Dorset Parent

Eleven Plus (11+) in Dorset

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usa
Posts: 141
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 4:36 am

Dorset Parent

Post by usa »

Hallo Dorset Parent!
Just to say, that we are all thinking of you here on this Forum - you have not been forgotten - and we would love to know how you and your daughter are getting on......
Please do post with any news......
USA
Dorset Parent
Posts: 37
Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:11 pm
Location: Bournemouth

Post by Dorset Parent »

It's only now I feel ready to post. I did have a quick look at the general section on Friday but felt too overwhelmed to join in and didn't want to spoil the celebratory atmosphere!

There was a letter postmarked from the grammar school and a letter from the education authority. I nervously opened the letter from BSG thinking "surely not - has she got in?" only to find it was a rejection letter, phrased very tactfully - "You will have by now received...." She hadn't passed and her results were given and also the results she would have needed to pass - so no hiding from her how she had done!

She didn't get our 2nd choice comprehensive school either (no-one "out of area" got in this year if they didn't have a sibling there already - another shock!). She got her 3rd choice - our local catchment girls secondary school. I am feeling relieved that the decision is known and somewhat older and wiser in the process! I couldn't post until I had discussed it with my daughter and close members of the family and we are all positive about her future. My daughter is happy and we've had several conversations about the whole process. She was worried that I would be disappointed that she had not passed the test and asked if this meant that she was "thick". Of course it didn't. And I have always stressed to her that we put down 3 good local schools on her form and that any of the 3 would be good for her. She was close to the pass mark on 2 areas - VR and Maths (a pleasant surprise) but not so close on English (an area I somewhat neglected in our practices, so that was a bit of a shock!) All our family have reassured her that we are very pleased with her results and we appreciate how hard she has tried - and that it was a hard test!

One of the hardest things was to hear my Mum try to hide her disappointment when I phoned her with the news. All her 3 children went to grammar school and all my sister's 3 children have gone to grammar school in Kent so this is the first member of our family who hasn't gone. I have done my best to explain that things are different from my day and she has since mellowed and has been more positive about the outcome.

All credit to Bournemouth BC, giving detailed information on allocations for each school (not sure if other areas have this) and having extra people on the phone lines on Friday - I got through easily. I even rang up BSG as I didn't understand the results (!) and was dealt with very tactfully by their office staff. I just felt on Friday I had to understand it all, pour over the information and for it all to sink in. I am quite "sanguine" about the results. I would have felt much worse if she had passed and still not got a place, as is the case for some.

The only downside is that her school doesn't have a sixth form, so in 5 years time we may be trying to get one of the few places in sixth forms in local schools, but I mustn't think of that yet!

Even though the result wasn't "successful" I am still grateful to all the help I got from this forum and the moral support. Thanks USA for asking how I got on - very kind. I presume your son got his 1st choice school - I hope so. I do not feel it was wasted as I am always of the belief in life that every experience has its worth, even if the outcome isn't successful. My daughter even said, during one of our long talks this weekend, that she was glad that we had gone over all that maths as it has helped her in her schoolwork!

Congratulations to all of you who passed - you deserve it as it's not easy! And to those of you who didn't I really hope that you are happy with your alternative schools - that's the key issue. This has left me with a keen interest in education in general and I may well be posting in the future on secondary education issues. Also I have my younger daughter to consider (Year 4), who at the moment can only think that she wants to be at the same school as her sister (they are very close, but will this last, I wonder?) I feel I should give her the same opportunity as her elder sister, but this is another issue!

