"ordinary" grammar schools?

Guest55 · Post by **Guest55** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:14 pm

As katel lives in the Kent area I think she is wondering why this county is so unusual in its 'mix' of GS.

katel · Post by **katel** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 10:19 pm

In the bit f Kent where I live, if you pass the tet you get a grammar school place. It may not be the your first choice, but you will get a place. So there is no pressure to do brilliantly, get full marks and do on. I do think it's very strange that people from out of the area can take precedence over local people in some towns just because they got higher marks (if I'm underatanding the system ptoperly. It seems hugely unfair.

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 11:11 pm

I think it is unfair but it is the fault of the school's admission process not the parent who seeks a good school. What is more unfair is that there are not GS in every county.

katel · Post by **katel** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 5:51 am

Oh don't start me on the unfairness of the grammar school system in general - they will all be abolished when I get to be prime minister!

yoyo123 · Post by **yoyo123** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:21 am

back to your original question Katel, I don;t think it is only for the parents hoping for superselectives. I'm in the "ordinary" bit of Kent too.

Tell her to persevere!

happymum · Post by **happymum** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:31 am

Bewildered wrote:Some parents have no option as these are the only good schools near them.

As is the case for us.

SSM · Post by **SSM** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:00 am

katel,

As you say in Kent if you pass the 11+ you get given a GS place, but there is nothing to say if the GS place is logistically acceptable. I live just north of Sevenoaks and boys from this village were allocated a GS in Folkestone. So even though we live in a fully 11+ county, we have to rely on 'super-selective' schools in order to get a GS place.

But like you, I agree that the system is totally flawed, so you would have my vote when you run for PM

Post by **hermanmunster** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:16 am

Hi

Being in the wild and woolly north and not really knowing Kent I have looked at the league tables (OK I know they only tell half the story

) but I can't tell from the table which of the GSs in kent are meant to be superselective?
I assume some are more difficult to get into but does this show itself in the outcomes at GCSE and A level:

BBC tables 2008 A level order:
Dover Girls
Highsted
Judd
Invicta
Tonbridge
Dartford. G
QE
Barton Ct
Dartford B
Borden

Manwood

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:26 am

Genuinely out of interest Katel, why would you be on this site if you think GS should be abolished?

yoyo123 · Post by **yoyo123** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:57 am

Dover Grammar school is definitely not a superselective, here in the far South East we have a lot of grammar schools and if you pass you get a place at a local one