Waiting list CRGS

Eleven Plus (11+) in Essex

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moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by moved »

Please, however cross you may feel, remember the forum rules regarding politeness.

Everyone's personal circumstances are different and everyone tries to do their best for their child.
sherry_d
Posts: 2083
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:38 pm
Location: Maidstone

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by sherry_d »

I dont see why people are getting annoyed about Darkane :roll:. Its his RIGHT and his child rightly deserves the place too. What he does later with the place in Y9 is up to him. If you are getting annoyed, then perhaps contacting your local MP to complain about the system and maybe one day Mr Gove can change it. Until then its Darkane's right to do as he wishes. Yes its annoying to get jumped in the waiting list but its the way things work and none of that should be blamed on parents.

Infact those on the waiting list for WHSB are holding places elsewhere and I am sure there are kids who want to go to the "other" school so I dont see the difference here. :roll:
Impossible is Nothing.
marigold
Posts: 656
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: essex

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by marigold »

In support of maymum I think it must be very upsetting to hear of someone "settling " for a school for which you would give your eye teeth.

Darkane implied that WHSB was very much a second best option and that, despite not even have attended the school yet, he will be removing his son in a couple of years for a " better" school. Not what I would want to hear in maymum's position and I think she was quite restrained in her comments.
First-timer
Posts: 698
Joined: Wed Sep 23, 2009 1:47 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by First-timer »

Darkane is entitled to do what he believes is best for his DS who has by virtue of his performance in the 11+ earned his place at WHSB. Maymum is entitled to be anxious about being at the top of the waiting list so close to the start of the new term. It must be agonising for her. Neither is content with their current position but nobody is in the wrong here.

Perhaps a bit more tact should have been employed before stating that a grammar place had been won but would be given up after a couple of years. Of course, it may be that the place will not be given up - Darkane's DS may love the school once actually there. I hope Darkane's DS settles in well and that Maymum gets the news she is hoping for.I have read elsewhere on the site that places can be awarded as late as after the start of term.
darkane
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:14 pm

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by darkane »

For what it's worth the big thing I have learnt through this whole experience is how utterly and deeply driven you become in getting the best outcome for your DC that you can.

We made quite a few mistakes - not putting WHSB down for example and are in a place we never thought we'd be. At an open day at KEGS a woman asked, "If my son just scapes in is still a good idea for him to come here or would be better sending him to a less selective school?" The answer really shocked me. The teacher said that they monitored the 11+ plus and measured them year on year against outcomes and there was NO statistical link between position at 11 and where they would be at 16! The truth is the whole system is a bit like a game show with those who get the lucky breaks getting the places. Obviously there is some link with ability but there must be a whole band of DCs of equal ability to the "winners" who just didn't (or did) get the breaks on the day.

It is easy to be judgemental and look at things from your own perspective and I'd be interested if Maymum hired a tutor because we did not and our DS clearly scored considerably higher on the day than her DS despite achieving well below what anyone every expected with the result shocking his school and teachers.

As to what we do next. We are like quite a few people in mid-essex in a holding position. We can afford full indie fees only for three years if we save for next two and if DS is in a grammar school he stands a better chance of getting an award. We didn't put him in for indies this year because were told he could name his school and then on the day . . . . . Well I guess the only people still on here are the ones who haven't yet got what they wanted. We can inflict a tortuous journey on our son for the next two years but once the teen hormones kick in and he doesn't sleep until midnight it really won't be possible and if it comes to it we'll remortgage.

This whole system is horrible horrible horrible. It would be far better if they limited the distances people could travel or target all grammars with taking from their home education authority. If CRGS and KEGS had to offer 50% of places to DS' who had achieved over 303 from within Essex CC boundaries just as Southend keep half for Southend DCs I suspec the number of unhappy Essex parents would decrease dramatically or would the problem just shunt down?