Informative note for Disappointed Mum if you are still moving to Bournemouth, the table shows that not all places were allocated at BSB as not enough boys got the minimum marks necessary to pass, so I feel very hopeful about your son getting in! Good luck for his late test (forgot the date, so apologies if it's come and gone).
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

What a positive post - thanks for sharing your news even though it was not what you wanted -

With your support your daughter will be a star wherever she goes - all the best to you both.
usa
Posts: 141
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2006 4:36 am

Post by usa »

Dear Dorset parent
Thank you so much for sharing your news with us and for writing such a lovely post.
How awful to have received that letter from BGS first.
Your daughter tried ever so hard and in that ever so short space of time (I remember your 1st post) came a very long way. Well done to her for being so near the pass mark in 2 subjects - result!) Yes - I bet that extra maths tuition you gave her has helped enormously in general school work.
Keep up the good work, encourage her to work hard at her SATS and I am sure she will get into that Top Set in her new school. She sounds a clever girl and with you right behind her, she will do great!
Good luck Dorset Parent - you both did a good job. Stay in touch.....
USA
Rosey

Post by Rosey »

Dear Dorset parent
I do not feel it was wasted as I am always of the belief in life that every experience has its worth, even if the outcome isn't successful
You are an amazing and generous person. You are justifiably proud of your daughter, and with you as her parent, she will excel in life.
Bournemouth

Post by Bournemouth »

Sorry to hear your daughter just missed out. Luckily, if it is the girl's school I am thinking of in Bournemouth, it is very good school. I know I've said it before but not so easy for boys in the area.
Also, I think the uniform is nicer than BSG's! Don't mean to sound fickle but at age 11 these things can help consul a child, especially a daughter. Sounds like she scored well in any case and the revision certainly won't have gone to waste as she will no doubt rise to the top at her new school.
Good luck and be sure to post back in 5 years to tell us how she has scored all A grades and has developed into a charming young lady.
Cream always rises to the top.
dissapointed mum
Posts: 116
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm

Post by dissapointed mum »

Hello DP
Im so very sorry your daughter didnt quite make the grade on entry to the Grammar, but by the sounds of things, she will be very happy where she is going. You and your family all seem very wise and level headed, and with all your support she will do very well. From all your postings and PMs to me, you sound like the perfect mother to have and Im sure your daughter is just as proud of you as you are of her. I wish you all the very best in the future.
Yes my son has sat the BSB test, he sat it a week ago, and we await the results. He came out of the test feeling good about it, saying he finished the VR with 10 min to spare, and he found the Essay really good, and the comprehension easy. What shocked us most was that he struggled in the maths paper, and he didnt finishe it, and had 10 left to do!! He is very good at Maths, but he said there were maths problems that he hasnt covered in school yet, so didnt understand them. Anyway what will be will be, and if he gets through then great if not, then thats fine too. We are still hoping for St Peters, but I know that will be a waiting list. We are in the throws of putting an offer in on a place in Bournemouth, and our house is on the Market.... We will hopefully be settled in our new place of life before he has to start at secondary school. I will keep you posted as to how he has got on and where we end up.
Best wishes to all
DM
(Not dissapointed anymore though)
hermanmunster
Posts: 12820
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

Blimey DM!

Not sure what's more stressful - the house juggling or the school sorting ?? Good luck with both :D
Bournemouth

Post by Bournemouth »

Dear Disappointed Mum,
Congratulations on your move down to Bournemouth. Just in time for the summer too. My son did the BSB tests last year and said Maths was the most difficult although it is his best subject too. I guess most boys are best at Maths and so maybe they need to make this one a little harder to really test the kids. There were a couple of questions he hadn't covered at school or with me.
Good luck and do let us know.
dissapointed mum
Posts: 116
Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 2:05 pm

Post by dissapointed mum »

Hi Bournemouth
Thankyou for your wishes, Im now getting really excited about living in Bournemout, I was very nervous , scared etc before, but now am looking forward to it all. Yes the maths does seem to be set at quite a high standard. We will find out the results on 26th March, and take it from there. I really dont know how they score the papers in Bournemouth, and what marks you bneed to pass, or how many of the papers you need to pass to get in or what. Its not like the 121 pass you need in Bucks. Whatever happens, he will be starting a brand new school in a brand new place, and he is very excited about living near the sea!!!
Did your son pass the test last year and , and what school is he at now?
DM
(excited mum really)
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