Grammar schools aren't always the right choice
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Re: Grammar schools aren't always the right choice
not according to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/le ... 9183328746Guest55 wrote:Sorry, wrong again.
I believe the Upper schools average was around 60% 5 A* to C including English and Maths. I have not seen individual school data but that means some must be higher than that.
Of course I am looking at my local schools when I make my comments and the facts are, apart from Waddesdon, the local secondary schools are pretty poor.
Aylesbury High 100%
Henry Floyd 99%
Aylebury Grammar 97%
Waddesdon 70%
John Collet 51%
Grange 49%
Mandeville 38%
Vale Academy 25%
In neighbouring Oxfordshire I would certainly have a greater choice of schools attaining over 70% 5 A*-C. In my catchment there are none. A consequence of the selection system.
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kenyancowgirl
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Re: Grammar schools aren't always the right choice
The cynic in me says that maybe your bright daughter is not telling you about the more economical school trips or the ones that are used to enhance the educational experience in the classroom! 
Let your daughter choose her own lunchtime activities etc - if she is filtering, it is because she is not interested - that should surely be good enough reason not to do it?!
I can't comment on exam results etc in your area, as I am not there. I suspect that your interpretation of a "bad lot" of schools in your area would be viewed quite positively by people living in another area - for example, I have a school local to me (in Oxfordshire) that achieves around 25% A-C at GCSE and are celebrating as that has risen steadily from 14% about 10 years ago. I think it is very simplistic to say that this is singularly a consequence of the selection system, as they do not have access to a grammar school.
You make the point that you are talking about the GS that your daughter attends, but you are also making statements about GS's in general which is why I feel that I have to offer some balance. I am sorry that you have such a negative view of your school - I would have to say, though, if you read through the forum, thankfully (for those prospective gs parents out there), most people have very positive opinions about the experiences they have had. Have you arranged a meeting with your daughter's form tutor/head of year/the head to discuss possible solutions to your issues? Perhaps you could speak to other parents via the PTA and find out what others are thinking/how they have addressed their concerns? Certainly, I have found our school very forthcoming to a solutions based approach. Perhaps a compromise along the lines I suggested (of a recording of the average result alongside your daughters personal result) would enable the school to meet your needs without compromising their requirement to minimise the competition in the classroom? Failing that - contact the many and varied private schools in your area - they offer a huge variety of scholarships and bursaries for bright children and are dab hands at promoting what they do!
You are absolutely right that parents should look at as many aspects as possible when choosing schools - certainly, I started seriously looking when my oldest was in Y4, visiting Open Days and arranging meetings in schools - both private and state - and all this whilst working in some of them!
Let your daughter choose her own lunchtime activities etc - if she is filtering, it is because she is not interested - that should surely be good enough reason not to do it?!I can't comment on exam results etc in your area, as I am not there. I suspect that your interpretation of a "bad lot" of schools in your area would be viewed quite positively by people living in another area - for example, I have a school local to me (in Oxfordshire) that achieves around 25% A-C at GCSE and are celebrating as that has risen steadily from 14% about 10 years ago. I think it is very simplistic to say that this is singularly a consequence of the selection system, as they do not have access to a grammar school.
You make the point that you are talking about the GS that your daughter attends, but you are also making statements about GS's in general which is why I feel that I have to offer some balance. I am sorry that you have such a negative view of your school - I would have to say, though, if you read through the forum, thankfully (for those prospective gs parents out there), most people have very positive opinions about the experiences they have had. Have you arranged a meeting with your daughter's form tutor/head of year/the head to discuss possible solutions to your issues? Perhaps you could speak to other parents via the PTA and find out what others are thinking/how they have addressed their concerns? Certainly, I have found our school very forthcoming to a solutions based approach. Perhaps a compromise along the lines I suggested (of a recording of the average result alongside your daughters personal result) would enable the school to meet your needs without compromising their requirement to minimise the competition in the classroom? Failing that - contact the many and varied private schools in your area - they offer a huge variety of scholarships and bursaries for bright children and are dab hands at promoting what they do!
You are absolutely right that parents should look at as many aspects as possible when choosing schools - certainly, I started seriously looking when my oldest was in Y4, visiting Open Days and arranging meetings in schools - both private and state - and all this whilst working in some of them!
Re: Grammar schools aren't always the right choice
Those are 2012 results - my data is 2013.
Upper school were affected by the 2012 GCSE Engish 'issues'.
Upper school were affected by the 2012 GCSE Engish 'issues'.
Re: Grammar schools aren't always the right choice
Just thought I might join in this discussion as I live in Bucks, albeit in the south of the county, and I have one DC at a GS and one at an upper school.
At both schools there is a range of academic and non-academic extracurricular options, at lunchtimes and after school, but neither school tells parents what's on offer. Why on earth would they? My DCs tell me what they have chosen to do, whether it's a maths revision class or a netball match, and that choice is theirs, not mine.
Clearly you are correct to say that the GSs siphon off the top 25-30% of primary school pupils in Bucks, but don't forget that that assessment is based only on one particular type of test on one particular day (or two days, maybe). There are still a lot of perfectly intelligent children at the upper schools – my DC got 3 x level 5s in Y6 and mostly As in the first batch of GCSEs, and was by no means the highest achieving in their year group. And while those averages you quote may not look great, they are only averages – they tell you nothing about what any individual child can achieve regardless of what type of school they attend.
I am with you on this, bikeman, we can't afford these sorts of trips. But my DCs have done similar trips to each other over the years – both done battlefields, a foreign exchange, and a sports tour to Spain (though the one at the upper school went by coach rather than plane). The only difference so far has been that the one at GS has been on a history trip to Berlin, but that was for A level which my other DC hasn't got to yet. The sort of trips you mention have been on offer at both schools; we have said 'no'I personally cannot afford scuba diving in Egypt and skiing in st moritz so my child misses out.
At both schools there is a range of academic and non-academic extracurricular options, at lunchtimes and after school, but neither school tells parents what's on offer. Why on earth would they? My DCs tell me what they have chosen to do, whether it's a maths revision class or a netball match, and that choice is theirs, not mine.
Clearly you are correct to say that the GSs siphon off the top 25-30% of primary school pupils in Bucks, but don't forget that that assessment is based only on one particular type of test on one particular day (or two days, maybe). There are still a lot of perfectly intelligent children at the upper schools – my DC got 3 x level 5s in Y6 and mostly As in the first batch of GCSEs, and was by no means the highest achieving in their year group. And while those averages you quote may not look great, they are only averages – they tell you nothing about what any individual child can achieve regardless of what type of school they attend.
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kenyancowgirl
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- Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm
Re: Grammar schools aren't always the right choice
My tip to prospective parents would be, learn from this! Don't simply select a school, be it gs, state or private, based solely on one element, be it exam results, facilities, extra curricular activities. Ensure you look at the school holistically, question, question, question and look again. Be honest and realistic about your child and be honest and realistic about your expectations. Far better to be at the right "bad lot" school than at the wrong "better" gs.