Hi this is a question to C4 makers of this facinating program - I know I am probably going to have to watch next week - but wondered if Eileen Stockley managed to raise the funds to send her son to private school. I would really like to make a donation (Only small Im affraid)I hope I will not be the only one who thinks a small investment in Alex's future will reap long term rewards. Eileen if you are out there and have an account you would like me to donate to I would be more than willing, you are an inspirational mum!
Think its awful that these children (10/11yrs old I think?) have to worry so much about getting into a good school. It must be worse for the parents too. I didn't have that problem when I went up to high school (at age 13 - we had middle schools then) luckily our local comp was very good.
However, the boy whose dad saw it as a competition and wanted to win was a bit OTT for my liking. He said that if his boy didn't get in to the schools he'd sat entrance exams to he would see it as a personal failure - the amount of pressure on that poor boy must have been huge. Thankfully he did get into the school he wanted - deservingly too. I know the dad only wanted the best for his son but to spend 4hrs on a sat and on a sun doing school work seemed a bit much for a 10 yr old.
Fingers crossed that Alex's mum will be able to raise the rest of the cash for him to go his chosen school.
Originally posted by ally_cat: due to the programme definatly being filmed last year , donations to alexs mum are impossible , unless you want to help her with next years fund .
It was most likely filmed this year. We had the film crew for next weeks programme at our theatre group rehearsal in Jan/Feb (can't remember which) as one of the girls in next week's programme was in our show.
If Eileen can contact me I have suggestion of way to raise funds - there are lots of charities that will allocate monies to worthy causes, I help one such charity each year.
like everyone else on this forum i too am totally disgusted at the struggle Eileen is facing in order to offer her son a good education - a basic right. If Eileen is reading this please contact me i may be able to help a little but with each of us offering a little we may be able to make a difference for alex. Contact me on foulia@hotmail.com dont give up eileen you are blessed with a beautiful child and he is blessed with an extraordinary mum.
I would not say I am disgusted, i still believe that the emphasis must be on improving all schools, But I am impressed with the effort Eileen has made. It appeared to me that both Eileen and Alex had done everything they could to get Alex into school, something that did not in my view come across in relation to all the families. My wife and I would like to make a donation to assist Eileen and Alex. Alternatively, Looloomama, has indicated that she knows charities that may help with this sort of thing. In the event that she or any other person has details of charities that provide schooling assistance please do let us know the details. Whether we are too late to make a difference for Alex, I would like to think that we can make a difference for other children in similar situations.
How wonderful it is that there are kind hearted people out there to help Eileen - I wish I could help but am not in a position to do so. However, I would say to you Eileen, to look into state boarding. I went to a state boarding school (education free, you only pay for the boarding and most schools have foundations to help those in need) and now teach at one. The main benefit is that the wonderful structure and amazing range of activities ensure that all children reach their potential - whatever that may be. I teach at the Royal Alexandra and Albert School in Reigate, which caters for children from 7-18 years. Boarding education is unique in that it helps each child to become independent, adventurous and creative within a warm and caring environment. Some state boarding schools are selective - we are not. The standard of education tends to rival that of private schools so makes a good alternative if you can't afford a private school. Our teaching staff is second to none and we rate amongst the highest state achievers in the country. I was on the verge of going into care at 13 when I won my place to Wymondham College (in Norfolk!) and it really turned my life around. I made lifelong friends and am still in touch with many of the staff - 9 years after leaving. I went on to university and now have 3 degrees / diplomas and an amazing job. For those of you reading this who may be under the illusion that boarding is for "naughty" children or an option for parents who want their kids out of the way, please be assured that this isn't the case. Most of the children here decide to come because they want the chance to live with friends during the week and participate in activities such as karate, modern dance, ballet, rugby, trampolining, choir, jazz group, string ensemble, CCF, conservation club, arts and crafts club, horse riding and many, many, many more.
I'd like to say respect to all the children who took part in the programe, too, especially the boy who wanted to get into Eltham (?) Sports College. He gave of his best all the way. What a star.
