This time in 4 weeks.......

[tigger2]

[quote="blessedmum"]Our darling Dh's,

am sure if we did not talk about school at home, he might even forget what class they are in at school. Loll
He says he leaves those things in my capable hands hmmm until things dont quite go right.

so does your dh say in these instances 'why didn't you tell me ? ' or 'what are we (that means you) going to do about it?

[becs1]

Whatever you do if the worst happens you MUST list the school on your SCAF when received. If you dont list it you cant appeal!!!My DD passed two subjects last year NVR and VR with very high marks, but did not pass her Maths. We still listed her no1 choice for grammar school at the very top of her SCAF. We could then appeal to this school. Its a bit of a gamble because it then rates your first choice HS lower and you may not get offered a place at one of them either!!! But you must list it to be able to appeal.

[blessedmum]

so does your dh say in these instances 'why didn't you tell me ? ' or 'what are we (that means you) going to do about it? [/quote]


He says!! thats why I dont agree with this or I dont agree with that. It infuriates me and I tell him he should have made the decision in the first place. and O yes, what are we going to do about it really means what do I intend to do. I have had to book out his diary for school visits as I have insisted we are all making the decisions together

[tiredmum]

We still listed her no1 choice for grammar school at the very top of her SCAF. We could then appeal to this school. Its a bit of a gamble because it then rates your first choice HS lower and you may not get offered a place at one of them either!!! But you must list it to be able to appeal.

As i understand it I think it fine to list your first choice high school after the grammar as the schools dont know where you place them on the form so - for example - if you put the grammar first even though your dc does not pass, the form will then get sent to the next school on your list as your dc does not meet the addmissions criteria for the grammar school. The next school then see if your dc meet their criteria etc.....

[blessedmum]

becs1,

Thanks for the tip

[becs1]

you are right tiredmum, but i know a few people whom listed first choice GS then HS etc and did not get offered a place at any of the schools listed on SCAF!!! You have no choice but to list it if going for appeal anyway. But you just need to make sure that you are willing to go through appeal process if you list it!!! Think very carefully before filling out form you have got to be 100% sure you are prepared for the months and months of stress an appeal brings!!! And that you have the evidence etc. I often wondered if my DD daughter would be happier at HS but I knew her marks very good enough for appeal and I spent ages wondering what to list on SCAF!! Just be sure its what you and your child want
Saying that she is loving GS

[pheasantchick]

We're alot calmer and not stressing about the results, yet. However, its never far from my thoughts and so plan B was put into action by visiting non-grammars this week.

So my husband could see them, we manged two in one evening! (Admittedly they were whistle stop tours). They were a real contrast, one with 600 pupils and the other with 1600 children! Both were going through change, one with new buildings and one becoming an academy. Both had good Ofsted reports and seem to be improving schools.

People say you know what school is 'right'. I must be missing this gene as I liked alot about both schools, and didn't like other aspects. Hopefully, one of the Grammars will feel more 'right', providing he passes of course...!

Incidently, does anyone else find looking at schools tiring. My boys love trying all the different activities laid on but I'm trying to look beyond which school is the best theme park, and trying to work out which is the best education establishment.

(Maidstone Mums and Dads - I'd be interested to hear people's views about Maidstone non-GS schools so if anyone wants to Pm me, that would be great and I'd would be happy to share my views. Not sure I want to bore everyone with my views about the non-GS on the open-forum.)

[sherry_d]

PH this is hearsay

Simon Stock - Have only heard very good and positive things. Have friends's children there and one did exceptionally well in her GCSEs. Its really the only proper comp we have since most kids from St Francis dont do 11+ and just head there and results show the mixed abilities unlike the other schools which take many who wouldnt have made it into grammars. If you arent Catholic, the only way is appeal and thats how most of my friends's DC got in.

Cornwallis - Positive stuff too but grapevine not keen on the merge with NLA, my understanding is they are still really separate schools so I guess its making up your own mind. I am not sure if these worries are founded or just snobish. The new building will be a fantastic addition. I am a bit worried about the size of the school and the fact it will be over 2500 kids under one executive head. If he messes up then thats a lot of kids to mess up with.

Astor - I have only heard negative stuff and I knew a teacher and other non academic staff member and they all spoke very low on the school. It was due to become an academy but with the cuts no one knows so there is quite a bit of uncertainty about its future. They have good sporting facilities and a nice gym which used to be Westborough Centre.

