Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Eleven Plus (11+) in Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Wrekin

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Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by Amber »

Forget the fact that it's a grammar school and think of it as a school.

Now which one do you prefer for him?

Grammar schools are just schools. Same curriculum, same mix of good and bad teachers, kids, classrooms, plus and minus points.

Choose the school you think suits him, and you as a family, best.
2Girlsmum
Posts: 1034
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:41 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by 2Girlsmum »

I have 2 daughters, not twins, who both passed their 11+ at a girls and a mixed school. With dd1 a girl's school with boys in the 6th form was the obvious choice: the boys in her primary were a bit wild (understatement) and she is a bit nerdy. With dd2, who is a bit of a tomboy, it was harder. In the end she went to the girl's school (small, with the best pastoral care bar none) rather than Latymer (mixed with 186 in each year) and is very happy there. She has a drama class at our local theatre every Saturday, so that she can still talk to boys her age, and it's a treat at the end of the week.
If distance isn't a big issue then I'd agree with another reply which suggested sending him there, and if he doesn't settle in the first term could then go on the waiting list to join his brother. The sibling rule would kick in, and he'd be top of the list.
Mrs Sinatra
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2014 5:19 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by Mrs Sinatra »

onebigdilemma wrote:Thank you for all your replies. I know I can't let a 10 year old make the decision. I think if it wasn't single sex grammar I would not be finding the decision so difficult. My boys are both confident and have not expressed any anxiety about going to separate schools.
No, but you are letting him be part of the decision making process, which is, IMO, as it should be. He's the one who has to go there, after all. My DD has very good instincts, about people and places. I always take into account what she thinks.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by mystery »

Is the comprehensive good? You describe it as average with a good reputation. Not sure what that means. I think I would describe a lot of our grammars like that too.
onebigdilemma
Posts: 232
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:58 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by onebigdilemma »

All catagories in OFSTED for secondary are good. GCSE results 93% pass A-C dropping to 68% if you include english and maths, 44% get A*-B.

We haven't looked around either school and I feel that this is what will help our decision making.

I guess to many on this site it seems mad not to accept a place when everyone is fighting for theirs. I honestly, due to stiff competition didn't think my son would get enough points to get in (bad mum for underestimating him!!). The only prep we did was the Bond age 10-11 10 minute tests. There was no pressure, no talk of what a great opportunity it was, no bribery with money or PS3 time and neither expected anything when results came out. My boys are very relaxed about tests so the whole process has been very easy.....until now!!
Daogroupie
Posts: 11100
Joined: Wed Mar 04, 2009 3:01 pm
Location: Herts

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by Daogroupie »

Gosh! You have not looked around either school? Did you miss all the open days? So what are you basing your decision on mostly? DG
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by kenyancowgirl »

onebigdilemma wrote:
We haven't looked around either school and I feel that this is what will help our decision making.

I guess to many on this site it seems mad not to accept a place when everyone is fighting for theirs.
With all due respect...NO...to most on this site it seems mad to be even considering a school that you have not looked round yet!! How can you possibly make an informed choice based on what you have heard from other people and read in prospectuses, without exploring it yourself and asking pertinent questions? My advice would be to get on and see them - then see what you think and, then, if you still aren't sure, ask on the forum!!
onebigdilemma
Posts: 232
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:58 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by onebigdilemma »

We only moved here in June, knew there was a grammar school so applied whilst waiting for house to be ready and that there was a local comprehensive and others in a 10 mile radius!! Did not move due to schools.

I know...... :oops:
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by Amber »

It doesn't seem mad to me at all to turn down a grammar school place if you think the other school is better for your child, not at all. But to know that you do need to do some speedy research, before you submit your application form.

Best of luck and don't let anyone pressurise you - you know your children best.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Obtained pass mark but decision not to send to grammar

Post by mystery »

onebigdilemma wrote:All catagories in OFSTED for secondary are good. GCSE results 93% pass A-C dropping to 68% if you include english and maths, 44% get A*-B.

We haven't looked around either school and I feel that this is what will help our decision making.

I guess to many on this site it seems mad not to accept a place when everyone is fighting for theirs. I honestly, due to stiff competition didn't think my son would get enough points to get in (bad mum for underestimating him!!). The only prep we did was the Bond age 10-11 10 minute tests. There was no pressure, no talk of what a great opportunity it was, no bribery with money or PS3 time and neither expected anything when results came out. My boys are very relaxed about tests so the whole process has been very easy.....until now!!
You need to look at the GCSE results in way more detail than that and then ask the schools themselves some more questions. See the comments that both G55 and I made on here about comparing results for children who went in to year 7 as high achievers and how they did at GCSE. There is more information than you think on the "DfE school performance tables" for 2013 - google it - enter school names, look at it hard. Then see if the school will tell you what outcomes are like for children entering with high level 5s and low level 5s. Then find out from the school what the numbers are like at each grade for each subject. You are just looking at overall headline numbers which give you no feel as to the chances of your child having a good number of peers who achieve similarly and whether or not they'll make good progress if they started there with good grades at the beginning of year 7. A lot of this can be done from your armchair.

I'm not sure about open days / evenings ...... yes you have to do them, but they are only part of the impression. Ones I've been to so far have been useless as I've not met many teachers - they were all teaching, not seen much work - how do you - it's all the in the kids' files and you don't get to see them, not seen a lesson in progress - how can you - if everyone traipsed in it wouldn't really work. Yes there might be a few things which give you a fabulous or terrible impression but it's pretty random really.



Give us the school names and you'll get some opinions on here from "armchair critics" and from people with up to date connections with the school.

Good luck.
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