Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

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hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by hermanmunster »

Agreed Rose Petal is absolutely right - if you put the comprehensive first and get a place the you won;t even hear from the GS concerning a place even if you scored highly.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by yoyo123 »

there was a discussion about this in Kent forum, it is very important to put your first choice first..

(Much easier now in Kent as we get results BEFORE the CAF, bit like Russian Roulette in "old days")
zee
Posts: 360
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:43 am

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by zee »

I think the answer to the original question is "it depends entirely what your alternatives are", and how suitable they are for the child in question.
84t
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:35 pm

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by 84t »

There is no point in struggling to get a child who is not capable into a grammar school just for the glory. The may well scrape over the bar by whatever means, but then they will face several years bumping along the bottom which isn't good for the school or the child.
fm

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by fm »

I don't believe it is as straightforward a story as those who just scrape in struggle at the bottom for their entire school career and are consequently unhappy.

More than once I have tutored children who, despite a fair amount of effort on their part and mine, do just scrape through; sometimes there are factors such as poor schooling or inattention in class which made their getting in require a significant effort but occasionally it has just been a simple matter of them not being especially bright. For a while I used to worry whether I was doing them any favours but I have had several of these childen go on to prove that there is not a direct correlation between effort required to gain entry and eventual performance/happiness at secondary school.

Yes, they have had to work hard to get there and yes, they may have to continue to work harder than most but, far from being miserable and underachieving, my borderline babes have gone on to appreciate their school and the opportunities it affords them and do surprisingly well at GCSE which, let's face it, requires application more than inspiration.

Meanwhile I have had several pupils who have not broken sweat to get into grammar school but have gone on to disappoint themselves and their parents because they fail to develop any work ethic but aren't so bright they can 'wing it'when they get to A level. My eldest is a case in point. Her entire 11+ preparation was doing the two packs of NFER verbal and non-verbal reasoning in a week and she gained entry on the back of that, then proceeded to do as little as possible when she got there. To be honest, she enjoyed herself thoroughly and was not unhappy but she certainly wasn't the success she could have been. Indeed I often felt she had wasted a grammar school place that could have been enjoyed by a less bright, but much harder working and more deserving case.

It is because of these personal and professional experiences that I usually resist volunteering an opinion on whether a child is suited to the grammar school environment. You would need a crystal ball to do that.

As to whether grammar school is worth it, you would never be able to tell this, either, because you have no means of judging what the children would have done if they'd taken an alternative route.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by yoyo123 »

fm your daughter sounds just like my son!
fm

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by fm »

To Yoyo,

You have my sincerest sympathies, although, if he is anything like my daughter, he is probably exceedingly personable.
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by Doblinski »

(quote) Also, if you put the comp down first, and DC scores high enough for a GS place you won't be offered it if the comp can also offer you place, because that according to your CAF is your 1st preference (quote)

Yikes had no idea you HAVE to put the comp down as 2nd or lose you GS place - thank you, I'm glad I know. I'd hate to mess it up due to clerical error after all the hard work - I'd feel like a total idiot! Thank goodness for this website it's invaluable.

Thanks again for all your kind thoughts
glosmum
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by glosmum »

Hi - lots of useful comments on here - in answer to your original question, I'd say (in our case) an emphatic 'yes'. Agree with several other people's view though that it depends on the child, firstly, and the other options secondly.

My eldest son has just finished his first year at grammar, and the youngest takes the test this Oct, so we are busy prepping him right now. Eldest LOVES it, and the science, technology and sports facilities far outweigh what the local (frankly awful) comp could provide. My advice to all, if you want to take the test, is try and get the child reading as much as possible (there is no real way of teaching the kind of advanced vocabulary that the test requires), and practice lots - as others have said, speed and accuracy is key. It needn't be onerous, and I found financial reward for a good practice paper worked a treat as a motivator! My eldest averaged about 75% on Bond papers and 80% on Letts - and got in to his 2nd choice grammar first time. We have several excellent grammar schools in Gloucestershire (lucky us), and he didn't get into the nearest one to us, but we are very pleased with the final outcome.

Good Luck!
Doblinski
Posts: 235
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:21 pm

Re: Is grammar school really worth it in the end?

Post by Doblinski »

glosmum
The scores your DS got seem to be around the same as DD's when does the packs. I have been bit concerned as the packs are reportedly easier than actual GS exam (although DD does better in tutor tests... wonder why this is?) In the GS exam they seem to need scores of 90% to get in so was concerned that she should be getting higher scores - feel I can relax a bit now. :P
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