Open evening musings

[Petitpois]

If by some increasingly unlikely miracle my DD were to be offered a place at KEFW, but it was conditional on me having to saw my left arm off without pain relief, I would be asking whether I had any choice in the type of saw.

So get bogged down with the word / semantics, re use of the word shoddy if you please. My honest and genuine opinion is that Handsworth Girls, were outstandingly well behaved and confident young people, being mentored by an inspired set of teaching professionals (based on a two hour opening evening so I could be wrong).

At KEFW confidence and maturity and presentation was off the high water mark set by Handsworth. In my view shoddy in comparison.

Also regardless of whether your for or against girls or boys only schooling, it would nonsense to not acknowledge that KEFW is a different choice for your DD.

If you must see the post in black and white, binary terms (good vs very bad or shoddy), that's fine. It is a country mile from my local comp, where we see kids messing about, drinking and having a fag regularly at lunch. I see it is a spectrum.

Before anyone throws further stones at my glass house. Remember were all trying to make a buy decision and our own opinions don't suddenly emerge from some highly objective fact engine. For that reason, I salute the previous poster who highlighted that Girls don't play second fiddle at KEFW, based on actual experience, rather than my somewhat meagre experience of two hours at an open night.

BTW my daughter came away from local comp and said that was shoddy because

1) kids drinking and smoking outside
2) she couldn't understand why so much chewing gum was stuck under the tables
3) The toilets had multiple graffiti, vulgar expressions and explicit content all over the walls.

No doubt somebody will take offence that I should form an opinion about my local comp school based on the very limited and selective evidence above (I mean which secondary kids don't do stuff like that anyway ).

No doubt I should after all, take a more measured approach, and send my child where they will be happiest and keep my left arm in the bargain!!!

[OldTrout]

My opinion is that open evenings (both at KE state grammars and at our local state option) were slicker than two years ago - when we did the rounds for little fish. In all cases many more students on hand and really trying to talk to my small fry about her interests and show her the kind of positive things they're doing in those areas. Thought there was lots more going on in subject displays/ oportunities to take part.

I was however more than a little shocked to hear from a music teacher at one of the KE grammars (state sector) that if your child is playing an instrument through parapetitc teaching in state primary there is no guarantee they can continue at the grammar school. Once results are in if small fry has a score that makes a KE grammar possible I'll approach schools specifically on this point - no point worrying too deeply about it now.

Too be honest pretty by teachers very dismissive attitude that really if you aren't Grade 8 there is no place in music for you.

So yes - my verdict on open evening was I'm glad I went because if our choice of KE grammar schools (should small fry score sufficiently high) means small fry has to sacrifice her music interest - well there's no point attending really.

[Tonythetiger]

The music issue is an interesting one - my DD has peripatetic teaching in her primary school which is brilliant (provided by Birmingham Music Service). Do the grammar schools use Birmingham Music Service or provide their own tutors?

Yet another thing to consider in the world of secondary schools! This waiting is killing me. Have absolutely no idea how my DD has done, we DIY'd rather than formal tutoring (still don't know whether that was the right thing...). We do have a good state option though which helps, I know a lot of others aren't as fortunate.

Good luck to those who did the Walsall consortium exam - hear the results are due imminently...!

[OldTrout]

Hi Tonythetiger - yes, my little fish is in the same scheme - she also is in a local area and a city wide ensemble entirely free of charge and indeed she has always been loaned instruments and her teacher often provides music books. We are incredibly grateful for all of this as friends who do this kind of thing privately have indicated how expensive this can be & instruments are. Little fish is also on the Birmingham pupil of potential scheme - getting matched funding from Birmingham city council for extended lesson time because of her ability/ dedication. But she's a long way from Grade 8.

My worry is that I can't see how little fish can continue in city wide ensemble group (which she just joined through auditions) if KE Grammar school won't support her continued music tuition and as a family I know that private lessons for her instrument would be difficult for us to afford (roughly 3x the rate from what I understand).

Hopefully it was just a tired/ grumpy teacher and this isn't KE policy - but as I said once I know small fry's results I can decide if this is an option educationally and then contact the schools concerned to determine if they will guarantee her music interests can continue or not.

[solimum]

Many local authority music services have been extremely squeezed financially in recent years, and have had to set themselves up as independent companies selling their services to schools, who can choose not to buy in if they think they can manage without. Maybe the music teacher was grumpy because the school had decided to stop participating and in a few years time he knows he'll have no musicians left for the school orchestra... My son's very positive experience with sixth form music at CHB is too long ago to be relevant, so worth chasing and making a fuss if necessary - if not enough parents value the provision of individual music lessons it won't be seen as important in comparison with glossy brochures or new chairs for the staff room....

[Tonythetiger]

Hi OldTrout, yes my DD is also on the pupil of potential scheme and gets fantastic support as you described. And she's also a long way off grade 8! Although we're a long way off having to make choices (and indeed it may be one we don't have to make!) it is a real shame that this support isn't available in the grammar schools. Are you able to say - is it a particular school you are referring to or does it apply to all? Thanks.

[OldTrout]

Solimum - I take your point - and genuinely I think parents don't fully understand the arrangement between schools/ music services and/or what we pay (I pay £6.10 for 10 minute lesson) and what the school contributes. I certainly don't - but we pay £6.10 for 10 minutes + City of Birmingham pays for second 10 minutes under POP scheme. And I know that the school has joint lessons for beginners who always greatly outnumber more advanced musicians - but pay same amount. Therefore with parent fees the quoted £44 (max price for only 1 hour music services instrument/ vocal tuition - reduced to £42 per hour for 3 hour block of tuition - source http://servicesforeducation.co.uk/files ... ochure.pdf) is fully covered by sent in fees and shouldn't be a burden on any school (on the face of it).

I fully accept that I may be missing something here - but that's not my fault - schools & Music services are not open about any details of this arrangement.

[wolvsparent]

Wow, that is a lot more than our Primary charges through the Wolverhampton Music Service (although as you point out I have no idea what the music service charges the school and what, if any, cost is subsidised by the school?). We pay £150 per year for 20 mins tuition a week including the instrument to take home, which roughly equates to £5/20mins. These are not individual lessons though, I think both my DC's have another two children in their groups.

As for private tuition, I recently took up the drums (midlife crisis?!?) and the music studio I attend charge roughly £14/30mins for individual or £16/hour for group tuition.

We are looking at AGS or QMGS for our DS but I have no idea of their costs/service?