To tutor or not to tutor

SunlampVexesEel · Post by **SunlampVexesEel** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:23 am

An independent school selects the majority of its pupils on the basis of ability to pay; standards will lower in order to make sure the school remains relatively full; a small group on means tested bursaries will be added - this small group will be selected either on a philantropic basis or to bring up the grades, or more cynically just to show the school is operating in a way consistent with its charity accounting practices.

GS selection is done without regard to income; purely on the basis of tests done in a controlled and presumeably less subjective way.

Extrapolating from a small sample (of 1 or 2) is not likely to give a very sensible result!

GS admission is an arms race; especially where GS are highly oversubscribed with no catchment. Preparation either at home or via a tutor just levels the playing field.

Regards
SVE

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:28 am

I agree SVE but the schools we have chosen do take a brighter cohort (don't want to get into a debate over this

), overall, than GS which is why I think the system is flawed if a kid can get into the most selective school in the country but not into GS.

moved · Post by **moved** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:28 am

Sorry, it's usually only one question of that standard. Not the whole paper!

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:30 am

moving wrote:Sorry, it's usually only one question of that standard. Not the whole paper!

I hope it carries more points!

moved · Post by **moved** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:32 am

Sadly, no, the maximum points for a question is 2.

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:34 am

moving wrote:Sadly, no, the maximum points for a question is 2.

Now that is unfair as answering the tougher questions correctly could distinguish the genuinely able.

noisyboysy · Post by **noisyboysy** » Tue May 05, 2009 10:41 am

I think the Essex 11+ is generally quite good at sorting the able from the less able. It is a really tough and horrible exam. To get through the children have to be bright.
Sadly there are the many bright children who panic and do not show their best side with only one chance on one day in an alien environment.

zee · Post by **zee** » Tue May 05, 2009 12:25 pm

T.i.p.s.y wrote:I am not fully aware of how GS selection works

As I'm sure you know, there is no general way GS selection works, which makes debates like this rather tricky. There are areas like Kent and Bucks where the whole system is selective, everyone is in catchment for grammars and ~25% get in, and then there are areas with one or two grammars serving huge numbers where only a tiny percentage get in.

SunlampVexesEel · Post by **SunlampVexesEel** » Tue May 05, 2009 2:25 pm

T.i.p.s.y wrote:...if a kid can get into the most selective school in the country...

Most selective in the country in terms of?

Money?
Academic ability?
Something else?

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue May 05, 2009 2:47 pm

Academic ability...

Standardised tests show that pupilsâ€™ average ability is far above the national average and above that for maintained selective schools. If pupils are performing in line with their abilities, their results in GCSE and at A level will be above the average for all maintained selective secondary schools.

which they are....and probably money!

With Winchester around 2/3 are in the top 5% and it states that it should be performing above all maintained selective schools because of its selectivity. Westminster is more selective than Winchester.

Before anyone goes off on one I am not criticising GS schools or "my schools better than yours"!

My point was if a child can get into the most selective school with ease but not get into GS then the system is seriously flawed.