Pate's scores
Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators
Losing the plot
Sorry if this seems a bit harsh, but am I just saying something that a lot of people out there re thinking. While I appreciate that I run the risk of being kicked off this site, I feel I need to inject some honesty here.
I found this site about a year ago and it was very helpful in providing support and invaluable advice and an extremely difficult and stressful time, for which I am very grateful.
Since that time I have been encourage by poeple's stories on this forum and joined an appeal panel for a local school and am throughly enjoying the experince. I just want to give every case, I hear a place!
I continue to monitor this site with a view to helping where possible.
Sorry, but I have got to say it, I just get a little bit tired of this self congratulary (sorry about the spelling) tosh!
Having been in a similar position last year, I realise that these types of situations effects people in different ways, and have great sympathies with those who succeed and those who do not.
But Proud Mum X 2, while I appreciate your pride in your children, there are a lot of people for whom this sticks in the throat a little. Also, "Pate's ain't the only game in town"! Gloucestershire is blessed with some great grammar schools.
Lets get some realism here and stop this patting each other on the back.
While this site is open to all, let's hear from the people who really need our help!
I found this site about a year ago and it was very helpful in providing support and invaluable advice and an extremely difficult and stressful time, for which I am very grateful.
Since that time I have been encourage by poeple's stories on this forum and joined an appeal panel for a local school and am throughly enjoying the experince. I just want to give every case, I hear a place!
I continue to monitor this site with a view to helping where possible.
Sorry, but I have got to say it, I just get a little bit tired of this self congratulary (sorry about the spelling) tosh!
Having been in a similar position last year, I realise that these types of situations effects people in different ways, and have great sympathies with those who succeed and those who do not.
But Proud Mum X 2, while I appreciate your pride in your children, there are a lot of people for whom this sticks in the throat a little. Also, "Pate's ain't the only game in town"! Gloucestershire is blessed with some great grammar schools.
Lets get some realism here and stop this patting each other on the back.
While this site is open to all, let's hear from the people who really need our help!
-
proud mum x2
- Posts: 609
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm
Broncos, I am sorry if I upset or offended you, but this site is open to all, and I wasn't congratulating anyone,especially not myself. I was initially asking a question, I then got into a dialogue with another poster, I am proud of my kids, yes, that is true, but most people whose children acheive their choice of schools through hard work,dedication and determination would be proud, wouldn't they? I didn't say that Pate's was the only great school either,I suggest you get your facts right. I was under the impression that this forum is all about the 11 plus,I would also be more than willing to help, give advice, or just listen to another proud parent, who has helped their kids have a good start in life.Are you not patting yourself on the back for being such a good appeal panel member,who wants to give every child a place?People in glass houses.......
I think I can see both sides of this picture.
My cousin in Kent has a daughter who passed for the local grammar. Each child was told their score, regardless of passing or not. Can you guess what happened next?
All those who passed started swapping their scores to see who was the brainiest. One child did exceptionally well, to the point that others didn't believe her, until she then posted a scan of the letter on a web site. They then all started year 7 with their own 'swottiness' ranking, and, yes, there was bullying.
On the other side of things, I'd love to know how well my children do in the 11+, compared to top and bottom passes. Why? Well, we're both fed up with the 'blood out of a stone' attitude from schools regarding ability. The school is only too happy to tell us how hard they've tried in class, how co-operative they've been, what nice personalities (or otherwise) they have... But actual ability - ooh err, no. Can't possibly tell you that - parents might go round the playground boasting, and the children might bully...
Now, OK, we get SATS results, but the head at this school would prefer not to give these out. One or two teachers occasionally hint at ability (we even got told outright that one is top in the class for musical ability, which they test - but that's OK to talk about as it isn't academic).
I've never spoken in the playground about comparative ability of the children - I know some are less able than others, but they're all a nice bunch of children who try hard.
So why do we want to know? It can help explain some behaviour, and can help us plan extra-curricular activities (we used to make a lot of use of Explore @ Bristol when they were little).
My cousin in Kent has a daughter who passed for the local grammar. Each child was told their score, regardless of passing or not. Can you guess what happened next?
All those who passed started swapping their scores to see who was the brainiest. One child did exceptionally well, to the point that others didn't believe her, until she then posted a scan of the letter on a web site. They then all started year 7 with their own 'swottiness' ranking, and, yes, there was bullying.
