Girl power at wggs?

[thumbelina]

because the two schools are completeley independent of each other but stand on the basis of being single gender schools.

[Magoo]

I agree - this line is not really a runner for me as it applies both ways. Our DD has demonstrated real Girl Power by working so hard in teh run up to these exams and (we hope) is bound for Watford Grammar School For Girls. This will mean our DS will be impacted by the siblings rule when he applies in a year or so. However we are treating both exams the same - he heard Martin Post (Boys' Head) make a point of saying to parents to carefully consider whether the school is right for their child (in terms of academic level) and encouraged all to take the exam. I think parents need to think about whether their DS or DD would flourish at the fast pace of either school and look beyond the automatic sibling selection.

Whether or not there should be a sibling link at all is another argument and is certainly not a gender argument.

[Cutting42]

because the two schools are completeley independent of each other but stand on the basis of being single gender schools.

Whilst this is true I believe that they are only independent because it is convenient insofar as they have their own funding and are legally separate. Much of the schools ethos is shared and they also share some resources and events. The fact that the names are so similar and are often referred to as the "Grammars" shows that most regard them as linked in many ways.

I see both schools via my DC's and they really are two sides of the same coin.

[BaldPeg]

let me see if i have this correct? if you are a girl and live near the girls school (not on its doorstep but close that its your nearest school), you stand no chance of getting in - but the girl who has a brother that already attends the boys school will get in.

does this not seem to take womens rights etc backwards ?- it means that girl can get into a girls school using the ticket that a male provided. ofcourse the same goes for boys.

i know this policy exists in co-ed schools but i thought wggs would have set a better example to future women.

how does that figure in the mind of a girl who will grow up knowing that she did not do the selective exam but got into a school on the basis of her brother doing all the previous hard work? #

fairer system would have been to make all kids entering either of these schools do an exam and regardless of being a sibling or not.

I agree that there are some strong arguments against the cross-sibling rule, but this is definitely not one of them. As several people have already pointed out it is not sexist, because it applies equally to both brothers and sisters.

Why would entry under this criterion be more likely to '...figure in the mind of a girl who will grow up knowing that she did not do the selective exam but got into a school on the basis of her brother doing all the previous hard work...' more than one who secured a place because she lived near the school? Would she feel more empowered if she secured her place on the basis of a sister 'doing all the previous hard work'? It is a desperate and irrational argument.

The argument also seems to assume that girls who live close to the school must be brighter academically than those who have brothers, but live further away! If the girls living near the school are so bright they need not fear, they will secure a place on academic ability and where they live will be irrelevant!

Never mind. It was a nice try and gave me a bit of a chuckle...

[Magoo]

The siblings rule is discrimatory against anyone who is not a member of the family of a child attending one of the schools - so that covers off most creeds, colours, shapes, sizes and BOTH sexes ...

[KS10]

Why would entry under this criterion be more likely to '...figure in the mind of a girl who will grow up knowing that she did not do the selective exam but got into a school on the basis of her brother doing all the previous hard work...' more than one who secured a place because she lived near the school? Would she feel more empowered if she secured her place on the basis of a sister 'doing all the previous hard work'? It is a desperate and irrational argument.

The argument also seems to assume that girls who live close to the school must be brighter academically than those who have brothers, but live further away! If the girls living near the school are so bright they need not fear, they will secure a place on academic ability and where they live will be irrelevant!

Never mind. It was a nice try and gave me a bit of a chuckle...

+1

[WatfordGirl]

Can't believe people are using this site for these ridiculous statements!

[KS10]

Can't believe people are using this site for these ridiculous statements!

Not quite sure which statements you agree/disagree with.