Latest news with #Wetherby
Spectator
26-06-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Is your private school dumbing down?
Bankruptcy, as Ernest Hemingway famously said, comes 'gradually, then suddenly'. For Britain's private schools floundering in the wake of the VAT rise on fees imposed in January this year, the gradual decline is well underway. Not only have an estimated 11,000 pupils left private schools so far in an unprecedented – and poorly forecast by Labour – mid-academic year exodus and smaller private schools have closed, but now Chinese whispers have begun about the lowering of academic standards. Pleading anonymity, several mothers muttered that pupils that would 'never normally be through the door' were found in their children's classes According to unnamed sources in the Telegraph, headteachers are quoted as saying that they have no choice but to 'widen the net', adding that 'schools where it's usually very challenging to secure a place' are now less scrupulous about their standards; 'you can see how nervous the sector is'. Put simply, if you can cough up, you're in. Just don't mention CAT scores or the ISEB. It's not about that anymore. Instead it's about 'pastoral care', 'sporting excellence' and all sorts of other platitudes, rather than your child's accelerated reader performance. This was always going to happen. No sooner did Labour remove the charitable status of private schools than their demeanour started to change. They are now operating far more like normal industry players than the Byzantine Enid Blyton-esque institutions of yore. Private schools, like all revenue-driven businesses, need to make money and money comes through a blunt headcount, not necessarily the brilliance of the heads in question. No longer charitable institutions that once had to demonstrate significant public benefit through bursaries and other outreach schemes, private schools can't raise capital in ways that other businesses could. Yes, there were private schools that operated as corporate structures in the prelapsarian days before the VAT rise (Prince Williams's prep school Wetherby's for example), but these were in the minority at 30 per cent of the total number of independent schools. Not anymore. Naturally this comes as a shock to its core middle to upper-middle class customer, unaccustomed to the nuts and bolts of rude capitalism on display. Once upon a time, you admired the grounds on match day and stood in the pavilion chatting to your fellow mummies about uniform and holiday plans. Now, not a day goes by when parents do not receive some letter or other from the bursar detailing snazzy changes to the school designed to guarantee our loyalty, not just to the institution but to the brand. For it is the revenue-driving potential of the brand that school marketeers salivate over when they create Instagram reels and glossy brochures that will outdo the competition. In my corner of Oxfordshire – a veritable theme-park of private schools – the competition is stiff. A quick WhatsApp straw poll of ambitious mothers reveals some of the ways in which private schools are commercialising themselves: Stowe (alma mater of Richard Branson) is now lowering the price of day places to prep-school rates; Cothill (famously the feeder school to Eton) will go co-educational from September 2025 joining Winchester and other schools that can no longer afford to be single-sex; my own daughter's prep school will open a senior school from 2026 with discounted fees up to GCSE level. But as schools are finding out, intensive and commercial net-widening inevitably comes at the attrition of standards and the ire of parents. Pleading anonymity, several mothers muttered that pupils that would 'never normally be through the door' were found in their children's classes, a trend that will likely continue as the new academic year approaches in September 2025 and private schools find themselves at the sharp end of the margin. A margin that, as one bursar told me, 'comes down to the bloody wire… it's often just a question of a family or a single pupil that tips the balance'. Certainly, the big-name private schools – Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Westminster – will always have their pick of the best pupils and may continue to be over-subscribed, but it is beyond doubt that the pool of parents is smaller and more demanding. Smaller, more modest institutions such as Park Hill in Surrey (recently closed) have already lost out. In a time of unprecedented sector transition from charitable to commercial endeavour, it seems that disruption comes equally from within as without. My daughter, upon hearing that she may be able to stay at her prep school until she is 16, jumps for joy. I don't have the heart to tell her that either the school or her parents may be bankrupt before then. But not to worry, it will all be very sudden. Just ask Hemingway.
The Sun
16-06-2025
- The Sun
Teen lag hurls boiling water at prison guard in suspected terror attack ‘inspired by Southport monster Axel Rudakubana'
A LAG hurled scalding water at a guard in a suspected terror attack inspired by Axel Rudakubana, it is believed. The Islamist teenager boiled water in his in-cell kettle and mixed it with sugar before throwing it at the officer as he delivered breakfast. 2 2 Triple child killer Rudakubana, 18, chucked kettle-boiled water at a guard at London's high-security HMP Belmarsh in May, as revealed by The Sun. The latest incident, on Saturday at Wetherby Young Offender Institution in West Yorkshire, saw the guard treated in hospital. A colleague also suffered minor injuries. A source said: 'Why on earth did this high-risk prisoner have a kettle in his cell? 'They may as well have given him a gun or a knife. 'Everyone believes it was a copycat of what Rudakubana did as the method is the same and, in a warped way, would have been inspired by him. 'Tests have shown the water was mixed with sugar — so the evil little scrote was trying to cause maximum damage.' Counter Terrorism Policing North East said it was investigating the incident. The Youth Custody Service confirmed two staff members were hurt, one of them receiving treatment in hospital.
