with non Royal and aristocratic children and pushing so strenuously for them to have a "normal" life.:ermm:

They were never going to be addressed as HRH at school.
 
:previous: I don't come from a country where boarding schools are common at all. Even private schools are not that common.

But I am sorry money does help provide a better education. Smaller class sizes, access to better resources, involvement in a wider variety of activities and trips. These are things that unfortunately state schools are not able to often provide. Is it fair? No. But I don't know very many families who would say if they had the money to send their children to a better school, they wouldn't do so. Some families work two or three jobs to ensure their kids have access to the better schools then what is available to them otherwise. Education of kids is something that does and should take a high priority in life.
I agree that high quality education is something to strive for. I disagree that in all countries you need a lot of money to achieve that (in many countries you do - but not in all). What you do need in any case is knowledge on how the educational system works etc.

Nonetheless, 'richer' parents will in general be able to provide more opportunities for their children in school and/or outside of school and that 'cultural' baggage will make it easier for them to succeed in life.

If public (and 'semi-private' - no tuition!) schools offer the same (or even better) quality as (than) private schools, money does not buy a better education. I was happy to grow up in such a country. Besides a few international schools, primarily students who failed miserably in their schools (many times because of behavioral issues) might end up in a private school for failed students - if their parents have the money for it. Certainly not the best educational environment. So, as I said, it is a matter of perspective.

Do you have this vision of boarding schools where they send their kids off and they see them once or twice a year??? Anyone argue that Diana didnt have a huge influence on her sons and how they grew up? They went to boarding schooi before Eton. And yet I dont see anyone arguing her and Charles had no part in raising their kids in their formative years.

I would argue that they would have had a greater influence had they not send their children to boarding schools and had less relied on nannies. It's not about influence or no influence but about more or less influence. And I am sure William and Harry would be able to explain very well how their nannies and some people at boarding schools 'shaped' them.

Boarding schools make sense for some people. For kids whose family are often on road for work it makes sense. This is why its common with children whose parents are things like diplomats or business. If their parents are traveling around the world the options are limited.

Royals dont choose boarding schools as they dont want to raise their kids.
I never argued they did. It is a consequence of their choices; and sometimes it's the only reasonable alternative to ensure a good education (although I know quite a few children of diplomats and business people and in most cases their mother is home taking care of them and driving them to their (international) school and sports etc - no need for boarding school). I was arguing that this isn't the best way to raise and educate your children.

They choose boarding schools for

1. the education the kids receive
2. the practical reality of their parents constantly being on the road
I fully understand that in some cases there might be good reasons to choose a boarding school. As you correctly state, educational quality is just one of the reasons they might consider it. The practicality of things might be as much a deciding factor; which shows that the choice is at least as much made because of the parent and not necessarily because of the child (although I assume they will look for a school that they would think fits the child - unfortunately, prince Philip failed miserably at it).

The reality is the Cambridge kids will spend much of their teen years being raised by someone other then their parents. Simple fact they cant take their kids every where with them. So will it be a nanny or will it be boarding school.

At least boarding school they get the sense of being like the other students. They don't go home to a nanny and servants. They live in dorms and have the same life as the other kids around them.
The saying is 'it takes a village to raise a child'; so any child will be influenced by parents and others. I just hope the parents will remain the 'primary' ones; and it seems that William and Catherine want to make sure that's the case. So, we'll have to see how that plays out in later years.

The final argument of the children living in dorms with other students (although a very select group) and in that way living a life a bit more 'normal' makes some sense to me; although I don't see why that can't wait until university. So, princess Elisabeth going off to boarding schools for the final two years of secondary schools makes much more sense to me than sending children or young teenagers to boarding schools.
 
But I am sorry money does help provide a better education. Smaller class sizes, access to better resources, involvement in a wider variety of activities and trips. These are things that unfortunately state schools are not able to often provide. Is it fair? No. But I don't know very many families who would say if they had the money to send their children to a better school, they wouldn't do so. Some families work two or three jobs to ensure their kids have access to the better schools then what is available to them otherwise. Education of kids is something that does and should take a high priority in life.


There's also the issue that private schools can kick out the disruptive elements, whereas the state schools cannot (at least not permanently).
That alone makes a huge difference, imo.
 