Valley - dont know much apart from every mother, her cat and dog wants their DCs to go there. Its the talk of the town and the outstanding ofsted has made the frenzy insane and rather bizzare at times. Last year they took about a mile and I am certain this year it will be much less than that. The close link with Invicta and having one executive Head running these two schools seem to have done the school a lot of good.

[dadofkent]

We're alot calmer and not stressing about the results, yet. However, its never far from my thoughts and so plan B was put into action by visiting non-grammars this week.

So my husband could see them, we manged two in one evening! (Admittedly they were whistle stop tours). They were a real contrast, one with 600 pupils and the other with 1600 children! Both were going through change, one with new buildings and one becoming an academy. Both had good Ofsted reports and seem to be improving schools.

People say you know what school is 'right'. I must be missing this gene as I liked alot about both schools, and didn't like other aspects. Hopefully, one of the Grammars will feel more 'right', providing he passes of course...!

Incidently, does anyone else find looking at schools tiring. My boys love trying all the different activities laid on but I'm trying to look beyond which school is the best theme park, and trying to work out which is the best education establishment.

(Maidstone Mums and Dads - I'd be interested to hear people's views about Maidstone non-GS schools so if anyone wants to Pm me, that would be great and I'd would be happy to share my views. Not sure I want to bore everyone with my views about the non-GS on the open-forum.)

Make sure you check the admissions criteria. Particularly if you are considering Cornwallis or Valley. Last year the catchment for Valley was 1 mile. Arguably, cutting out much of the catchment area that helped make it such a good school. For Cornwallis, if you live closer to any other non-selective, you are unlikely to get in (assuming they have not canged the criteria for 2011 entry).

[A Mum]

St Simon Stock admits non Catholics without going to appeal although Baptised Catholics are given priority. 6 Children went there from my child's primary school this year. 2 Catholics, 1 child of a non christian faith, 1 child with no form of religious background and 2 for whom I do not know their backgrounds. These were all admitted without appeals and our school is not local to St Simon. It obviously takes more non catholics from its local area. St Simon was over subscribed this year but not as heavily as previously. My theory regarding this is that the popularity of Valley has meant people now choosing Valley over St Simon.
When visiting schools with my two children, we were all very impressed with St Simon stock on all levels, pastoral care, sports, extra ciriculum activities, existing pupils, the staff aswell as its exam results sucess. It is worth knowing that children can go for a taster day in Year 5 which happens around June I think. Children at the Catholic primaries are made aware of this but you can contact the school to find out when it is and when you need to contact them to registar your child for a place.

4 years ago Valley Park was not a popular school but it became federated with Invicta and run by the same Executive Director/head Dr Lambart and it has not looked back. It was so popular that two years ago offers were only made to people living about 1.5 miles away and I think this has shrunk to around a mile this year. It is not an offical catchment area but they have distance as their addmision criteria, its popularity means the distance offered has shrunk so drastically. All the children I know who go to Valley are enjoying it and the parents are happy with the schools leadership.

Astor of Hever was a very un popular school and I think it was possibly in special measures but it's recent Ofsted has improved greatly and now has an offical Ofsted rating of 'Good School'. There are a lot of people who think this school may follow Valley to become a popular sucessful school. One of my childs friends has just started there and he is enjoying it, they had a three day induction for the children in year 6 and he felt very settled by the end of it. I do not understand the hold up with it changing to Academy status other than it has something to do with the Government's withdrawing funds from the building schools for the Future campaign.

When I viewed Cornwallis 4 years ago I expected to hate it because of things I had heard and because of its vast size. I didn't hate it, it had a lot going for it and with it new buildings and facilities I would imagine that it has even more going for it now. Up to two years ago a large amount of children from our primary school would go there and again all the children enjoyed it and I never heard of anyone having a problem because of the numbers of children. Unfotunately two years ago they changed their admission criteria whereby your application will only be accepted if you do not have an alternative high school nearer to you, which in our area meant most had New Line Learning(Oldborugh) and Valley closer although most were just outside the offer distance for valley. This change in criteria meant that it was not worth us considering the school for my child last year.

Choosing schools is a very personal thing what suits one child may not suit another and it is hard if you like a school that everyone else is disparaging of while disliking a school that everyone else is raving about. You can only look around weigh up the pros and cons and go with you gut feelings. Good luck to everyone going through the process at the moment