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srk13
I haven't experienced it (yet) but have heard PLENTY of stories of just how conjested it can get. Friends with older chilkdren who've been through it a few years ago have adviced me to leave plenty of time and, if driving, be prepared to park well away from the school then walk.
Maybe someone with direct first hand experience can give better, more upto date advice. My son is taking the exam at Camp Hill in the morning (letter came today - hoorah) so I too would be really interested to hear any thoughts from the experinced ones out there.
Good luck!
BB248
I haven't experienced it (yet) but have heard PLENTY of stories of just how conjested it can get. Friends with older chilkdren who've been through it a few years ago have adviced me to leave plenty of time and, if driving, be prepared to park well away from the school then walk.
Maybe someone with direct first hand experience can give better, more upto date advice. My son is taking the exam at Camp Hill in the morning (letter came today - hoorah) so I too would be really interested to hear any thoughts from the experinced ones out there.
Good luck!
BB248
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fm
My daughter sat it at girls' school 2 years ago. We arrived in good time with two adults in car--one to climb out of car with daughter as close to the school as we could, other to just drive away and either find a parking space or pick up further up the road in 15 minutes. Daughter and I joined a long queue on the driveway until eventually an older child came to whisk our child away and organise her.
I liked this arrangement because it got her away from all the other neurotic parents confusing their children with last minute instructions which the child was in no state to really hear, anyway!
I liked this arrangement because it got her away from all the other neurotic parents confusing their children with last minute instructions which the child was in no state to really hear, anyway!
Hi all.. my daughter sat the test at Camp Hill last year and our experience was rather different. Like fm, we arrived in plenty of time, parked a little distance from the school with no problem, walked to the school straight up the drive... no queue but a few parents/children and my daughter was immediatley whisked away by some older girls.. poss 6 formers. They took her to a classroom where there were other girls and they chatted and I think played games till it was time to get organised for the test.
Very stress free, as was the pick up afterwards, altho' our surname is near the start of the alphabet so she was prob. one of the first to be discharged!
Re the stress of consecutive years... yes it is hard... both were doing prep at the same time till my d took the test. Forget the cakes I'm afraid mm2, and bring out the hard stuff! Even tho' I was thrilled that my d had passed, always niggling away was the thought of my son .. and of course that upped the stakes for him as he wants to live up to his sister's achievements.
With my 2 tho' I think each has got the wrong gender genes... my d was very resistant and didn't want to work at all... my s is much more compliant and generally just gets on with it.
We know a local family who have 3 children all at Camp Hill in yrs 7, 8 and 9! And the mum had another baby last year. I can't begin to imagine how hard that all must have been..
Very stress free, as was the pick up afterwards, altho' our surname is near the start of the alphabet so she was prob. one of the first to be discharged!
Re the stress of consecutive years... yes it is hard... both were doing prep at the same time till my d took the test. Forget the cakes I'm afraid mm2, and bring out the hard stuff! Even tho' I was thrilled that my d had passed, always niggling away was the thought of my son .. and of course that upped the stakes for him as he wants to live up to his sister's achievements.
With my 2 tho' I think each has got the wrong gender genes... my d was very resistant and didn't want to work at all... my s is much more compliant and generally just gets on with it.
We know a local family who have 3 children all at Camp Hill in yrs 7, 8 and 9! And the mum had another baby last year. I can't begin to imagine how hard that all must have been..
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firsttimermum
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:31 pm
Hi
DH took Ds to camphill boys to do exam 2 yrs ago.
He said it was absolutely chaotic in terms of the number of cars etc.
He , however , was very calm as it is walking distance from our house.
Park as far away as you can and walk in. Give yourself plenty of time.
DC will be whisked away and will have to take their form with them to register.
They are well looked after.
good luck to all again.
mm2
Clarendon- bedtime apperitiff on the way soon.
DH took Ds to camphill boys to do exam 2 yrs ago.
He said it was absolutely chaotic in terms of the number of cars etc.
He , however , was very calm as it is walking distance from our house.
Park as far away as you can and walk in. Give yourself plenty of time.
DC will be whisked away and will have to take their form with them to register.
They are well looked after.
good luck to all again.
mm2
Clarendon- bedtime apperitiff on the way soon.
KEGs
For what it's worth, here are my KEGS tips ( and I learnt some of these from my mistakes!)
- no revision on the day before the exam (we did).....it's too late and the kid needs a break
- no last minutes tips on the journey (we didn't).....talk about the weather or something (we talked about the Man Utd V Arsenal game which was going to take place later that day....still remember it). It's too late and you are simply stressing yourself and you son/daughter.
- arrive early (we didn't - just made it even though we live walking distance)
- park away from the school....don't drive into the school or you'll be stuck for ages (we didn't.....but our friend did).
- go to the right school after the exam to pick your child up....... (we didn't) I waited patiently for 10 minutes outside the girls school. The rather large clue of only girls walking out didn't help. My friend (the one who got stuck in the traffic in the car park) then rang me to say that our son was waiting impatiently for 15 minutes) by the boys school.
- chill (we did but not enough). You've done your best. What will be will be....leave it to them now. If it doesn't work out, something else will turn up that will work out good.
- treat them afterwards (we did).....something for them to look forward to. Snowdome? Go Karting.....?
Good luck to all of you. And mm2.....amusing stuff....
- no revision on the day before the exam (we did).....it's too late and the kid needs a break
- no last minutes tips on the journey (we didn't).....talk about the weather or something (we talked about the Man Utd V Arsenal game which was going to take place later that day....still remember it). It's too late and you are simply stressing yourself and you son/daughter.
- arrive early (we didn't - just made it even though we live walking distance)
- park away from the school....don't drive into the school or you'll be stuck for ages (we didn't.....but our friend did).
- go to the right school after the exam to pick your child up....... (we didn't) I waited patiently for 10 minutes outside the girls school. The rather large clue of only girls walking out didn't help. My friend (the one who got stuck in the traffic in the car park) then rang me to say that our son was waiting impatiently for 15 minutes) by the boys school.
- chill (we did but not enough). You've done your best. What will be will be....leave it to them now. If it doesn't work out, something else will turn up that will work out good.
- treat them afterwards (we did).....something for them to look forward to. Snowdome? Go Karting.....?
Good luck to all of you. And mm2.....amusing stuff....