Mirabel-You are correct. State run schools have a very difficult time removing students who are disruptive to the classroom/school environment.
 
Here in the U.S. boarding schools are certainly not the norm ..maybe more common among the wealthy, some of the wealthy. More common for the wealthy are private schools. Middle class even often have access to private schools due to financial aid given by the schools. The majority of middle class kids would still go to public schools which quality can vary depending on location and situation. Homeschool is becoming more accepted and numbers have been increasing for that option.

I know in my state a student can be permanently expelled from public schools if their behavior warrants it.


LaRae
 
Here in the U.S. boarding schools are certainly not the norm ..maybe more common among the wealthy, some of the wealthy. More common for the wealthy are private schools. Middle class even often have access to private schools due to financial aid given by the schools. The majority of middle class kids would still go to public schools which quality can vary depending on location and situation. Homeschool is becoming more accepted and numbers have been increasing for that option.

I know in my state a student can be permanently expelled from public schools if their behavior warrants it.

LaRae

In other states however, public schools are obliged to educate all, and if they expel a student must pay for his/her education elsewhere-so it is more economical to keep them in school.

I don't see any reason why Carol and Michael can't look after the children while Kate and Wiiliam are away. Kate and William have shown they are willing and able to do things their own way. They, together with Charles will decide how they are going to make their responsibilities of being working royals mesh with their views on how they want their own little family to work. There will always be any amount of nannies, housekeepers and other staff to help Carol and Michael with 3 children so I don't see any reason why they would 'have' to go boarding school instead of normal day school if that's what Kate and William decide they want. They might even decide to share the travel so either of them can be home with/without Carol and Micheal. There are lots of options. They can make it happen if that's what they want.

As William & Kate chose Thomas Battersea and students can remain there through age 13, I don’t forsee changes until then. And since both of the Cambridge parents were educated at boarding schools (and formed lifelong friendships while there) I imagine they see that as normal and that there is a strong possibility of the children boarding in the teen years.
While the Middleton grandparents are close to their grandchildren and obviously help out, I can’t see William & Kate expecting them to be always available as alternative child care.
 
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In other states however, public schools are obliged to educate all, and if they expel a student must pay for his/her education elsewhere-so it is more economical to keep them in school.


That doesn't happen here. If you are expelled it carries over to all public schools in the state. It is then up to the parent to either homeschool or privately educate their child.



LaRae
 
Then again, here in the US there was always an option that would strike fear into the hearts of little unruly boys that don't behave. Military school. There are 66 of them in the US and for the most part, they're boarding schools with very strict discipline. I imagine that these schools are along the lines of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst but for younger boys in grades 7-12.

Growing up, I attended a private school where my parents paid a tuition each year but it was a Catholic school system. Almost like military school but not quite. You had to straighten up and fly right or the nuns would get you good. :D

Whatever option the Cambridges decide on for their children, one thing I can be sure of, it will be with the children's best interests at heart and wanting the very best in education for them. At this time, Thomas Battersea is perfect for the kids as they're still developing their interests, their abilities and paths they would like to follow educationally and from what I've seen, Battersea offers so much. When it comes time to decide just where the further education will take place, I imagine it'll be much like Harry. Harry was drawn to the military as a very young boy and Sandhurst was right up his alley. With William, Eton suited him as he also walked across the river on any given Sunday for tea with the Queen and "King" lessons.

So, really at this time, we have no clue what will be best for the Cambridge kids until they get to the point where the decision has to be made. ?
 
There are different forms of diversity then simply economic diversity. Including other nationalities and so on. The boarding schools in the UK have often drawn students from other countries, royals and commoners alike. Including the future queen of Belgium attending school in Wales as we speak.

There are also scholarships and other ways that children from lower incomes attend these schools as well.


I dont see the need for the kids to attend a public school. Education is one of the places where people should spend money if they have it. Most people would send their kids to a better school if they could afford to do so.

There sure is but as others have pointed out, international diversity isn't exactly something they won't be exposed to going forward. If anything, the international diversity will just grow the further up the kids move in the educational system. The same can't quite be said for economic diversity which I'd argue is even more crucial for a future monarch to be exposed to from an early age.

As for scholarships to boarding schools... ? Sure. Those, what, three students that receive a scholarship a year will truly enlighten the royal kids on the subject of economic differences in society.

