Oxbridge must be a crap place(s) to get an education.
Eton & Harrow are clearly for society's dregs. The wealthy all send their children to Turnpike. 'Course it's going to have serious competition when St Barts opens 2 month's late in November. I expect the project manager will get a gong.
Eton & Harrow are clearly for society's dregs. The wealthy all send their children to Turnpike. 'Course it's going to have serious competition when St Barts opens 2 month's late in November. I expect the project manager will get a gong.
Bit out of date, Turnpike school closed sometime ago even though it was, at the time, one of the newest school buildings in the area.
I suppose as I sort of started this, then I might restate what were and are my personal thoughts on the new school. My views are subjective but, whatever else, it is the worst looking building I have ever had the misfortune to cast my eyes upon. I believe it will be a maintenance disaster and that the costs will be punitive twenty or so years from now when the inverted funnels need replacing and the roof starts leaking. Removing several tons of gravel and plant bedding will be no mean feat. The added cost of the 'green' roof to allow a carbon target to be acheived and to, as somebody else said, placate the tree huggers cannot be justified even if the kids use the roof statistics as part of the school curriculum.
If the building generates a pride throughout the school's pupils and this creates a better learning environment for them then it may all be worthwhile. I hope so. It may be that the younger generation will look at this and think that it is the best looking building they have ever seen. One man's meat.... etc.
The thing about Oxbridge is that there is considerable tradition involved, unlike the glass and aluminium so called modern universities that peddle tissue paper degrees. This tradition is reflected in the quality of both the tuition and the quality of the students. An Oxbridge degree is worth the vellum it is written on.
Will the new St Bart's be worth it in the end or will it just peddle a whole raft of mediocre students only intent on skiving off, being disruptive or will we see quality pupils who are proud to say twenty or thirty years on, "I went to St Batholomew's school and it gave me a great start in life".?
We're still a bit light on facts (i.e. there aren't any) and heavy on vague unsubstantiated assertions (yes, yes: including mine!) in this discussion, but I was only kidding when I suggested that citing any actual information would result in a more useful discussion.
'In fact, quite the opposite. In a series of studies in 2005 and 2006, researchers at the University of Michigan found that when misinformed people, particularly political partisans, were exposed to corrected facts in news stories, they rarely changed their minds. In fact, they often became even more strongly set in their beliefs. Facts, they found, were not curing misinformation. Like an underpowered antibiotic, facts could actually make misinformation even stronger.'
The problem with facts is that you don't necessarily see the whole picture. Facts can be drawn to support any argument; for or against. You pick a fact, I'll pick a fact, and on it goes.
It is not necessarily the facts that hold the power to persuade, it is most often how the facts are delivered. For example noobree, the way you came bouncing in on this thread just immediately put my backup and I become defensive, despite having no real view ion the topic, other than I thought the project rather esoteric in concept. noobree, if you want people to play ball, you need to play nice, being sarcastic and condescending doesn't improve matters. I don't necessarily disagree with you, but I do disagree with the way you do it.
What would be useful for the current discussion, would be a rationalé for the current move/development. My view is, the best education is supplied by the best teachers, not a 'gimmick' slapped in the middle of a sports field. Although I'm sure some accountant could demonstrate how cost effective moving was.
noobree, the way you came bouncing in on this thread just immediately put my backup and I become defensive, despite having no real view ion the topic, other than I thought the project rather esoteric in concept.
Yes, it was completely uncalled for. I'm just frustrated with the relentless negativity of forums like this and the often sloppy thinking of contributors. I guess that's why so few people participate these days. Hey ho. I'll look out for you all scowling over the hoardings at the new St Bart's. Have a nice weekend.
The thing about Oxbridge is that there is considerable tradition involved, unlike the glass and aluminium so called modern universities that peddle tissue paper degrees. This tradition is reflected in the quality of both the tuition and the quality of the students. An Oxbridge degree is worth the vellum it is written on.
There is plenty of glass & aluminium at both Oxford & Cambridge. Look at the fuss the Saïd Business School building in Oxford caused.
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