On the other side of things, I'd love to know how well my children do in the 11+, compared to top and bottom passes. Why? Well, we're both fed up with the 'blood out of a stone' attitude from schools regarding ability. The school is only too happy to tell us how hard they've tried in class, how co-operative they've been, what nice personalities (or otherwise) they have... But actual ability - ooh err, no. Can't possibly tell you that - parents might go round the playground boasting, and the children might bully...
Now, OK, we get SATS results, but the head at this school would prefer not to give these out. One or two teachers occasionally hint at ability (we even got told outright that one is top in the class for musical ability, which they test - but that's OK to talk about as it isn't academic).
I've never spoken in the playground about comparative ability of the children - I know some are less able than others, but they're all a nice bunch of children who try hard.
So why do we want to know? It can help explain some behaviour, and can help us plan extra-curricular activities (we used to make a lot of use of Explore @ Bristol when they were little).
Capers
-
proud mum x2
- Posts: 609
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm
Hi Capers, yes I agree completely, any information about our children should be available to parents,I don't think that the vast majority of parents would do anything with it at all. What is the big secret? I do understand that if the children get to know that could cause problems, but most people would be sensitive enough to keep it to themselves,within the family.When the children have their QCA tests, I have always asked for a copy,(I don't see why anyone wouldn't!) some schools don't want you know that you can ask for copies,(i was once given the reason that I wouldn't understand the results!) sometimes, I think it is because it would just cause them more work to give the results of these tests out with the reports.As for tests for grammars,it is their choice,and I know they have good reasons, like you said,for withholding info.and I respect the fact that that they know best.I only started this thread because I read an old post,where scores for a girl who had got in to Pate's, were mentioned!
-
last year mum
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:38 pm
Gosh sleepy Gloucestershire is really hotting up. I have detected no self congratulatory remarks here and think most people recognise that all the grammars in Glos are great and how fortunate we are to have the choice.However if one has been offered pates then the postings are bound to be mainly about that school.It doesn't mean you regard the others as lesser in any way.I have gleaned as much on this site from the little chats about the minor things that niggle us as i have about the huge issues such as appeals.
I tend to think of it as 'horses for courses'. Pates, as far as I understand it, has a different emphasis to - say - Crypt or Marling. So the style of one school may suite a child better than the other. A bright, sporty boy may do better at Marling than Pates - it's not all down to academic ability. Then there's distance to travel to school to take into account and post-school social life.last year mum wrote:However if one has been offered pates then the postings are bound to be mainly about that school.It doesn't mean you regard the others as lesser in any way.
Capers
-
last year mum
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:38 pm
-
proud mum x2
- Posts: 609
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm
yes, we just have to try to make the best decisions we can,with the information we have, and then....fingers crossed- I agree that we are so lucky to still have some choices in our area, My feeder school for where I live isn't too bad, but as my son was at a grammar, I wanted to give dd the chance too.The problem with our feeder is that if the kids work hard ,sometimes they can be labelled nerds etc, I had this experience with my first son, and he just stopped putting in the effort, so he could fit in with his mates. My experience with my second son (in a grammar)is that they all seem to play hard and work hard too,and it's ok to do both. They still compete for good grades, but in a jokey and friendly way.
Although as a parent it would be very interesting to know, I think perhaps Pates had the right idea in not giving out the score for the top 160 places. My son had his score for Crypt as did all his friends who sat the test and it has caused a few problems in the playground as Capers mentioned which is a shame.
If your child was placed in the top 120 list for Pates then I suppose you can rest assured that your child did exceptionally well. On the other hand Pates gave out more information than others such as Ribston Hall which only said "you have qualified for a place" or not as the case may have been. Those parents are in a much less fortunate situation in the wait for allocation day.
I suppose we should think ourselves lucky that we had the privilege of the test results (albeit in their varying forms) in November this year, which has to be an improvement on previous years.
If your child was placed in the top 120 list for Pates then I suppose you can rest assured that your child did exceptionally well. On the other hand Pates gave out more information than others such as Ribston Hall which only said "you have qualified for a place" or not as the case may have been. Those parents are in a much less fortunate situation in the wait for allocation day.
I suppose we should think ourselves lucky that we had the privilege of the test results (albeit in their varying forms) in November this year, which has to be an improvement on previous years.
-
proud mum x2
- Posts: 609
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm
Yes, compared to previous years, for some this has been much better, for some it is just better! I really feel for those who are waiting,two weeks seemed like an eternity,i hope all who are waiting on appeals are happy with their outcome, if all schools were great, none of us would need to be putting our children (and ourselves) through this.