We are "settling" for WHSB our son will leave home at 7am and get in at 5:45 but we think the journey worth it. As for moving him at year 9 well traditionally that is when DCs go to Indies and I do know that a lot go from mid-essex to WHSB for 2 years and then go to Felsted for year 9 when all the DCs at Felsted move to the Senior school from the prep so we are hoping it won't be too disruptive. I would actively encourage Maymum to keep on top of the lists and not shy off moving her DS if he doesn't get a place in September, our DCs are really very resilient and, if it is the right school for him he will surely cope with the move.

I do wish everyone well in their search. This is an absolute nightmare and I have become totally selfish beyond belief as a consequence of the process. I am not proud of this but I am proud of being the sort of parent who will fight and fight to get my DS the best life-chance I can.
onlyme
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 7:15 pm

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by onlyme »

I do agree with those who have stated the system is wrong. IMHO there is so much wrong with the Essex selection process.
For the system to be fair (if it can ever be) places should be awarded solely on a child's 11+ score & their choosen grammar school. Therefore if a child has named a grammar school as a preference & obtains a suitable 11+ score to secure a place ... the child should be given the place!!
IMHO...
-The address of the child should not be relevant as no child should be given less opportunity to attend a grammar school due to their post code & no child should have an advantage on this basis either.... as per the Southend schools I believe!
-A school should be named as a preference prior to any testing & no child should be allowed to add their name to another list after the results as this is not right. We would not accept or tollerate this type of activity in other life situations so why is it tollerated here?
Maymum ... hang in there! I feel very confident you will secure your objective. Your DS will also learn from your patience & integrity ... qualities so often forgotten in this 'me, me' world. My thoughts are with you & your ds.

...On reflection I feel it appropriate for me to reveal my bias & therefore I should add that my dc will be attending their choosen grammar school in Sept for which selection was based purely on the 11+ result. I will confess that I am truely grateful that abiltiy was the sole cirteria at this school as I live in the RM14 postcode & dc may not have been so lucky if the Southend system had applied or if other dc were allowed to add their name to school list after the results were known!
Last edited by onlyme on Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:53 am, edited 2 times in total.
maymum
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:51 pm

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by maymum »

Thank you all for your comments since my last 'out-burst of frustration'!!!! and thankyou all for your continued support..............DS is still no 1.
The system is deeply flawed, in my opinion, but I know I cannot change this.
I hope my DS is not that DS who becomes 'the child who just missed out'.
Its very hurtful when you hear certain comments about WHSB being 'second best', we would give our right arm for a place there!!!
tiredmum
Posts: 1161
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2009 2:51 am

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by tiredmum »

moved wrote:Please, however cross you may feel, remember the forum rules regarding politeness.

Everyone's personal circumstances are different and everyone tries to do their best for their child.
Exactly -

darkdane is not wrong here - if the system lets him add his name to a waiting list, after the test, then nobody should blame him for doing what is allowed.

I empathise with maymum as i had to appeal to get my dd into my local oversubscribed grammar, but i do feel she should not blame darkdane for the shorfalls of the system :)
moved
Posts: 3826
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2007 1:42 pm
Location: Chelmsford and pleased

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by moved »

maymum wrote:Thank you all for your comments since my last 'out-burst of frustration'!!!! and thankyou all for your continued support..............DS is still no 1.
The system is deeply flawed, in my opinion, but I know I cannot change this.
I hope my DS is not that DS who becomes 'the child who just missed out'.
Its very hurtful when you hear certain comments about WHSB being 'second best', we would give our right arm for a place there!!!
Hang in there. It may well be the beginning of September. Please let us all know, we are all wishing you the best and have everything crossed.
maymum
Posts: 80
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:51 pm

Re: Waiting list CRGS

Post by maymum »

moved,
Thank you, I will keep you all informed I promise, but I am sure everyone will hear me 'IF AND WHEN' the offer happens :lol: :lol:
Happy Holidays to you all X
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