advice regarding 12+

[anotherdad]

Thanks Amber. A really positive experience there.

[Rob Clark]

I definitely think what the child wants is an important consideration. It sounds like Amber’s DS really wanted to go to the GS; our DD really wasn’t bothered and that was a factor in our decision, for sure.

Our one question mark academically about the Upper School was whether DD would be allowed to take triple science, science having always been her best and favourite subject, but fortunately she is. And as far as we can see she is doing exactly the same work as DS who attends a highly academic GS with specialist science status.

[Amber]

I definitely think what the child wants is an important consideration. It sounds like Amber’s DS really wanted to go to the GS; our DD really wasn’t bothered and that was a factor in our decision, for sure.

Indeed so, up to a point, though as a parent I felt we could see the 'bigger picture' in a way that he couldn't, so he chose what we hoped he would, really. He had to sit 3 hours of exams when he wasn't very well, so the fact that he knuckled down and did so told us a lot.

Our one question mark academically about the Upper School was whether DD would be allowed to take triple science, science having always been her best and favourite subject, but fortunately she is. And as far as we can see she is doing exactly the same work as DS who attends a highly academic GS with specialist science status.

This touches on something which does amuse me: there is of course only one curriculum, but some GS parents are under the impression that their children will do different work at a GS. Which they don't. Or that they will work 'more appropriately' somehow, which is also a bit dubious. That said, DS has (somewhat against my expectations) felt the benefit of being surrounded by other children who understand what is going on in class first time, and particularly, the pacey lessons at his GS which only last half an hour.

[anotherdad]

This touches on something which does amuse me: there is of course only one curriculum, but some GS parents are under the impression that their children will do different work at a GS. Which they don't. Or that they will work 'more appropriately' somehow, which is also a bit dubious.

It amuses me too. In my daughter's (limited) experience of upper school, it is the attitude and approach of fellow pupils that is (presumably) different from an US at a GS. In my daughter's class at US, although she is well-liked, there are very few children who "get" her attitude to school. It is "not cool" to get top marks, team points or contribute to discussion. She might choose Lord of the Flies as the subject of her book review. There are others reviewing Doctor Who annuals, X Factor annuals and even The Gruffalo. The level of differing abilities and attitudes make it hard for even the best teacher to generate discussions and work to suit and challenge everyone. She sometimes ends up doing her homework in class because she has finished the classwork early.

Many years ago I attended a GS and although there were those labelled as "nerds" and "thickies" (charming, wasn't it!), the difference in ability was minimal. Nearly everyone took school seriously. Many of the teaching staff were lazy "lecturers" though, happy to see clever kids cruise and collect good grades, but that's another story......

[Amber]

There are others reviewing Doctor Who annuals, X Factor annuals and even The Gruffalo.

One of those does have some literary merit, but silly old fox, doesn't he know...it's for 4 year olds, that Gruffalo.
This reminds me of a lesson I very recently had with a Year 10 child who professed to 'love reading'. When I probed him, it turned out he was reading 'Horrid Henry'.

[Rob Clark]

This touches on something which does amuse me: there is of course only one curriculum, but some GS parents are under the impression that their children will do different work at a GS. Which they don't.

Indeed Amber. And if I’m being totally honest, I probably would have been in that camp too, at least to an extent. I’m older and wiser now In fact, DD’s HT made exactly the same point to us when we told her we weren’t moving DD, so you’re in good company. Or rather HT is

That said, DS has felt the benefit of being surrounded by other children who understand what is going on in class first time

This certainly is true, however. A friend who has taught at GS and upper school in the past couple of years said that her upper school lesson plan was achieved within about 15 minutes at a mid-level GS set.

We are lucky that DD gets set extension work in and out of class but I do feel we need to be slightly more involved at her school than at DS’s just to make sure she isn’t coasting along. The archetypal pushy dad, me The school is geared more to getting children over the ‘C’ grade threshold than it is at the top end so to achieve better grades requires self-motivation on the part of the pupil(s).

[Lillie]

This discussion does underline my concerns about upper schools (aka secondary moderns which is what the OFSTED reports call them). Although I am sure they are a far cry from the secondary moderns of the 1960s, it does seem to me there is a risk of creating a glass ceiling of achievement in these schools, with simply not enough of the motivated pupils, who have been creamed off to the grammar schools. There is also the limitations of subject areas, most notoriously in languages, where most uppers only offer one language, often only to GCSE. Although I hear it often said that children's confidence soars as they find themselves in the top sets, I can't help feeling the bar is set too low at some of these schools.