One could also look at it from a different perspective: If state schools are good enough for the plebs, aren't they good enough for the royal kids? IIRC the late Duke of Westminster sent his children to the local state primary school. I mean, I know the point is moot because I can't for the life of me imagine any British royals sending their children to a state school, I just think it would be beneficial to the children – especially George in his role as a future monarch – to get to know other children from different socio-economic classes and Will and Kate (that goes all royal parents but since we're discussing the Cambridge kids) could set a nice example by choosing a state school.
 
There sure is but as others have pointed out, international diversity isn't exactly something they won't be exposed to going forward. If anything, the international diversity will just grow the further up the kids move in the educational system. The same can't quite be said for economic diversity which I'd argue is even more crucial for a future monarch to be exposed to from an early age.

The statement that I've put in bold letters is something that made me remember the Wales boys and their upbringing. They may have gone to the best of boarding schools for their education but there's no way it can be said that both William and Harry weren't exposed to life in the lower economic levels and the worries and hardships that people endured in every day life. Charles and Diana wanted their boys to know the "normal" ways of life for different people of different classes and economic hardships outside of their "privileged" background.

With this in mind, I'm sure that William remembers all of this very well and he and Kate will want to raise their children to be aware of the things that affect *all* the people. William, I believe, because of his upbringing to know how the "other half" lives had a big influence on his work in SAR and EAAA. In service to the people. I sincerely believe that this is a big lesson that he'll want his children to learn and learn very well. Especially George.

A lot of very important education is not done in the classroom but also by the example and teachings of the parents, themselves.
 
The statement that I've put in bold letters is something that made me remember the Wales boys and their upbringing. They may have gone to the best of boarding schools for their education but there's no way it can be said that both William and Harry weren't exposed to life in the lower economic levels and the worries and hardships that people endured in every day life. Charles and Diana wanted their boys to know the "normal" ways of life for different people of different classes and economic hardships outside of their "privileged" background.

With this in mind, I'm sure that William remembers all of this very well and he and Kate will want to raise their children to be aware of the things that affect *all* the people. William, I believe, because of his upbringing to know how the "other half" lives had a big influence on his work in SAR and EAAA. In service to the people. I sincerely believe that this is a big lesson that he'll want his children to learn and learn very well. Especially George.

A lot of very important education is not done in the classroom but also by the example and teachings of the parents, themselves.

The statement you've put in bold is taken out of context when read in bold since it clearly refers to the educational system :lol: I don't disagree that William and Kate undoubtedly will do their best to introduce their children to diversity during their upbringing.

But I'd say there's a fairly big difference between growing up amongst people with different economic backgrounds and seeing the brunt of economic hardships from a distance. That's not to diminish Charles and Diana's efforts in making their sons aware of problems outside the privileged life of a royal which I've always found very admirable – and I think William's work with Centrepoint has always been immensely important – but I think it's fairly naïve to equate the two things. Awareness of life outside your own privileged bubble becomes real in a very different way when it's a part of your everyday life – which it will if it concerns your friends and/or school mates.
 
The quality of private education - as with all education - here in the UK really does depend on the area one lives in IMO. I live in south east/greater London and most of the private schools here do provide a better quality of education than the state/public schools, however I went to a private secondary school but left halfway through to attend a state school because the education there was very poor - the state school I went to was a lot better and I gained higher exam results there than I did at the private school I'd previously attended (and my state school was "only" rated Ofsted good). At the private school I had attended, teachers were always leaving and there was a clear student bias in the teachers and pastoral care was pretty much non-existent. I've completely lost my faith in the private system as a result, and will be sending my future children, if I have any, to state schools ideally.
But, that won't be the case for any royal children as they will be sent to some of the country's best schools, where they're guaranteed to get a much better secondary education than I did!
 


Prince George has really grown tall since we last saw him on his first day at this school two years ago. Two years, wow, where does the time go.
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With a move yet again on the cards. Where do you think the children will end up. For me it is probably St George’s Windsor. It seems to have exactly the ethos they are into. Getting big now the kids amd a Louis starting too. Wonder if we will get first day pictures. I do hope so and Ali hope they have the time and space to enjoy a normal childhood in their new school.
 
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