Do your privately educated DCs stand an Oxbridge chance?

[sherry_d]

Just trying to cover every angle we can and knowing at least I have tried. Our other choices here are dire and I am sick of it now. Right now I have been "home educating" her in some sense but I really dont think I have the ability to do it as she gets older. It does make a difference when your child is in an outstanding school, chance are they have the basics covered well. In my case they havent and whats more worrying was she was in the top table and I simply dont believe her level then was anywhere near that nationally.

The ofsted even mentions a higher a higher than average number of children on free school meals. Its a disadvantaged school and to get a half decent secondary school now that is non grammar means forking out a lot to move to such areas which we dont have. Thats why I am a staunch supporter of Grammar schools. I have seen it how were we lived then when she started school affected and severely limited our choices then.

11+ interview I was refering to was for independent schools. Such schools like Sevenoaks where its flooded by those prep kids in West Kent and very smart state schools in Sevenoaks like Amherst and Lady Boswell. Its just looking beyond and I hope wherever she ends up she has learnt to be a fighter and will carry that into adulthood.

[neurotic kent mum]

Do not forget that if a place is secured through interview those at independent schools will be at an advantage. Grammar schools are very good academically but few provide their pupils with that inate self confidence of that of the independent system - selective or not. That is why you pay - self confidence, excellent pastoral care and a truly broad education encompassing drama, music, sports etc. I cannot afford this for my dcs but I truly appreciate what it could provide.

[sherry_d]

Do not forget that if a place is secured through interview those at independent schools will be at an advantage.

London School of Economics dont do interviews and there seem to be a mixed and more propotionate balance. Caution on LES is they have a large % of international students so it may not be exactly as it looks on paper.

One factor that I am slowly realisng is the bad choice of subjects available at some grammars. Take my nearest one, they dont even offer tripple sciences at GCSE and have a large % of kids taking media studies, pyschology and sociology. They stand no chance with these subjects when it comes to Oxbridge and Top Universities. It was named the top GCSE state school this year but I was astounded at the so called "soft subjects" that many of the kids there takes and that pushed them up league tables to take first spot. I have been looking closely too at the grades and they arent so good at my local grammars on conventional subjects. Perhaps it maybe they find it much harder to attract good teacher in these subjects. I dont know but the difference is very visible compared to indies and superselectives. I have looked at more succesful Oxbridge grammars like QE, Judd etc and they certainly do more of traditional subjects but then again they take the creme de lar mer of society.

[Chelmsford mum]

[quote="sherry_d"]
One factor that I am slowly realisng is the bad choice of subjects available at some grammars. Take my nearest one, they dont even offer tripple sciences at GCSE and have a large % of kids taking media studies, pyschology and sociology. [quote]

This is surprising...in the Essex grammars you have to take triple science...like it or not.I thought all grammars were the same in this regard?

[neurotic kent mum]

My dc has to do triple science - and I am pleased. Academically there are no issues for me. But confidence and self belief are different issues. There are very few maintained schools that provide for this in the way that the independent sector does. Children of all abilities walk out with exceptional self esteem. I would love my eldest dc to have this.

[mystery]

Which grammar school does not offer single subject sciences in Kent and yet achieved top state GCSE school (by what measure?)?

Not offering triple science at GCSE does surprise me, and so also does being named top GCSE school - how could it be with the superselectives there are in West Kent and across the country?

When I looked at a lot of Kent grammar GCSE results last year I thought they were pretty poor considering the intake of pupils they have, with a few exceptions, mostly the superselectives.

I didn't feel they provided great justification for a grammar school system in Kent!

I still can't concur with the opinion that a child is at a great advantage at any kind of interview if they have been independently educated. I can think of children from independent schools who I think would interview appallingly, (and of course ones who would also interview well) and similarly from state schools.

I do think this might be a little bit of the case of grass going greener, or chips etc.

[Midget Man]

I must say I am relieved that Midget's GS he goes to in Sept do the triple science and that there is not an option which may be considered 'softer'.

They also do Latin at both gcse and A level, is this considered to be useless in this day and age, or is it still highly regarded? He is my eldest child so this side of thing's is all very new to me

[sherry_d]

Here is the curriculum

http://www.invicta.kent.sch.uk/curriculum/home.php

And the results are here but I dont see GCSE triple sciences even though they seem to have it on curriculum???

http://www.invicta.kent.sch.uk/examres.php

And here to show it was the top secondary school for GCSE on govt league table
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8456466.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/ed ... exams.html

And here if you really want to see it has got the top spot which to me shows how screwed and misleading league tables are.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8439641.stm

Please correct me if I got it wrong about triple sciences.

Midget man Latin is still very highly regarded and one of the easier courses to get into at Oxford is Classics. Oxford has almost 50% acceptance rate in classic comapared to about 11% in medicine or 9% in Economics.

[Minesatea]

There seems to be alot of children taking GCSE's early so that AS courses can be started in year 11. Not sure if this is good or not - may explain lower grades.

The options booklet suggests that separate sciences are available now - perhaps this is a new thing!

[sherry_d]

Yes the school certainly take GCES early on and they argue it reduces the subjects they do when they are 16. I may ring the school for clarity on Triple sciences.

However their choices they take at A level worry me a lot. There are simply too many soft subjects there and a lot of kids taking them. Subjects like bussiness studies, drama, fashion diploma , product design 3d/textiles PE Photography pyschology, sociology and media look much better in comparison.