Borlase vs John Hampden

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now
SKJJB
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:45 pm

Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by SKJJB »

My son has just passed 11+ (just scraped through) and I have put Borlase as first preference. We will get offered it as we live very near. But I am worried that as local pass rate seems very low, and there appears to be high out of county pass rate, that means the standards will be very high and he might find it difficult. He is not a massively hard worker! And i have heard so many reports of the pressure put on kids at Borlase. I am now wondering whether John Hampden might be a better option as they will understand boys (who generally do not work as hard as girls IMO) better, and I think they are a bit more relaxed. But if OOC pass rate is so high, John Hampden might be full of boys who live miles and miles away. i also want him to have local friends. Anyone got any advice on these issues and can i change choice if i want to?
misspiggy
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:50 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by misspiggy »

I'm not sure where you got your ideas about JHGS being more relaxed on the boys I guess I don't have experience of any other grammar school to compare it to, but from my experience of the school soo far, your DS will not have any chances to relax. The school has high expectations from the boys and they're expected to do lots of homework (2 hours a night) and have very good organisational skills.

Anyone else with a DS at JHGS agree with my opinion?
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by Amber »

misspiggy wrote:I'm not sure where you got your ideas about JHGS being more relaxed on the boys I guess I don't have experience of any other grammar school to compare it to, but from my experience of the school soo far, your DS will not have any chances to relax. The school has high expectations from the boys and they're expected to do lots of homework (2 hours a night) and have very good organisational skills.
Gosh, the poor things! I don't live in Bucks but have children at superselectives in Gloucestershire and the workload is nothing like this..my year 7 barely has any homework, and my year 9 nothing like 2 hours a night. My sixth form daughter maybe does just about that, and did so in the run up to GCSEs but certainly not before. A friend with a son at a GS in Bucks (not one of these) reports similarly small amounts.

I wonder why they are putting such pressure on in year 7- the curriculum doesn't demand it.

You could always ask of have a look at their homework policy- they have to have one.
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by scary mum »

I can report that my year 7 DS at BGS has nothing like this amount of homework either (neither does my year 9 DS most of the time). I think officially they have 2 or 3 subjects with 30 minutes of homework each, but they rarely get that (at least that's what they say!!). Like Amber's DD,mine only really had that in the run up to GCSEs. Plenty at A level though :D
scary mum
SUpple
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:56 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by SUpple »

scary mum wrote:I can report that my year 7 DS at BGS has nothing like this amount of homework either
Thank goodness you said that, as I was getting a bit worried about the homework for my DS too at BGS. I assume they are building up the pressure slowly! :?
scary mum
Posts: 8840
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by scary mum »

SUpple wrote:
scary mum wrote:I can report that my year 7 DS at BGS has nothing like this amount of homework either
Thank goodness you said that, as I was getting a bit worried about the homework for my DS too at BGS. I assume they are building up the pressure slowly! :?
I'm still waiting in year 9! Year 12, yes,but I'm not really involved in that, I consider it to be DD's responsibility (and the other two really, but I do keep a closer eye on them :lol: )
scary mum
SUpple
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:56 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by SUpple »

It is completely different to how I expected it to be. I thought he would be doing an hour minimum every night, and he would be getting stressed with it all and that I'd be regretting him going to a GS! :roll:

Sorry for hijacking your post, SKJJB. :)
SKJJB
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 10:45 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by SKJJB »

Which school is BGS?
SUpple
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:56 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by SUpple »

BGS is Burnham grammar school.
misspiggy
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:50 pm

Re: Borlase vs John Hampden

Post by misspiggy »

just logged back on and read the responses. Sorry everyone for the panic I caused, maybe I did over exaggerate :oops: but he does get at least an hour's homework every night. each one estimated to take no longer than half an hour. I guess he just takes soo long because I don't expect/want him to do any homework over the weekend.

Apologies all. :oops:

Can anyone with a DS at JHGS comment? In my view I really do not think they take a relaxed approach, but would love to hear other parent's views
Post Reply