FACT BOX

Eton Collegewas founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. The College originally had 70 King’s Scholars or “Collegers” who lived in the College and were educated free, and a small number of “Oppidans” who lived in the town of Eton and paid for their education.

Eton is a full boarding school committed to:

 promoting the best habits of independent thought, learning, and research in its boys;

 providing a broadly based education designed to enable all boys to discover their strengths, and to make the most of their talents within Eton and beyond;

 engendering respect for individuality, difference, and the contribution that each boy makes to the life of the school and the community;

 supporting pastoral care that nurtures physical health, emotional maturity and spiritual richness;

 and fostering self-confidence, enthusiasm, perseverance, tolerance and integrity.

Today it is a secondary school (a 'high school' in the American sense) for approximately 1,290 boys between the ages of 13 and 18, all of whom are boarders. There are now some 1,280 boys in the School aged between 13 and 18, most of them resident in the United Kingdom but with some from overseas: rather more than 1,200 Oppidans in addition to the 70 Collegers. Almost 20% of the boys in the School receive financial assistance by means of scholarships and bursaries.

Every boy at Eton is a boarder in a House of about 50. Boarding requires a boy to take responsibility for his own life and to get on with a community of other people.

It also provides him with a secure base and a focus of loyalty in a very large school, as well as an opportunity for exercising responsibility and leadership in a community. Each House is presided over by a House Master, who is responsible for the academic and personal welfare of his boys and for dealings with their parents. The House Master is assisted by a “Dame”, who looks after the health of the boys and the domestic affairs of the House. Every boy also has an academic “Tutor”, whom he sees regularly, and has access to a range of medical, pastoral, and counselling services.

Eton is a religious foundation and religion continues to play a central role in the life of the community. Although the vast majority of boys belong to the Church of England, boys with many different religious affiliations attend Eton, and wherever possible we provide facilities to allow boys to practice and pursue their own beliefs.

Entry to Eton

At any one time there are almost 1,300 boys in the School, almost all of whom joined the School at age 13. The School's entry system has evolved significantly during the past few decades. Up until the sixties, virtually every Etonian had been registered at birth on a “House List”, which guaranteed him a place in the School so long as he could pass the Common Entrance examination at or around age 13. In the interests of fairness and likewise of the School, we radically reformed the system. A boy could now be registered on the “General List”: if he came through a selection procedure when he was 10 or 11 he had a guaranteed place in the School, so long as he could pass the Common Entrance examination of course. The House List system remained in place, but accounted for only about half of our entrants.

A few years ago, and for the same reasons, we made further radical reforms. A boy who now wishes to join the School at the age of 13 must be registered on the Eton List, must come through a selection procedure when he is about 11, and must subsequently pass the Common Entrance examination. Throughout these reforms, we have continued to accept Scholars (King’s Scholars, Junior Scholars, Music Scholars) with virtually no preliminary registration. And in recent years we have been accepting a few Sixth Form Entrants with again virtually no preliminary registration.

http://www.etoncoltege.com/

Discussion questions:

1) What changes have taken place in Eton in recent years?

2) What background do the students attending Eton have? Is it easy for a foreigner to go and study or work there?

3) Should private schools be only for the privileged elite?

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They say that Eton English markedly differs from standard English.	\|	Text 9. Prepare to admit boarders

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