GL v CEM v 11 plus Testng

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Deb70
Posts: 340
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2018 5:00 pm

Re: GL v CEM v 11 plus Testng

Post by Deb70 »

I don't think all bright children who go to poorly performing high schools are doomed.

I think they are less likely to achieve the same level of academic success that they would have done in a selective school. Poor schools often have mixed ability classes and teachers unable to cater to the needs of the more able. I've been a teacher in exactly such a school.

I have a child who was "gifted" (no exaggeration) and then went to a poor secondary. He was immediately identified as gifted and talented, but was in a tiny minority. Despite strenuous efforts on our part (and a couple of teachers) he decided work wasn't that important and it was better to fit in with everyone else. He still achieved 12 As at gcse but his attitude to work was really affected. We sent him to GS for his A levels and he did well, but the love of learning never really came back.
Had he gone to a selective school at age 11 I think he would have actually enjoyed his 11-16 school years and his life taken a different direction.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: GL v CEM v 11 plus Testng

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Deb70 wrote:I don't think all bright children who go to poorly performing high schools are doomed.

I think they are less likely to achieve the same level of academic success that they would have done in a selective school. Poor schools often have mixed ability classes and teachers unable to cater to the needs of the more able. I've been a teacher in exactly such a school.

I have a child who was "gifted" (no exaggeration) and then went to a poor secondary. He was immediately identified as gifted and talented, but was in a tiny minority. Despite strenuous efforts on our part (and a couple of teachers) he decided work wasn't that important and it was better to fit in with everyone else. He still achieved 12 As at gcse but his attitude to work was really affected. We sent him to GS for his A levels and he did well, but the love of learning never really came back.
Had he gone to a selective school at age 11 I think he would have actually enjoyed his 11-16 school years and his life taken a different direction.
I didn't say that you do believe all bright children who go to poorly performing schools are doomed - and unfortunately no-one will ever know if one child in two different schools will be affected adversely - one can only suppose - but what is fact is that some children achieve as expected, some achieve higher than expected and some achieve lower than expected: regardless of the school they end up in and some of this will be nature and some will be nurture. You may believe your son lost his love of learning at that particular school - but he may equally have lost it at a GS and still got exactly the same results - children change - boys especially develop attitudes and push out against education in secondary (Steve Biddulph has a lot to say on it!)

I just want to reassure parents who may be worried about the options they have, should a GS not be one of them - there are plenty of success stories - and most of them have very committed families supporting them - and, often it has to be said where the school is less well perceived, a school that falls over themselves to help out.
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