Kendrick 2012 results. Quiet before the storm?

[hasmum]

Hi Jeepers,
are we able to see the allocations from midnight 1st march online? I applied online.

[aliportico]

Can I ask a question to those trying for a second/(third?) time with a sibling already at the school (MrsBrown, Hermione, aliportico)? Do you feel more or less confident this time?

Mine are complicated by having one at Kendrick and one trying for Reading, as the Kendrick exam is so much more straightforward. I think before the test, I probably felt more confident, because I know he's as intelligent as his big sister, and so I felt I had some comparison with the competition, if that makes sense. But the English test at Reading always worried me greatly! Then after the test and realising just how tough the vocab bits on the English paper were - well, now I'm far less confident that his maths and reasoning skills will have seen him through.

And yes hasmum, in theory the allocations will be there at midnight. In practice I don't know - I think they have been there the last couple of years? 4 years ago they appeared about two days after the letters!

[Density]

Sorry, that was an insensitive question about siblings. Ignore me.

What I've struggled with all along is whether my daughter is of a high enough ability. She's always been in top sets and on top tables all through school. But no teacher has ever said " your daughter's clever. she should try for Kendrick" She goes to an ordinary state primary, she loves school, loves learning, reads voraciously at home. I want her to be able to carry on in an environment where everyone is like that, where she doesn't have to dumb down to avoid getting picked on for being a swot.

That's what's making me so anxious I think.

[aliportico]

Don't worry, I didn't find it insensitive - it obviously does throw up comparisons between siblings, and so that gets added into the mix too.

I completely understand your second paragraph. It's shocking how painful this whole process is. Fwiw, my dd2 is at a Wokingham comp - she was adamant that she wanted to go to a mixed school (although she's now in y9 and the boys are all still idiots ) and to be somewhere where if she did well she would get credit for it, not it just be expected. She's in top sets, we've just sat through an almost embarrassingly gushing parents evening, she gets postcards from teachers to say how well she's doing, etc, and it's really good for her. There are enough bright kids that wanting to work isn't really seen as a bad thing, although I will admit that sometimes she gets fed up with people messing around. On the whole the positives easily win, and I don't see why she shouldn't get just as good gcses as her older sister.

Plan B almost certainly will be fine, but of course I hope you don't have to use it!

[aliportico]

And honestly, I'm trying not to be here all the time, but I'm on my own working at home and I'm bored!

[Reading Mum]

And honestly, I'm trying not to be here all the time, but I'm on my own working at home and I'm bored!

sounds just like me - and my DD doesn't even sit for Kendrick till 1st October so I have another year of this

[MrsBrown]

Can't help but make comparisons - but doesn't make you more prepared!

My DS2 much more laid back than DS1 & me last time. I think he was more informed on what to expect. He goes to average state primary, but nearest comp not for him, (no decent music Dept) so we have had to think about the back up, which was not an issue with DS1.

Certainly no teachers have ever suggested Grammar or Indie option and it is not encouraged to be different! As their confidence grows as they get older they can handle the "swot" image...and believe me, it continues - even in high achieving schools!

Good Luck Density, I shall post good/medium/bad news as it comes!

[Jeepers]

Hi Jeepers,
are we able to see the allocations from midnight 1st march online? I applied online.

Hi Hasmum

I'm afraid I don't know anything more concrete than Aliportico's helpful summary,

in theory the allocations will be there at midnight. In practice I don't know - I think they have been there the last couple of years? 4 years ago they appeared about two days after the letters!

I expect I will be up and pressing the refresh button just in case. My trouble is that I'm just not a very patient person...I wish the consortium would publish details of number of passes who put each school first, like the details from Bucks published on the Bucks forum, I would find that very interesting right now.

Off to read the rest of the forum debate on the proposed catchment areas in Essex (!) while I finish my lunch. I wonder if I could go onto Mastermind with " The vagaries of the English Grammar School System" as my specialist subjet?

J

[Density]

Thanks aliportico, I have been mulling over your post whilst out and about this morning and I realise I have been focusing way too much on the negatives of our next option (local comp). It's good to hear that your independent-minded daughter made a positive decision about which school to choose for herself and is doing so well. More importantly that she is happy at school.

Also, your point about confidence rings loudly with me MrsBrown. I must remember that my daughter is not me (for I was that shy swot, miserable at school!) She has bags of confidence, never lets her friends get away with a mean comment and is queen of the withering put-downs!

[aliportico]

I've been mulling over my post too, and trying to stay sane and calm when thinking about my ds, lol! Much easier to hand out reassurances to other people