Commute to grammar school advice

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copella
Posts: 1200
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:51 pm

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by copella »

In my DS's class there are several children who get the train and at Edmonton green there is a throng of Latymer pupils and it seems pretty safe. If your dc change from the tube to the train at Seven sisters they don't even leave the station, as there is a link between them. As I said before I know how I felt letting my then 11 yr old get the bus to Edmonton but it has been fine. It is in the schools interest to protect their pupils and they work with the community police to ensure the children are safe. Of course there is the odd mugging but the children generally travel in groups and the bus stops are very near the school.

There is a school bus but this is mainly for the Winchmore Hill, southgate and Palmers Green pupils, the W6 also effectively runs as a school bus but these won't really help.before they start there is an opportunity to put your name on a list to try and get together with those who live nearby.
nefertete
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Mar 01, 2014 2:18 pm

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by nefertete »

I agree, it is definitely a must to go and see other local comps during the open days. We will do it when the time comes.
Fifilare wrote that latymer is better than ilford county for boys. How do you know that? I was actually thinking that ilford county would suit us more because it has science speciality whereas latymer specialisies in humanities, is that correct? Does speciality really matter? My ds is definitely into sciences and not humanities.

Also, i was just thinking whether a bright clever child will not do well in whatever school they will be in, be it comp or grammar? What do you think grammar schools can offer more to a Child than local comps can't? Do you think the future chances and education of a child will be really affected and why?
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by silverysea »

A bright child will not necessarily do well in any given school. Being bright can have specific drawbacks, a double-edged sword for some. I don't have time right now to write all about it, but after watching the experiences of DD1 in the local outstanding comp, dd2 has chosen to study for selective schools, and succeeded.

Big state comps are aimed at the average student for their area, spend a lot of time on discipline for a few difficult cases, that your child may not need or even be demoralised by the constant threats and shouting, and I feel most of year 7 and 8 were wasted for her academically as it wasn't challenging. Also she got bullied a lot for being weird. In this case weird means bright. She was very popular in primary but secondary peers tried to make her conform especially in fashions and interests -boys and makeup-not her thing at 11. Science and nature - Eeeew! Top scores on tests - social death! The school responded to our complaints mainly with interventions aimed at low achievers, which made her feel even odder.

Dd2 has voted with her feet! Or rather my car.

At least with non-selectives, check whether they are set in subjects like English. Though the meanest ones were in the higher sets. My theory is they are not kept busy and challenged enough so turn to mischief.
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by scary mum »

I think if Amber was still posting she would point out that grammar schools are just schools. They teach the same subjects to the same curriculum, have the same bullies & the same problems as any other school, with a fair share of good & bad teachers . I do get your point about them being challenged etc, but any decent school should be going that and it shows that "outstanding" as far as Ofsted goes doesn't necessarily mean that! But that's not what this thread is about - sorry, as you were :)
scary mum
Marylou
Posts: 2164
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by Marylou »

I think the point that's often overlooked with the "all schools are the same" argument is that grammar schools will inevitably have a critical mass of bright students, which means that the majority can get on with their work and not have to worry about the everyday problems that face bright kids in the average comp. That's not to say those problems don't exist in a grammar - far from it - but it must be far more difficult for a small handful of troublemakers (and, let's face it, it usually IS only ever a small minority) to exert influence in a school where the majority of children are brighter and possibly not as susceptible to peer pressure influence, than in a place where such pupils form the minority and there are not enough of them to affect the ethos of the place.
Marylou
tiffinboys
Posts: 8022
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by tiffinboys »

scary mum wrote:I think if Amber was still posting she would point out that grammar schools are just schools.
No; if she was posting, as I gather from her last few posts, she would have encouraged bright children to go for grammars, as her own children do.

And I agree with silverysea. Even in outstanding schools, bright children are 'often' not challenged enough and those who study well are often made to feel bad about it by non-serious kids. It feels as if many schools do not have the resources to deal with bullies, though they may have good policies on paper.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by silverysea »

In our case, I suspect also some of the more academic girls were upset by my dd1 passing them out academically and are using their intelligence to find tactics to try to psyche out the opposition. She is the youngest in the year and wasn't savvy enough at 11 and 12, she's got their number now. The non-serious kids have come to respect her and enjoy working with her, she often ends up leading big groups in music projects as they want to be on her team.

So yes she is going to do well I think-but I still get a lot of "mum its the best in the class" whenever I query sloppy minimal work or negative comment from teachers she doesn't like. I know she can do better, and she is competitive-but often has no competition.

So even though she will be ok, I wish we had opted for a selective school for her-I think she would be happier and less cynical.
WindowGlass
Posts: 163
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 12:59 pm
Location: West Midlands

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by WindowGlass »

Gosh Silversea

This sounds like some of what my DS was going through in Yr5 primary. Although tempered by slightly more youthful innocence, it was enough for us to realise that if he wasn't to regress then he'd better go selective.

An interesting development up here in the West Midlands is the inception of state 13+ (middle?) schools. Two universities here in Birmingham have opened specialist schools, or soon will, that take children at 13. It might be a good escape for those children who discover themselves a little later than at 11+.

But surely grammars have some kids drop-out who need to step down a gear, making space for some like your child? I know there are always social and logistical concerns, but if learning is a major force in the DC's life, then a more conducive learning environment is surely going to produce a happier more productive child.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by silverysea »

Sounds good, WindowGlass! Great to have options like that. We did think about 13+ for Indy for her but by then she was defiant and would have refused to cooperate with the tests or go. One girl stood up for her and got bullied even more so she won't consider abandoning her, plus now she's already started GCSE courses in maths and science at least. I'm hoping to move her for 6th form but it won't be all up to me-it's my fault we chose this area and school without understanding the weakness of ofsted and league tables and setting /discipline systems varying so much.

I just give our experiences as a cautionary tale- I have a bright quiet scholar who is underestimated and demoralised in year 7 and 8 especially non-selective state school and regret our choices in year 6. I wanted more than "fine, maybe, in the end" for my pfb.
tiffinboys
Posts: 8022
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 11:00 pm
Location: Surrey

Re: Commute to grammar school advice

Post by tiffinboys »

Thanks for sharing your experience, silverysea. Hope your dd will do very well.
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