ORIGINAL MESSAGE

NAME: Anon

DATE: 02 May 2005

CONNECTION WITH QE: Current 6th-Form student.

QE today....

Well, I can tell you this.  Our school has the highest teacher turnover on record and as a result, boys aren't doing as well as they should do.  Reasons: 1) Staff are using our school as a stepping stone to gain a reputation and then be hired by an independent school.  2) Some staff believe the school's way of dealing with staff is incorrect.

The draconian system that exists in QE has only been doubled by the fact that all the playgrounds are shared by two year groups.

However, I have to object to the idea that our school has a negative effect on us.  That is not true!  It has recognized its failings and has improved considerably and has set to do so.  Teaching is so much more diverse and interactive and I am sure the boys would prefer this to the alternative that OE's have mentioned here on this forum.

Quite a lot of you dislike vehemently the senior management.  However, I feel they are instilling a sense of discipline that is ebbing away at a fast rate in our society.  And to the person who said QE is trying to be a private school - it is NOT!  You know the funding our school receives, and that it is nothing compared to other schools.  You should also know, that even in these harsh conditions, QE is actively providing resources comparable to independent schools.  If you think you could have gone to a local comprehensive school and got the same amount of resources, think again!

OEs and QEs, some of you undervalue this school's importance in giving us a standing in education, society and in life.

1st REPLY

NAME: Guji Bapa

DATE: 07 November 2005

CONNECTION WITH QE: Old boy

It would not come as a surprise if 'Anon' were a current member of senior staff.  The school simply does not understand or appreciate the fragility and innocence a soul owns, and upon which the character is built.

For example. having to swim in underpants (those who were unfortunate - white) if having forgotten your swimming trunks, is paedophilic!  Why would any sports teacher want to see a lads dandha peeping through the material?!

I found QE Boys to be an immoral institution; having my future decided by what they feel I should do for A level. By the way, I was rejected for a subject, and discussing whether I were to be allowed to do another was out of the question.  In response to this I went elsewhere and achieved Grade A in both subjects.

This is just the beginning - life for QE and the wretched gremlins (senior staff) is going to get worse.  It is not right that pupils are conned into going to QE because of a false name, or due to excellent results (which are only achieved by 60pc of boys being forced to leave by being offered A-levels with no weight).

I am not biased, I am grateful to QE for making me more concentrated in my work - but I truly believe I'm a stronger individual than some of my peers, who I feel were just not given oxygen to breathe.

>

2nd REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 01 October 2006

CONNECTION WITH QE: Current 6th Former

I would disagree with you.

QE might be pompous and full of tripe, but I would have ended up at the local comprehensive (We call it Whitefields YOI) and probably made nothing of myself.

Yes it may pretend to be a private school and have its funny ways.  But there is a clear reason why public schools do so much better than the state sector and for that I am grateful.

3rd REPLY

NAME:Stephen Giles  

DATE: 02 November 2006

CONNECTION WITH QE: old pupil (young at heart!)

Do they still have the hideous convention of boys being addressed by their surnames?  I ask because I received an email from OEs recently addressed to me by my surname, from somebody I do not know - the height of rudeness, having left the school 42 years ago!

4th REPLY

NAME: Shyam Rajani

DATE: 16 March 2008

CONNECTION WITH QE: current pupil

Yes, but only the PE teachers call u by ur surname nowadays

5th REPLY

NAME: Ian Leafe

DATE: 14 April 2008

CONNECTION WITH QE: Teacher 1985-88

It's always impressive to see someone with the courage of their convictions to put forward their forthright views.  Especially whilst remaining anonymous??  Must admit some of the senior staff in my day did have an over inflated opinion of themselves.  Not sure what the school did was education, train pupils to jump through right hoops to get results required.  That said, there were some decent people around at the time; both teachers and pupils.  Though not overly impressed by the epithet given to me by sixth formers, when discussing sixth form with fifth year.

6th REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 31 July 2008

CONNECTION WITH QE: Current pupil

Hi, as a current QE boy, there's something right in what everyone has said here, however the primary factor that everyone agrees on (that I know) is that the teaching quality is simply not acceptable.  For instance, throughout the whole of my year 9, my science teacher attended less than half of our lessons, and those of which she did attend, we were just told to copy out of the book whilst she drank coffee in the room next door.  It is also true that the good teachers leave and go to private schools, for instance this year Mr Dalton is leaving, and he was by far the best maths teacher that I have ever had.

7th REPLY

NAME: Stephen Giles  

DATE: 08 August 2008

CONNECTION WITH QE: There 1957-64

Interesting thread, but I think current pupils' (or are you called 'learners'!!) views are no less inconsiderate and selfish than ours were back in the late 1950s and early 1960s.  Your lot is generally better than many comprehensive schools, so make the most of it.  Remember that when you have your degree in a few years' time, you will be proud to mention QE on your CV when applying for jobs, which might just give you the edge over others applying for the same job.

8th REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 24 September 2009

CONNECTION WITH QE: Current pupil

Stephen Giles, we are called pupils, not learners.

