New (and old) Tommy Rich's parents
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New (and old) Tommy Rich's parents
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Last edited by Glos_Mum on Wed Jan 01, 2014 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: New (and old) Tommy Rich's parents
I think you have to nowGlos_Mum wrote:one (ego size of a house), that I would prefer he avoid, but not sure if it's enough to mention it!
I'm intrigued.So it's not like Hogwarts then, where they let the hat decide?
we didn't say as such. I have no idea how they decide who goes where but sense doesn't seem to play a part really. For instance in my DS1's class, 4 boys have the same first name. with 100+ boys there's going to be duplication, but I think there's only one or 2 others with this name so you'd have thought they'd share them out. Boys come from over 60 primaries so most don't know anyone. In my boy's case, they put one other child in from his primary, put the other 2 from school in diff classes and then when one got in on appeal (never took the place up) put him in with one of the other 2. My boy and his best friend are both sad not to be together. They've both made lots of friends but just miss each other. If it really is important to you, I'd let the school know now, because they'll be divvied up by the time you go in the summer - to the June meeting. They wouldn't change our boys when we asked later in the summer term claiming to have done all their class lists etc. Also, if you have a really strong preference for which language they learn (2 classes do French, one German, one Spanish, and then you pick up your second choice in Y8) then specify that early as the class he is in dictates which language you get.
In the end it's all 6 of one, half a dozen of another etc and really we left the school to it. But they do stay with the same class group through to Y11 (which I, frankly, think is a real shame - it's something which put me off Pates and then I find it applies here, too, I have the feeling that the head of Y7 thinks the same thing but it is only my interpretation!). If your surname is in the bottom 8 or 9 then you will mix with another group for some tech stuff as tech is taught in splits of 6 from the 4 classes, but cut off at an alphabet placing somewhere, so the top two thirds stay together, and the bottom third goes and mixes. Games is mixed in that 2 classes play tog, but always the same pairing (yup, again, my boy and his chum don't get to be together
). The good thing about having a good friend in another class though is that it speeds up making friends in that class as they can mix with each other.
The uniform timing will be decided alphabetically so it all streams smoothly rather than everyone arriving at the same time and then having to wait. It's all quite slick and quick that bit.
I can't stress enough about getting onto the bus company. The buses are full and children who are already there (in our case shared with Denmark Rd) get priority and Y7 pick up the spaces left over from Y11 leaving. You do need to get on that list if it's applicable. At least that is the case for the Bennets coaches going from the race course. It may be different elsewhere.
In the end it's all 6 of one, half a dozen of another etc and really we left the school to it. But they do stay with the same class group through to Y11 (which I, frankly, think is a real shame - it's something which put me off Pates and then I find it applies here, too, I have the feeling that the head of Y7 thinks the same thing but it is only my interpretation!). If your surname is in the bottom 8 or 9 then you will mix with another group for some tech stuff as tech is taught in splits of 6 from the 4 classes, but cut off at an alphabet placing somewhere, so the top two thirds stay together, and the bottom third goes and mixes. Games is mixed in that 2 classes play tog, but always the same pairing (yup, again, my boy and his chum don't get to be together
). The good thing about having a good friend in another class though is that it speeds up making friends in that class as they can mix with each other.The uniform timing will be decided alphabetically so it all streams smoothly rather than everyone arriving at the same time and then having to wait. It's all quite slick and quick that bit.
I can't stress enough about getting onto the bus company. The buses are full and children who are already there (in our case shared with Denmark Rd) get priority and Y7 pick up the spaces left over from Y11 leaving. You do need to get on that list if it's applicable. At least that is the case for the Bennets coaches going from the race course. It may be different elsewhere.
very sensible, ziggy. when my boy came back after a few days I said something like "how many friends have you got?" "in my class, in year 7 or in the whole school?" he said. I was flabbergasted. In My Day, the whole school was an unknown quantity, you were pretty much confined to the relative horrors of your class, but within minutes he'd acquired loads of friends and maybe being tied to your best friends would deny you this.
