We have made a mistake

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We have made a mistake

Post by Guest »

My second child is in year 7 at my local grammar school. We feel we have made a mistake in sending her there since the school concentrates only on the academic side of her learning.

My eldest daughter is at our local Comprehensive - the school has a sibling criterion - what are our chances of winning an appeal?
Guest

Post by Guest »

Will the fact that my second daughter has a place at a school we placed as her first choice be an obstacle?
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Re: We have made a mistake

Post by Etienne »

Anonymous wrote:what are our chances of winning an appeal?
Impossible to say, I'm afraid, because it depends not only on your case, but on how strong a case the school will put forward for resisting further admissions. Have you read the Q&As, section C?
Will the fact that my second daughter has a place at a school we placed as her first choice be an obstacle?
Not necessarily, especially if you have good reasons for changing your mind.

A panel is likely to inquire whether your daughter is happy at the grammar school, whether she has friends there, what exactly the comprehensive school can offer that the current school doesn't, whether 1-2 months is too soon to take such a decision, etc.
Etienne
Geoffrey

Post by Geoffrey »

I assume the comp oversubscribed? Have you checked whether there are any year 7 places available?

Geoffrey
katel
Posts: 960
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:30 pm

Post by katel »

Are you sure you're not being a bit hasty? It's early days yet, and some children take a while to settle down. We agreed with our daughter that we would go out to lunch (minus annoying siblings) in the Christmas holidays and talk seriously about whether we had made the right decision or not, and that, barring major disasters, we wouldn't dicsuss it til then.
Guest

Post by Guest »

=


A panel is likely to inquire whether your daughter is happy at the grammar school, whether she has friends there, what exactly the comprehensive school can offer that the current school doesn't, whether 1-2 months is too soon to take such a decision, etc.[/quot

My daughter has made friends but the problem is the way the school is set up. The relationship between the staff and children is distant, the school appears only to be involved in the academic side of her learning and the only interaction she has at school is with the other children. In contrast her sister's school is a warm caring environment which looks after the needs of the whole child - my younger daughter knows this.


Parents at the grammar school seem to indicate that this is the school's style and little will change. My visit to the school last week (a year 7 concert) also confirms this - the only member of staff present on stage was a music teacher. There were no words to praise the children, the headmaster/other senior management were absent - not the right environment for my daughter.
I assume the comp oversubscribed? Have you checked whether there are any year 7 places available?

Geoffrey
It is oversubscribed but I will ring the school today to ask.
surprised

Post by surprised »

Well what a surprise posting. After all that (i am assuming) hard work, it seems your family feel you have made a mistake. As a parent about to send my child off to the 11+ exam factory, I find your posting has opened the mind to other possibilities ie. there is life outside of passing 11+ and getting in to grammar school.

I too looked at our local comp which is a girls school, same as the grammar, and both my d and I were quite happy with it. It is less academic but offers a huge range of subjects and different vocational qualifications.

Thank you for being honest - i wish you luck and am sure you will be able to get your child in to the school even if you have to wait a short while.
Katie
Posts: 229
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 10:25 am

Post by Katie »

how good to read you post.
Everyone has a different reason for wanting their child to attend a particular school - it's good to hear someone's reason for wanting to change schools. Good luck :wink:
Guest

Post by Guest »

I am the guest that initially posted this topic. I now have the appeal form and would like to know how detailed the statement needs to be. I really would like to ensure that I take the full time allowed to present my case, but also want to send it off a.s.a.p..

Will my daughter's head need to know about the appeal from us? Is he likely to be contacted by either the head of the school we applying to or the appeal panel? I really don't want her to be put in an awkward situation.
Etienne
Posts: 8978
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 6:26 pm

Post by Etienne »

See the other thread: Etienne - appeal form - how much detail
:)
Etienne
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