Here we go again! Anyone else out there?

[Perplexed 2009]

DD2 due to take the test in October- can this really be happening? l never thought DD1 would pass, for anywhere, as l didn't know the benchmark at all. So it was all a bit of a game, no pressure. Now feel morally obliged to offer same chance for DD2. But oh dear, we are struggling....think she would be much better off with a paid tutor, but we will plod on. Wishing l'd never started this whole grammar school malarkey!

[livviloo]

After a year off I too will be join you all again with DD1. DS1 at Pates so no pressure here. He keeps saying to her " when you start at Pates ....." which is no help as you can imagine
Tutoring with him started with me,clueless,at home in the summer hols. She is a different kettle of fish. Much more socially able but panics more. Her CAT score was 1 point higher than DS1 This just worries me more. I would like blissful ignorance again.
We are lucky to be in the catchment for a good comp but now we have seen the other side.......

[panicmum]

My first time this year with DD1, then DD2 and again with DS1, thank goodness to this forum, otherwise I may have had a nervous breakdown, this process has been so stressful .

[adele1471]

My first time this year with DD1, was going to get a tutor, but decided going to DIY. My sister tutored my nephew herself & he started at STRS in September, so hopefully I can manage it. We'll see ! Then if all goes well, DD2 in 2 years time, but let's get through this year first.......

[Tolstoy]

Oh good luck all-I think it's so much "worse" doing it second or third or fourth....time round.Ignorance is bliss.

Ds2 is only 6 and Ds1 was Septembers intake so aaaages yet (then the next three are a year between each one eeeek!) and hopefully some kind of appocilypse will happen before then...

You never know, thought I was going to have to do it all over again twice over and now happenstance I don't

For all those that are going through it hindsight is wonderful and the realisation that these schools though good are by no means perfect, there are good comprehensives out there worth pursuing so try and keep things in perspective and don't succumb to tunnel vision .

[stroudydad]

You don't live in Stroud do you Tolstoy?

[Dixon]

You don't live in Stroud do you Tolstoy?

Or in the Stonehouse catchment area with Stroud as my second closest. Oh for having a good Comp close to where I live.

[Tolstoy]

No Stroudydad, although many of your schools are very close though I suspect the most direct mode of transport to them would be a little unorthodox to say the least.

Dixon, I actually live in an area of Gloucester where there is a dearth of good comprehensives. My closest two are pretty much on or near the bottom of the Glos league tables with the catchment one now in special measures so I sure isn't and wasn't complacent about it all.
However there are good comprehensives in Gloucester and they are worth travelling to in the same way people travel to Grammars and for some children that may well be the better route to go for regardless of their academic ability.

Thankfully for the last two I will be living in a country where I will not have to chose which secondary school they go to and hence not be left feeling responsible if it all goes belly up as it sometimes does.

[Glos_Mum]

.

[stroudydad]

Well Tolstoy I'll give you an idea of what I have to choose from.
Catchment 1: level of exam taken depend on the Ability of the. Lowest attaining student. Same comment from both science and music teacher.
Catchment 2: special measures and although streamed when shown round the top set laths in year 9 was doing money calculations my 9 year old can do... ( and doing it badly)
Or A. Grammar...Not much of
a choice eh?