Why is it all so difficult?

Eleven Plus (11+) in Buckinghamshire (Bucks)

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
Lookinglass
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:04 pm

Why is it all so difficult?

Post by Lookinglass »

I am writing this wondering why has the system become so difficult. We all have children and during the early years assume that things won't get difficult until they hit their teens...for the normal reasons...but instead it appears that we are continously having to fight to get our kids an education....why? I don't recall my parents being under the same pressures...having the concern that your younger children won't get into your local primary although it's on your doorstep, or having to ship your kids miles and miles away to the next available secondary school or gs where the rest of their peers will be from all over the county....why is this.....what has gone so wrong?
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Why is it all so difficult?

Post by yoyo123 »

parental choice....
H2OHNO
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 7:11 am

Re: Why is it all so difficult?

Post by H2OHNO »

When discussing the Bucks education system with a friend who live in the Cotswolds. Her reaction was that we are all a bunch of lunatics, as her DC will go to the same local comp as her friends which is within a few miles of their home, no stress and one choice.

Discuss the system with friends in London where the catchment for a decent school can be less than a mile they would tell you it’s a great system.

The fact we have a dual system, the choice of countless schools both in and out of our catchment area, let alone OCC being prepared to ship their kids into the county means that you have system guaranteed to cause complication.

Happiness with the system will generally depend on whether the individual feels they have the result they desired.
pheasantchick
Posts: 2439
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: Why is it all so difficult?

Post by pheasantchick »

H2ohno. (are you a chemist?)- your happiness quote is so accurate. Some people I know do not seem bothered about the whole process, while I could probably choose it as my specialist subject on Mastermind!

I don 't remember my parents being stressed about the whole process, although perhaps they hid it well.
gertie
Posts: 36
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:50 am

Re: Why is it all so difficult?

Post by gertie »

Discuss the system with friends in London where the catchment for a decent school can be less than a mile they would tell you it’s a great system.
Having said that there are a great many less than desirable schools in London (and other large towns and cities I'm sure) and the small catchments and oversubscription mean you simply will not get a place anywhere else should you find yourself in this position. All our friends and most of our family live in London and schooling for them is a constant stress. My sister's DD (a very bright and lovely girl) has just been allocated a school way down her preference list because despite their efforts (church involvement - they are catholic) the sought after church schools are just too far, as are the other schools for which my poor niece had to sit through various selection tests. One of the schools has only a 900 metre catchment area! I feel they have had far more stress over selecting and working towards schools than we have had going through the GS process. I also feel our local upper is far more acceptable than hers so feel very fortunate to live here. I moved here from London 18 years ago well before we had children due to DH's job.... I realise now more than ever how lucky we are.
Lookinglass
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:04 pm

Re: Why is it all so difficult?

Post by Lookinglass »

thanks for all your thoughts.....I think the friend in the Cotswolds is right....we are lunatics.........the sad thing is that if we were all asked I am sure the majority would like their kids to go onto a local school that was performing to the same level as their primary school but what is often happening are the lower achieving ss/GS are now being linked to the better performing primarys in a bid to socially engineer the school.......the implications of that are small communities no longer exist as people move into areas for the primary and once their child is settled they then move out into the next catchment for ss & gs.......and so it goes on.........
Post Reply
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now