Nailsworth to Pates

[Amber]

My sons at STRS seem to have more female than male friends. They travel with girls from HSFG on the bus, there are girls in the sixth form that my older one is very friendly with and they both do a lot of out of school stuff with girls. It's the one thing I worried about and the one thing I need not have done, if that helps anyone.

[DebsB]

I think that the schools just say 'Within top 120' or whatever PAN is if you are, then rank for the rest who passed and just 'not qualified' if below the cut-off score?

Yes, this year that seems to be what they're all doing. I must say I do think it's better that they're all giving out the same kind of information in much the same format, rather than the confusing mix of scores and ranks and marks that meant totally different things at different schools that they used to provide.

surely if their child is ranked in the PAN for that school they are guaranteed a place

Not true... There are circumstances where people may jump to the top of the qualified list..

I know there are categories of applicants who can leapfrog into the upper echelons of the rankings, but I don't think there are very many of them. I would have thought the number of leapfroggers would almost always be less than the number of children who take up places elsewhere - Indy or other GS or move out of the county etc. But I could be wrong. You've been around on this board for a while, haven't you stroudydad? Can you (or any other longstanding board members) think of any examples of candidates in previous years who got a rank within the PAN and then didn't get a place on allocations day? Or was it too difficult to tell in the old days if some of the schools were only giving scores rather than ranks?

[essaouira]

Thanks for the many and various replies!

Practically, is it really possible that a top 120 ranking at Pate's could result in a no offer? I'm assuming that the chances are vanishingly slim to none.

Our concern is that we should maybe take the Marling place over Pate's anyway as it is 10 minutes away so in a way our lives would be simplified if that did happen!

Thank you indeed for the good wishes and congratulations, though. The boy deserves them if not so much his parents!

[RedVelvet]

DS qualified for tommies and crypt but not pates. As pleased as we are, I still have a teeny niggle about whether a single sex school makes the opposite sex more alien and a bigger issue when they meet. DS has a little sis and so will be in plenty of contact with her circle.

Trust me where there's a will...

[stroudydad]

DS qualified for tommies and crypt but not pates. As pleased as we are, I still have a teeny niggle about whether a single sex school makes the opposite sex more alien and a bigger issue when they meet. .

I know you are referring to tommies/crypt but that is one of the great things about marling/SHS. They are constantly mingling even though they are taught single sex..

[sarajtb]

Hi there, DD is on the waiting list for Pates, ranked 134. She's hoping to go there. We live in Brimscombe and I own a shop in Nailsworth so she will possibly be going from and to Nailsworth. Obviously she has to be offered a place but if she is, she will be going there. They may well find themselves on the bus together.

[essaouira]

Hi there, DD is on the waiting list for Pates, ranked 134. She's hoping to go there. We live in Brimscombe and I own a shop in Nailsworth so she will possibly be going from and to Nailsworth. Obviously she has to be offered a place but if she is, she will be going there. They may well find themselves on the bus together.

Hi. Oh that's great to hear. One of my main worries is that my son will have no local friends at the school.

I think 134 sounds like a strong possibility doesn't it? I assume you will put Stroud High as your second choice - do you see choosing Pate's first as a dilemma or as a no-brainer?

[sarajtb]

I feel the same way about the social side of things but I have plenty of friends who have children at school in Cheltenham (not Pates) and they are all doing fine. We will be putting SHS as second choice. She hasn't completely made up her mind yet but following the open evening at Pates last week she was absolutely blown away by it. Her sister is a SHS and many friends, however, she is the only one from her school to qualify for a place this year at SHS.

[essaouira]

Well it's a great relief to know that someone else is in the same boat, all ready has a child at a Stroud grammar but is feeling positive about Pate's.

Our situation is similar but slightly different to your's as we have another boy who will be taking the test in a couple of years. We wanted them to go to the same school but guaranteeing entry to Pate's is a big ask no matter bright they may be but I see you are comfortable with sending them to different schools.

I guess from my own experience I know that that shouldn't be an issue. I had an older brother at my school and I'm pretty sure he didn't ever talk to me during school time!

[Kismet]

Thanks to all those who have sought to allay my niggles about single sex schools

Trust me where there's a will...[/quote].....Redvelvet........I worry about that too, but I guess I can't control the hormones so will have to play that one by ear

Thanks all, also, for advice on transport to Tommies. It sounds like we can make it work without too much hassle.