He did it!!!!!!!!!!!

familyinthevalley · Post by **familyinthevalley** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 7:57 pm

Yarny wrote:He passed with no tutor help whatsoever! This will give him such a boost as he lacks confidence a bit and knows his maths is a bit shaky. Plus his classmates don't rate him as one of the cool "lads". Thank you to everyone for support up to now. I need to EAT something!!!!!

Well done him Yarny! Mine didn't do tutoring either - he had the papers, and during the summer, he did them when HE wanted to practice. My husband teaches at a boys grammar, and it's painfully obvious to him which students were tutored to pass the 11+. Eat???? LOL - so excited I forgot about dinner, and pizza is being delivered!

Yarny · Post by **Yarny** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:01 pm

Thank you so much. And to think that his teacher almost wrote him off. Huh!

MasterChief · Post by **MasterChief** » Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:49 pm

My DS passed and like Yarny's son has up until now lacked confidence. He did have a tutor although this wasn't for the 11 plus but to build his confidence up. I am SO proud of him as he has often been quite hard on himself for being,in his mind, "stupid". Hopefully this result will help him to see himself as his Mum and I do; a rather shy,engaging,imaginative and bright boy. I can't wait to see what he can do next.

familyinthevalley · Post by **familyinthevalley** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:45 am

Well done to your DS Masterchief. Yes.....that old confidence thing! My son says he knew he hadn't passed right after he did the test. I was trying to hide my tears when I got his results today - I was so happy - his little eyes just welled up and he had the biggest smile on his face! I know that him going to grammar will do loads to boost his confidence and he will benefit from the environment immensely. In our local high school he would be the 'lost face' - going in, doing his work and getting on with it - and the teachers would likely have to look up his picture in order to know what kid they were writing about on the reports! He's exactly the kind of kid who will be noticed in grammar - as he's a hard little worker, it doesn't come natural to him like his older brother - he has to work hard for every mark he gets - but THAT will be noticed, and he will grow in confidence so much.

2stressed · Post by **2stressed** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:23 am

Unfortunately the quiet hard workers still get missed at GS!!! I could tell by reading my DSs Y7 report that half his teachers didn't know who he was although his scores were great.

MasterChief · Post by **MasterChief** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:24 am

familyinthevalley wrote:Well done to your DS Masterchief.

Thanks FamilyintheValley, you're a long way from home!
I got the results at home while my OH was at the gym with DS and DD who were doing multisports. Once I'd composed myself, I phoned OH who stuck head into gym and told result to DS who proceeded to do a lap of honour! So maybe it's working already!

familyinthevalley · Post by **familyinthevalley** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:44 am

2stressed wrote:Unfortunately the quiet hard workers still get missed at GS!!! I could tell by reading my DSs Y7 report that half his teachers didn't know who he was although his scores were great.

Sorry to hear that - I guess I generalised when I said 'at Grammar schools'......I have one at Gravesend Grammar - and the number of times I have received a postcard in the mail, or he has been nominated for something, a certificate given etc. - versus the other one who was 15 when we moved here from Canada so had no choice but the local comprehensive is all I can go on. Hubby taught at the other boys' comprehensive, and has since switched to other son's grammar - and one of the things he loves about it is that he CAN give credit to the regular, quiet, kid who shows up and does his work and doesn't cause problems - because he can - his time isn't taken up with kids whose main focus is to attend class and disrupt the rest of them. I was very involved with both of the schools as a parent helper as well - and I know which one I carried on with and which one I gave up on.....
Alot of schools use a school report writing system that they can set 'preset' phrases into. You can usually tell these immediately - as they will sometimes inadvertently refer to your son as a 'she' - they clicked the wrong option! I find that the individualised reports give a much clearer picture - as they are written specifically with your child in mind. The others can come across as very impersonal.

twinkles · Post by **twinkles** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 8:26 am

I was trying to hide my tears when I got his results today - I was so happy - his little eyes just welled up and he had the biggest smile on his face! I know that him going to grammar will do loads to boost his confidence and he will benefit from the environment immensely. In our local high school he would be the 'lost face' - going in, doing his work and getting on with it - and the teachers would likely have to look up his picture in order to know what kid they were writing about on the reports! He's exactly the kind of kid who will be noticed in grammar - as he's a hard little worker, it doesn't come natural to him like his older brother - he has to work hard for every mark he gets - but THAT will be noticed, and he will grow in confidence so much.

That is exactly how I feel. You could be describing my son to a t. Unfortunately, he didn't pass. Congrats to your son.

Yarny · Post by **Yarny** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:57 am

Thanks for everyone's nice comments.

Didn't get much sleep AGAIN last night! Consoled my best friend last night - it's such an emotional rollercoaster isn't it? Just got the letter today and of course it says you are NOT guaranteed a grammar school place which I'd forgotten about and has me slightly worried again!!! Couldn't get the scores from the school either as the Head was busy. I've been measuring maps already!

Looks like we're going for TWBGS which I would be more than happy with.
This forum has been fantastic.

Yarny · Post by **Yarny** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 3:01 pm

School just dropped a bombshell - DS passed on headteacher's appeal! OMG, can he cope at Grammar!?????!