Telegraph
02-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Horse racing tips: Monday, June 2
Ron Wood is showing a big profit from his horse racing selections, with four winners at odds of 12/1, 9/1, 2/1 and 2/1 from 11 runners on Sunday. Another of his tips finished second at 20/1. Today, he has a single tip and the horse in question goes in the last race of the day at Wetherby. Ron Wood's selections: Hidden Verse (9.00pm, Wetherby) @ 3/1 with William Hill ⭐⭐⭐ Odds provided by William Hill and correct at the time of writing. Stars denote strength of selection (max 5). If you already have a William Hill account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out more free bets from the best betting sites, reviewed by our experts. 9.00 Wetherby – Class 6 Handicap (5½f) The early money in the morning markets has been for Atomic Mass, but it's HIDDEN VERSE who appeals most. The selection has a useful pedigree and has found some form in recent starts, winning over an extended five furlongs at Bath and finishing third over the minimum trip at Nottingham. He gives the impression of having further improvement in him, while Daniel Tudhope taking over in the saddle for the first time is a positive. Selection: Hidden Verse @ 3/1 with William Hill Today's racing (Flat unless stated) Gowran 1.32-5.30 Listowel (NH) 1.55-5.20 Market Rasen (NH) 1.40-5.10 Brighton 2.25-5.15 Windsor 5.40-8.45 Wetherby 6.00-9.00 Ron Wood 2025 horse racing P/L Star ratings explained ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - confident selection ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - strong fancy ⭐⭐⭐ - fair claims ⭐⭐ - tentative choice ⭐ - minimum confidence
Daily Mail
01-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Robin Goodfellow's racing tips: Best bets for Monday, June 2
Mail Sport's racing expert Robin Goodfellow delivers his tips for Monday's meetings at Market Rasen, Brighton, Wetherby and Windsor. MARKET RASEN BRIGHTON ROBIN GOODFELLOW 2.25 Bear To Dream 3.00 Lazzar 3.35 Muy Muy Loco 4.10 Twilight Guest 4.45 Local Bay 5.15 Victors Dream GIMCRACK 2.25 Kessaar Power 3.00 Getreadytorumble 3.35 Scenario 4.10 Walk The Moon 4.45 Local Bay 5.15 Victors Dream NEWMARKET – 4.10 Twilight Guest (nb). WETHERBY ROBIN GOODFELLOW 6.00 Vlad 6.30 Mehmas Air Force 7.00 Queens Road Revue 7.30 Coverbridge 8.00 OPAL STORM (nap) 8.30 Candonomore (nb) 9.00 Hidden Verse GIMCRACK 6.00 Vlad 6.30 Sinj 7.00 Lady Mariko 7.30 Three On Thursday 8.00 Golden Rainbow 8.30 Pol Roger 9.00 Novamay NORTHERNER – 8.30 Bodorgan (nb). WINDSOR ROBIN GOODFELLOW 5.40 Fleetwater 6.15 Bring It On 6.45 Jettie's Run 7.15 Strong Warrior 7.45 Morcar 8.15 Jimmy Mark 8.45 Newfangled GIMCRACK 5.40 Forever My Prince 6.15 Blue Orbit 6.45 JETTIE'S RUN (nap) 7.15 Rajaking 7.45 Silver Gunn 8.15 Jimmy Mark 8.45 Newfangled NEWMARKET – 7.45 WESTRIDGE (nap). NORTHERNER – 7.15 STRONG WARRIOR (nap).
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Leeds prison officer admits relationship with inmate
A prison officer had admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with an inmate which included exchanging more than 900 messages with his mother. Megann Gibson also accepted she had engaged in "sexual communications" with the prisoner at HMP Wealstun in Wetherby, near 26-year-old admitted misconduct in a public office and possession of cannabis at Leeds Crown Court earlier and will be sentenced on 14 August at the same court. Gibson, of Fearnville Terrace, Roundhay, was released on unconditional bail but the judge told her the offence was a "serious matter" so not to "look into that too much". "You may well be serving a prison sentence", he added. The court heard Gibson allowed the inmate into areas of the Category C jail where he was not supposed to be, and visited his home address. Gibson's defence counsel said her client was in the process of being diagnosed with various mental health issues and potentially had PTSD from a previous relationship. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
