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Splinter Schools

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:07 pm
by RobMac
As some of you may be aware there is a splinter school of St James.
It was set up and is being run by senior SES members and allures to links to St James and SES however there is nothing from the SES or St James side linking back to this school.

I do not believe that this will be the only school and I dare not imagine the motivation behind establishing other schools with these invisible links.

If anyone can provide any additional information I would be very grateful.

If you do not wish to respond in the forum please email me privately at robmacleod@hotmail.com.

Re: Splinter Schools

Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 11:35 pm
by Daffy
Do you have any more information? What's it called, where is it based, what ages and sexes does it cover, who runs it, who works for it, etc etc?

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:24 am
by Free Thinker
In other words, people from the SES have started a school just like St. James but are hiding any connection with the SES?

It has the same sort of curriculum?

Is it near the current schools or in a new city?

Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2005 11:31 am
by Matthew
All I've heard is that its in Manchester, N/W England, and its owned and run by SES members.

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 3:30 pm
by RobMac
I raised the issue of the splinter schools as part of my submission to the inquiry.
The Chairman seemed more than a little concerned and has asked me to find out what I can.

Any and all information will be very gratefully received and passed on to the Chairman of the inquiry.

As long as sufficient information can be given to the inquiry on this subject, in particular whether they are being run in the same way that St James and Vedast were originally run, then then it is quiet reasonable for the Chairman to rule that they shoul be included in the investigation.

I believe that this could be a key issue to the outcome of the inquiry if it is discovered that SES have only changed there behaviour in relation to St James and St Vedast.

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 6:46 pm
by RobMac
There are at least 13 schools worldwide so far

There is a SES organisation related to the establishment of schools worldwide
http://www.education-renaissance-trust.org.uk

Splinter Schools discovered so far:-
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St James School, Altrincham (North West UK) (may have now moved):-
This school is officially part of the London St James Schools and the
Independent Educational Association Ltd the charity SES use to run the schools . Formally approved by the Governors of the St James Schools in London.
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North West Independent Schools Association Ltd
Address: 34 CONGLETON ROAD, ALDERLEY EDGE, CHESHIRE, SK9 7AB
Type: Incorporated
Incorporation Date: 18-01-2002
Independent: Yes
Status: Dissolved
Last Accounts Filed: -
Last Accounts Analysed: 31-03-2003
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The Alcuin School, Leeds (North West UK)
Address: 64 Woodland Lane, Leeds, LS7 4PD
http://www.alcuinschool.co.uk/
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St James School, Johannesburg
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St James School, Durban
http://www.stjamesschooldurban.co.za/contact.html
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John Scottus School, Dublin
http://www.johnscottus.ie/
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Philosophy Day School, New York
http://www.abrahamlincolnschool.org/
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John Colet School, Sydney
http://johncolet.nsw.edu.au/
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Erasmus School, Melbourne
http://www.erasmus.vic.edu.au/
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Ficino School, Auckland
http://www.ficino.school.nz/
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San Fernando (Renaissance), Trinidad
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Auburn House, Cape Town
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Toronto
A new school is to open soon
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ficino school

Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 7:31 pm
by xmember
the Ficinio school was set up very specificy to echo the St James model, and it indistinguishable from the SOP as being part of the overall organisation.

I liked this quote from the ERT website:

"Despite this variety, the mark of the day was unity. All present were brought together by the desire to teach from true authority and fully nourish the children in their care."

...true authority?

Growing up in the SOP, there were virtually no qualified teachers in charge of the children. It is what made the whole experience so frightening: the very powerful, and very frightening personalities in charge of us...

I understand that there are some independent qualified teachers at Ficino now, but that some are SOP members with some teaching qualifications.

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 9:25 pm
by Tom Grubb
[I have removed this post on request]

Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 11:44 pm
by Free
<delete>

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 4:53 am
by Free Thinker
Oh boy, those last two posts brought back some memories!

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 9:29 am
by ET
Well! If this child was chanting things like "perfect is perfect etc" (something I learned and chanted in the late 70s/early 80s) as recently as 2005, then it rather puts paid to the SES assertion that things have changed, and they don't teach/do any of that any more. It seems unlikely that the Australian schools would be using outdated methods if the London schools have moved on, so one can reasonably assume that the London schools are the same as they ever were.

It's so frustrating to think that they are most likely still filling childrens' heads with this rubbish, and, more seriously, that the "climate of fear" still exists in the schools as well.

There must be more we can do!

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:39 pm
by Tom Grubb
Yes, there must be more we can do!

Meanwhile, St James is starting up a school in Durban, South Africa: http://www.stjamesschooldurban.co.za/contact.html

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 6:32 pm
by Free
<delete>

Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2007 9:42 pm
by ConcernedMum
Thanks Tom for posting that - as someone who has removed my son from the John Scottus school in Dublin this year, I can relate to almost every part of that letter from the parent with the child in the School of Economic Science school in Australia. Since he's moved to a local school I feel I have got my lovely caring normal 5 year old son back instead of the stressed-out aggressive losing-his-natural-sense-of-empathy little boy he was while in that awful dreadful school. The atmosphere in the new school is so much more welcoming and happy as well. What can we do about this? It seems outrageous that its left to individual parents to keep finding the profound misrepresentation of these schools out for themselves over and over again. What about a seperate website? What does anyone else think? - there are lots of parents on this site who have been through the same thing.

Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:38 pm
by sugarloaf
I think a website is an excellent idea - throughout the decades the only thing that seems to have a reforming effect on the schools and SES is negative publicity - or rather - the truth being disclosed. They hate it!

I was shocked by some of the what I heard from parents at the current junior school, during buildup to the inquiry - and as far as I know they have not made their experiences public.

As a pupil from over 2 decades ago, and having put considerable effort into the inquiry, I feel in some ways I've made my useful contribution - but a website/chatsite setup by current/recent parents, dedicated to the current schools around the world would be an excellent idea - and not that difficult to set up.