Next years test - score indicator received!

PrettyWoman · Post by **PrettyWoman** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:53 pm

Hi everybody - I have been reading this forum with interest over the last couple of months knowing we would soon have to make a decision. Congratulations to everybody who survived the process this year and I really hope everybody gets a school where their children will be happy and will thrive.

Now to my question - my son is in Year 5 at Berkhampstead and prior to last weeks Parents Evening the children sat a sample paper under exam conditions. The first time for most of them though they have been doing bits of VR practise. My son had a standardised score of 101 (August b'day). Although this is close to the pass mark I know a lot of work would be needed to get a place. We do have a year to go though. School feel he is not Grammar standard but I've had him assessed by a tutor and she says she could get him up to the standard. We can't carry on with the Independent route for him unless his younger brother comes out of Berky as we will only be able to afford one lot of fee's. His brother is definately brighter and will do well at state school but am I then doing him a dis-service as he would get so much more out of the Independent sector.

Anyone else been in this position and what did you do?

LML69 · Post by **LML69** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:08 pm

What have you got to lose, I would have him tutored (if it'll help) and sit him for the grammar, like you said you have a year. My DD was told she had a reading age of 8 (in year 2 mind) we got her assessed (as I knew she was reading way above that age) the tutor said she was astounding & had a reading age of 11. We never bothered with a tutor, I think most parents know their child's capabilities. I did a few practise papers with her starting in May this year and my DD passed for Denmark Road. What I'm saying is, sometimes, teachers don't always know the child's potential, especially if maybe you have a shy child, apparently DD didn't have very good verbal skills, turned out that everytime she put her hand up to ask for a pencil or was stuck on a question, she got told 'sit down I don't want to hear it' as DD was quite shy, she gave up pretty soon of asking the teacher for anything. I always had faith and knew she was bright, and she has just proved it. Follow your gut instinct, you never know, your son could pass with flying colours and then your other son (who you say is brighter) may also pass. Our headmaster told us that a fair few of pupils that get into Pates are then put forward by their parents for scholarships at the independant schools (therefore not taking up said offer of place at Pates). Sorry to go on, hope this helps a little

Burneth · Post by **Burneth** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:07 pm

Hi and welcome Prettywoman

The only thing that worries me in your post is that the tutor said he could get your DS up to standard...is that to pass the VR test? If so I would be cautious as it would be awful if he struggled to keep up once he got into grammar school as this may lead to a very unhappy child.

Hopefully Capers will be along shortly and she has brilliant wisdom on this topic.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

PrettyWoman · Post by **PrettyWoman** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:26 pm

That is what worries me also as I would rather he was confortable in a mixed ability school rather than the bottom of a "clever" school. My gut instint is to let him carry on at an Independent but then his brother has to come out and what do I say 10 years from now when he asks why the older one got the expensive education!

Where we live we have 1 choice of comprehensive and it is very large. I've looked round and it didn't make me run for the hills but didn't make me jump for joy either. All the children go there from all our primaries as I don't think they push grammar school as a choice. My friend has a son in Year 5 at a local primary and she didn't even know grammar school existed, her son is very bright but the primary had told her he would automatically go to the local comp.

I want my child educated with children whose parents are interested in their education too!

Rant over - lol!!!

Ed's mum · Post by **Ed's mum** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 9:33 pm

Hopefully Capers will be along shortly and she has brilliant wisdom on this topic.

Burneth, she is in fact a HE!!!

Burneth · Post by **Burneth** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:05 pm

Ed's mum wrote:
Hopefully Capers will be along shortly and she has brilliant wisdom on this topic.
Burneth, she is in fact a HE!!!

OMG - I don't believe it!!! So shocked

capers123 · Post by **capers123** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:09 am

Burneth wrote:
Ed's mum wrote:
Hopefully Capers will be along shortly and she has brilliant wisdom on this topic.
Burneth, she is in fact a HE!!!
OMG - I don't believe it!!! So shocked

No. Capers has an undefined gender. Never said anything one way or another, although I did once post a picture of me on one of the forums. It was withdrawn by the mods after complaints - someone thought in inappropriate - dunno why?

You can see me this week at the Playhouse in Cheltenham. Every evening at 7:45, with a matinee at 2:30 on Saturday. But I'm not saying what I'm doing there.

However, I'm not sure about the brilliant wisdom.

Glos_Mum · Post by **Glos_Mum** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:14 am

Ed's mum wrote:
Burneth, she is in fact a HE!!!

Noooooooooooo!

capers123 · Post by **capers123** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:20 am

Burneth wrote:The only thing that worries me in your post is that the tutor said he could get your DS up to standard...is that to pass the VR test? If so I would be cautious as it would be awful if he struggled to keep up once he got into grammar school as this may lead to a very unhappy child.

Actually, that's what I would say. A VR score of 101 is kind of, err, bang slap in the middle of average - 50th percentile. Grammar stream is top 25% at least, so not only would he need tutoring to pass the exam, but he'd need it to keep up with the rest of the class throughout his school career. And you live at Tewkesbury, so your nearest is Pates, which takes the top 15% of the top 25%. All that tutoring would mean absolutely no fun outside school.

When I was at school, there was a lad in my year whose parents had had him tutored like mad. He got into the school (but not the closer school with a higher pass mark), so had to get 2 trains to get to school. He struggled so much that the headmaster suggested to his parents that he'd be happier at the local comprehensive - no trains to catch, work that he could cope with and do well in, and also not holding the rest of the class back. They took his advice. Really nice lad - we all felt sorry for him, but we also felt sorry for him when he was in the school.

Sorry if that sound negative, but it's worth thinking about. How about an independent assessment by an educational psychologist? Not because there's anything wrong with your son, but it would give you a definitive answer as to his ability and what path to take. I might well be wrong!

Have you thought about sending both children as day pupils to a private school, rather than boarding?

Post by **hermanmunster** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:29 am

capers123 wrote:
Burneth wrote:
Ed's mum wrote: Burneth, she is in fact a HE!!!
OMG - I don't believe it!!! So shocked
No. Capers has an undefined gender. Never said anything one way or another, although I did once post a picture of me on one of the forums. It was withdrawn by the mods after complaints - someone thought in inappropriate - dunno why?

You can see me this week at the Playhouse in Cheltenham. Every evening at 7:45, with a matinee at 2:30 on Saturday. But I'm not saying what I'm doing there.

However, I'm not sure about the brilliant wisdom.

oooo working "magic" by the look of it!!!! he he - is this advertising dears Capers????