9th REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 31 December 2009

CONNECTION WITH QE: Recent ex-pupil

QE Boys is not all it is portrayed to be.  It is a school for the rich and they are only interested in those who pay contributions and donate to the school.  Whilst in QE, I endured bullying from certain teachers.  One in particlar has destroyed a lot of pupils' self-confidence and the teachers themselves seemed to enjoy bullying helpless pupils.  There is a lot of favouritism in QE and rugby is another issue.  If one is sporty, even if you have other sporting commitments outside of school, rugby always has to come first.  During my five years at the school, I have had many injuries in rugby and that is why I decided to move on to another school, in which I was not pressurized to play rugby, for A-Levels.  I am now a more well-rounded, confident and happy person since leaving QE for another school.  QE Boys is known as the best state school in the country but no-one knows what goes on behind closed doors.

10th REPLY

NAME: Zarius Meher-Homji

DATE: 11 May 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Current pupil

Anon I think that you are wrong about rugby since I have been put down many times but this just shows you that you are not very good and that you need to improve your sport.  You need to play rugby but that does not mean that you back down and go to another school!  It is not just because you got hurt a few times that you left one of the best schools in London so what is the real reason?

11th REPLY

NAME: Stephen Giles  

DATE: 22 May 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Inmate 1957-64

I have to say that Anon does sound rather pathetic.  I broke my collar bone following instructions from Kaye Townsend to 'put your head down and go', but I didn't ask my parents if I could leave the school.  We just got on with it.  It probably got me off games for a few weeks!

12th REPLY

NAME: Geeta

DATE: 17 June 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Son currently attends

I take on the issue Anon raises about bullying from certain teachers [see 9th reply].  Sadly this is still an occurance, in particular from the very individual who has destroyed many boys' self-esteem.  I find it quite bizarre that there does not appear to be any complaints about this.  However this is not surprising, as I have raised a complaint about the grossly unfair and unacceptable behaviour of a certain non-teaching member of staff over the fabrication he unashamedly came up with to cover his error and the outcome is to tell me to keep my mouth shut and put up with the situation as the school is always right!  I regret selecting this school, but had I been privy to all the information I now have about the school QE will not have figured on my list for admission to secondary school.  I feel cheated of the opportunity to apply to an alternative school for my son.  My fear is that my son will learn to become a bully from the expert in the field.

13th REPLY

NAME: Stephen Giles  

DATE: 19 June 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Inmate 1957-64

Geeta, who is this non teaching ninnie? Surely he can be brought to task in some way, there are clever ways of doing this on the internet I should think. In my day we would have sent the Borehamwood boys round!!!

14th REPLY

NAME: Geeta

DATE: 20 June 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Son currently attends

I wish I could take that line of action, but that would mean lowering myself to the school's appalling standard in this respect.  I like the idea of exposing the sins of this school through the media and the Internet and am exploring it.  Do those of you who know the individual I'm talking about [see reply 12] have any comments on him?  My personal opinion is that he is very arrogant (proof available)!

15th REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 13 July 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Former teacher

Hi, I taught at QE boys recently.  There are many excellent teachers - Pearson, Mahmoud, Sweetman, Martin - young and energetic and caring.  The old guard, besides Price, seem to be very traditional.  Not sure who this non-teaching staff member is?

16th REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 06 December 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Former teacher

A school of arrogance and hypocrisy.  Boys who aren't perfect in every way are filtered off at the end of year 11 or discriminated against in the sixth form, creating a class system.  Completely unacceptable.  The school also blackmails pupils and parents alike into providing financial support.  This is illegal and cannot be condoned - not matter how 'underfunded' (and I put that in inverted commas for a reason) the place is.

17th REPLY

NAME: Vic Coughtrey   Then & Now

DATE: 06 December 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Pupil 1954-59

There are a lot of very strong words there, Anon.  It would be interesting to see how you would attempt to justify their use.

18th REPLY

NAME: Stephen Giles  

DATE: 16 December 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Caned thrice 1957-64

But whatever you say, the school gets results and is better off without the hangers on.  Parents surely know the score before sending their sons to QE.  If they want easy schooling - go to a comprehensive.  I just laugh now at the draconian rules back when I was there, but we had a great deal of fun!!!

19th REPLY

NAME: Adam Lines   Then & Now

DATE: 17 December 2010

CONNECTION WITH QE: Discharged 1964

Hmm, I have to dissent - The School might get results but at what cost?  Would it not be better to give hangers on a hand up rather than stamp on their fingers?  I also doubt whether prospective parents can know the real regime prevailing at any school at least until its too late!

20th REPLY

NAME: Anon

DATE: 24 November 2011

CONNECTION WITH QE: Ex-parent

The quality of a school cannot be judged solely by results, but by the percentage increase in achievement and the immeasurable development in character.  The development in character of the child can also be negative in some schools and destroy a child for life.  Results are not compared correctly with other schools, if schools pick the cream from 20 miles around, they will get impressive results.  These cream students are easier to teach, so the exam results are not true reflection of the education quality at school.  The school gets good results because they pinch the brightest students.  If the school system destroys the self esteem and instills depressive traits and beliefs in students, the school has failed and damaged the child for life and the child ends up paying for the rest of his life.  To understand this permanent damage caused by any school system, one has to read and understand psychology and psychiatry.  When a child says 'dad, you will regret sending me to this school', kids are often right.  When a child is no more, questions are asked about the institution which destroyed your child.  Parents are left devastated and distraught to investigate what caused the illness at the school.  It happened at QE.