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Eleven Plus (11+) in Gloucestershire (Glos)

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stroud dad
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:37 am

Post by stroud dad »

i have followed this forum with interest without contributing over the last 6 months but i feel compelled to offer some views. while i congratulate you for your success i am appalled by the way out of county parents have the nerve to come on here and self promote. my daughter has missed out at stroud high by a very small margin and i am disgusted that there will be children going from all over this county and surrounding areas instead of a place going to a local student such as my child. it is so wrong that the system allows applicants from all over in this way. i chose not to apply for a place at ribston,denmark rd etc but would have been allocated a place at ribston if i had. my daughter has worked tirelessly without tuition and i will be appealing although presumably little chance of success. i have a son at downfield 6th who has passed through marling so am not just an aggrieved parent letting off steam.finally to come on and start talking about blazer sizes etc is ridiculous. i presume the majority are going through this process for the first time and the novelty factor has kicked in. once again congratulations to those who who deserve it.
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

stroud dad wrote:i am appalled by the way out of county parents have the nerve to come on here and self promote. my daughter has missed out at stroud high by a very small margin and i am disgusted that there will be children going from all over this county and surrounding areas instead of a place going to a local student such as my child. it is so wrong that the system allows applicants from all over in this way.
It's partly because county boundaries don't reflect proximity to schools. F'rinstance, my GP used to be in Worcestershire, yet I lived in Gloucestershire - he was easily the closest GP, but I was taking resources from a different health authority. If I lived in the north of the county still, the nearest grammar would be Pates, and if I lived a couple of miles over the border, it would still be Pates, and the nearest comp would still be in Tewkesbury.

What does seem silly to me is when children are shipped from Swindon, Bristol or beyond, when there must be good and appropriate schools closer to home (even if they're not grammars)!
Capers
magwich
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:41 am

Post by magwich »

I really get fed up with parents who cannot accept that grammar schools select on merit. Its about as useful as saying that nobody from outside cheltenham should be allowed to shop at waitrose and should have to go to Somerfield instead! These schools are paid for by general taxation and do not belong to any particular area. If I want my child to go to Pates it should ONLY
depend on how clever she is(I have no axe to grind as she has passed Pates and Warwickshire 11+). Asfor the other comment that there are other good schools that are not Grammar schools I might have thought that once but since husband has just retrained from university lecturer to teacher I have had a bit of an education! The problem in our leafy shires is not really the school- most seem to do their best- but the pond life who are euphemistically tremed "learners"! The worst problem of all (and I know I will not be popular here) is the sheer numbers of those with "special educational needs". Theycomprised 75% of most bottom streams and wrecked most lessons for everyone. So I can certainly see why parents from far and wide want a Grammar school.
stroud dad
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:37 am

Post by stroud dad »

easy for magwich to comment from a position of apparent financial stability and desirable location. yes grammar schools select from ability but lots of perfectly bright kids live in deprived areas containing all sorts of society and teaching that may leave something to be desired who cant afford the tutoring etc. those with the financial clout to move to more desirable areas or to a particular catchment area obviously have the advantage. having had a son go thro grammar education i am well aware that its not all rosy in the garden. teenage years still have to be negotiated and the usual adolescent problems will occur. we are extremely fortunate in this county to have choice,location that others strive after. you are fortunate to be able to talk in such derogatory fashion concerning those with learning difficulties. lets hope your child is not affected by those who will be more able than here, because believe me, struggling at a grammar school will not be in your interest.
magwich
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:41 am

Post by magwich »

I do not think I mentioned tutoring or my financial affairs, stroud dad.
Regarding those with learning difficulties we are not talking about the visually impaired or any other deserving case here. To quote one of the heads od department at one school, "The trouble is there have been 300 years of inbreeding in -------". We are not talking about how much money people have either; its much more to do with attitudes and how much they are prepared to put themselves out to help their children.
capers123
Posts: 1865
Joined: Sun May 13, 2007 9:03 pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Post by capers123 »

magwich wrote:The worst problem of all (and I know I will not be popular here) is the sheer numbers of those with "special educational needs".
Do your comments also apply to those with "Special Educational Needs" who go to Grammar Schools? Aspergers, hard of hearing or partially sighted, for instance? Scum of the earth, they are. Totally blocking up the education system for little Johnny. And as for immigrants (even if they are gifted & talented).... Spongers, the lot of them. And as for families who aren't married - they should be forced into wedlock. I'm going write to the Daily Mail and complain.

I'm not sure how school finances work, but I thought that each county was given a payment from Westminister (of which Glos. gets a lower amount per capita than most counties). If a child comes from outside the county, does the other county transfer a payment to Glos for them, or does the funding come from 'our' county?
Capers
magwich
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2008 12:41 am

Post by magwich »

Just as an example capers, in one class each week my husbands role was to assist the head of maths by patrolling the back of the class ensuring that those with "special needs" did not remove their trousers!! Not exactly a recognised medical condition and used to be called being a "bl---y nuisance"
Following on from your political rant though, I saw an article in The Times (see, I dont read the Mail) asking sarcastically why they didnt have Conservative schools and Labour schools. Well, bring them on! We would not have to worry about the 11+ any more; ANY school with Conservative teachers and Conservative parents would be great! If you did not like the idea you could have one staffed and populated by socialists carrying on with social engineering to their hearts content! Just a thought!
stroud dad
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 10:37 am

Post by stroud dad »

once a tory always a tory. like i said money goes to money. people like you like to take the moral high ground. i presume you see yourself as middle class also! where have you been since 1997. delivering fliers voting for hague,duncan smith,howard. better luck with cameron. another one who doesnt know what a comprehensive looks like
proud mum x2
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm

Post by proud mum x2 »

Stroud Dad, My DD is one of those children who has been offered a place at a Gloucester Grammar school, even though we live in Worcestershire.


She too, like your daughter has worked tirelessly to secure this place.She did however have some tuition,because,although she is a very able girl,few very able girls would be able to get in without tuition.(as no doubt, most people on here would agree)

We feel that our DD is entiltled to a GS education and we have no GS in Worcs.We are not a of particular class,but we are appalled at the quality of education,bullying,and lack of interest, and poor results evident at our local comprehensives.


So, whilst I feel for you and your daughter's understandable disappointment, I feel that GS should be available for all to try for,perhaps a little tuition would have secured a place for your daughter too.Not a perfect solution,but,as i have read on here before,you wouldn't put someone in for a driving test without any lessons.
AJ11
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:54 pm

Post by AJ11 »

Wow Gloucestershire, what's going on?

Stroud dad sorry to hear your news. Why do you thinkl appeal would be impossible, surely it's worth a try.

All children work hard to try to secure a grammar school place, they all deserve one but unfortunately it doesn't always work out. Could quite easily have been my ds but I would not have felt bitter towards others who had been more fortunate.

As for the 'blazer' issue that was just a bit of harmless fun at the end of an emotional rollercoaster. No harm was meant by it and am quite shocked it would offend anyone.

Good luck with your dd, I hope it all works out for you.
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