I would just put it in writing in writing as they suggest. We want him to be with his friend as there is only one from his school going and he is keen and just the sort of enthusiastic influance DS needs. His maths has improved no end since they palled up over the 11+ business and they were doing this code breaker competition round here last week and worked really well together.
DH tells me that although they are supposed to be able to give a preference for a language in the second year this doesn't really happen. Annoyingly I would like him to do French at some point as that is where we spend most of our holidays also it will be a some justification for the week off in January he will be taking every year. Is it best for me to put my reasons down on the form ( the reason for French not the fact that we intend to go AWOL for a week, obviously ) I don't really care about the other languages am hoping that having spent vast majority of his primary years being taught in Welsh will give him an edge as anyway.
I will get onto the buses we are lucky in that it stops at the end of our lane and takes them all the way there. I have a feeling that though it won't be a problem. Only 3 took the 11+ from DS's class this year and I think that was a record. Next year I believe it will be just DS2 sitting it. The majority of parents opt to go local regardless of their childrens ability in our area.
DH tells me that although they are supposed to be able to give a preference for a language in the second year this doesn't really happen. Annoyingly I would like him to do French at some point as that is where we spend most of our holidays also it will be a some justification for the week off in January he will be taking every year. Is it best for me to put my reasons down on the form ( the reason for French not the fact that we intend to go AWOL for a week, obviously
) I don't really care about the other languages am hoping that having spent vast majority of his primary years being taught in Welsh will give him an edge as anyway.I will get onto the buses we are lucky in that it stops at the end of our lane and takes them all the way there. I have a feeling that though it won't be a problem. Only 3 took the 11+ from DS's class this year and I think that was a record. Next year I believe it will be just DS2 sitting it. The majority of parents opt to go local regardless of their childrens ability in our area.
we got German, which we didn't really want since we go to Spain a lot and my French is quite good whereas my German is zilch and I was a bit fed up at the time to be honest. But it's worked out well which is pleasing. He's taken to it and is enjoying it so going with the flow definitely worked! As for clubbing together for lifts, certainly at one of the meet ups, probably the summer one (there's a Saturday morning at the end of June when you go in) there were people at the back of the hall compiling "want a lift" and "offer a lift" type lists. Good about your bus, Tolstoy. Our trouble was the catchment for the racecourse one being so enormous. We have campaigned for one to go through the villages north of their but no joy 
The luck 
comes from having the A48 go straight through the middle of or village I suspect. Good for buses not great for quality of life especially as it is used by loads of lorries avoiding bridge tolls 
We are lucky in that we are far enough down our lane not to be affected by the noise and the entrance to the Primary school is on the same lane so, yipee, I get to avoid the school run. Most children have to be walked to school by their parents because of it.
comes from having the A48 go straight through the middle of or village I suspect. Good for buses not great for quality of life especially as it is used by loads of lorries avoiding bridge tolls We are lucky in that we are far enough down our lane not to be affected by the noise and the entrance to the Primary school is on the same lane so, yipee, I get to avoid the school run. Most children have to be walked to school by their parents because of it.
Okay another question.
I want to request he goes with his friend, same homework etc and DS1 will need friends enthusiasm to get on with it, so do you reckon it is just as well to email the info, via the site contact, rather than fath around with letters?
V.lazy parent here who wants to avoid walk up post office and also rather more economical, enviromentally friendly and v.imp quicker method (for me anyway who will forget to get round to writing) me thinks.
I want to request he goes with his friend, same homework etc and DS1 will need friends enthusiasm to get on with it, so do you reckon it is just as well to email the info, via the site contact, rather than fath around with letters?
V.lazy parent here who wants to avoid walk up post office and also rather more economical, enviromentally friendly and v.imp quicker method (for me anyway who will forget to get round to writing) me thinks.