It doesn't look lik eeileen is reading this - I think hse would have posted if so. You (the people wanting to give donations) might be better contacting channel 4 and asking them to contact her on your behalf. Lets hope, with school term starting next week, that you're not too late. Its a shame the show wasn't aired a few weeks ago!
Like a number of the posters on this Forum, I was really impressed by Eileen's determination to give her son the best possible start in life. I'd like to help out with a small donation, too. Maybe someone from Channel 4 could contact us.
I hope Eileen managed to get enough funds together to ensure that Alex starts at his new school next week, and that the rest of us can help ensure he gets to stay there in the future.
Originally posted by ally_cat: due to the programme definatly being filmed last year , donations to alexs mum are impossible , unless you want to help her with next years fund .
i'll definatly watch next week . and er sizzler , its on channel 4 wednesday at 9 . i think .
and xxx_rach_xxx , is correct , the child has to start clever to go to the school .
Google points to this King's Lynn local newspaper article in the _Lynn News_. It says "Alex Stockley (7), of Mitchells Way, Narborough" and the telephone book has an Eileen K. Stockley in that road. To find her, visit 192.com and fill in "Stockley" as the name and "Narborough, King's Lynn" as the location. Then click on "EILEEN K. STOCKLEY" in the Free Directory Enquiries search results.
Note, the telephone number and address given may be out of date, e.g. perhaps she has just moved, so please don't post anything, especially money, to that address without satisfying yourself that Eileen is still there and would welcome it.
I've no connection with Eileen, just thought it was a shame that people willing to donate were finding it hard to contact Eileen. I also haven't posted anything `private' about her address or phone number, i.e. it's all easily deducible from public material.
I felt for Eileen and particularly her son. It was a shame the programme did not go into more details about the lack of help/support from her LEA and also what evidence Eileen was able to provide them with of her son being gifted.
I hope her son is able to find a place in a school where he is happy and his needs are met.
Well that's my email off to the school requesting details of how I can help, just need to keep my fingers crossed that my very minor contribution is matched with lots of others and we can get wee Alex the education I think he deserves.
Which Glebe school was she applying to? Looks like she is not watching this site so maybe a call to the school. Checking the Ofsted.gov.uk site, the most likely is the one in Norfolk.. I would really like this boy to get funding long term (not just fits and starts) Lynda
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Originally posted by vole-woman: If Alex's mum would like to contact me via my website, I might be able to help a little. Hope she is reading this: www.katelong.co.uk/
New to this, just realised the new messages are at the bottom. Hope someone is able to come up with a source for the full bursary every year Lynda
quote:
Originally posted by LyndaSW11: Which Glebe school was she applying to? Looks like she is not watching this site so maybe a call to the school. Checking the Ofsted.gov.uk site, the most likely is the one in Norfolk.. I would really like this boy to get funding long term (not just fits and starts) Lynda
quote:
Originally posted by vole-woman: If Alex's mum would like to contact me via my website, I might be able to help a little. Hope she is reading this: www.katelong.co.uk/
I am so happy to read that people are willing to provide funds for Alex to go to the school of his dreams. It ripped my heart out that Eileen could not provide the funds. Even though I am not a British citizen, I too would love to give what I can to what is obviously an deserving cause.
But I am equally concerned about Adam, the black boy from South London who wanted to go to Eltham on a sports scholarship. Although I am happy to see that he is going to his first pick state school, I was disturbed by the clear class-based bias in the sports testing. I am not British, so please correct me if I am wrong - but Adam probably does not have much access to hockey facilities, and it is likely that his father did not know much about cricket or rugby. Doesn't it therefore appear that the testing procedure to get the sports scholarship has the effect of weeding out promising children like Adam, who did not grow up in the right family to aquire the correct cultural capital? Now I can why Adam did not get the scholarship - he had trouble completing the kilometer run. But that still does not erase criticism of the testing procedures themeselves.
my apologies for the second post, but I am also very deeply troubled by the fact that so much of the responsibility for educational success (and ultimately social mobility) is put on the shoulders of such young children! So we blame Adam for not being able to run the kilometer as fast as the other children, rather than get angry at an unequal society which naturally produces children which even at s
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