Tiffin Boys- Bus coach
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whichwitch
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:07 pm
- Location: Kingston
Well done Surreymum for trying to calm things down.
[quote="Laurrie"]
"Maybe if we picked Tiffin up, planted it in Hounslow then sent all our DC from Kingston there, it would cause less of a problem. As of course no parents from that neck of the woods would mind at all if Surrey kids filled their school."
I am fuming at these comments from Laurrie. We live in Hounslow, my son is polite, conscientious and hard working and has done extremely well at Tiffin. He is certainly not a 'hounslow kid' dragging the school down as Laurie's comments seem to suggest in an indirect way.
Fortunately DS's Surrey friends parents welcome him into their home without the prejudice.
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Partygirl
[quote="Laurrie"]
"Maybe if we picked Tiffin up, planted it in Hounslow then sent all our DC from Kingston there, it would cause less of a problem. As of course no parents from that neck of the woods would mind at all if Surrey kids filled their school."
I am fuming at these comments from Laurrie. We live in Hounslow, my son is polite, conscientious and hard working and has done extremely well at Tiffin. He is certainly not a 'hounslow kid' dragging the school down as Laurie's comments seem to suggest in an indirect way.
Fortunately DS's Surrey friends parents welcome him into their home without the prejudice.
_________
Partygirl
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whichwitch
- Posts: 236
- Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:07 pm
- Location: Kingston
Hi, after reading recents posts it has compelled me to join... My son got into Tiffin and I am sorry to hear about those who didnt...BUT I feel that Tiffin is such a good school and VERY popular because of its calabre of children attending and I am afraid whether you leave in the catchment area or not should not a contender - its whether your child is bright enough to pass the exam with sufficient marks.
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confusedparent
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:46 pm
- Location: Kingston Surrey
I am in the same situation where my son is low on the waiting list at Tiffins, live a few blocks from the school (been there for close on 10 years) - pay some of the highest council tax fees in London yet cannot get my son into a local school (Tiffin or other) and have been forced to go private because of the poor quality school we have been offered...
I think the bigger ongoing issue is that Kingston just does not have enough school places for the local children...
I also hear the counter argument re: catchment & Tiffins, but strongly feel that at least a percentage of intake (say 20%) should be offered to local children (or some such compromise).
I may be wrong, but aren't grammars in Kent & Bucks subject to certain catchment restraints? Even Sutton will place emphasis on boys closer to the school (where 2 have scored the same).
When we were taken around Tiffins, we met a boy from Milton Keynes hoping to attend the school! Surely that is a little too far?
Guessing when it comes to Kingston parents it is more a case of sheer frustration rather than sour grapes
Having said all that, congratulations to all the Kids who did get in - it was really tough this year, so well done!
& as far as we are concerned we are very happy with the outcome and the school my son will be attending - although he now has a 50 minute school journey because he couldn't get into any local school... such is life
I think the bigger ongoing issue is that Kingston just does not have enough school places for the local children...
I also hear the counter argument re: catchment & Tiffins, but strongly feel that at least a percentage of intake (say 20%) should be offered to local children (or some such compromise).
I may be wrong, but aren't grammars in Kent & Bucks subject to certain catchment restraints? Even Sutton will place emphasis on boys closer to the school (where 2 have scored the same).
When we were taken around Tiffins, we met a boy from Milton Keynes hoping to attend the school! Surely that is a little too far?
Guessing when it comes to Kingston parents it is more a case of sheer frustration rather than sour grapes
Having said all that, congratulations to all the Kids who did get in - it was really tough this year, so well done!
& as far as we are concerned we are very happy with the outcome and the school my son will be attending - although he now has a 50 minute school journey because he couldn't get into any local school... such is life
I too am a Kingston parent, on the waiting list for TG.
However, if my daughter ends up at the mixed comp (where she has a place) it won’t be the end of the world. The story I bore her with is this:
My brother went to Tiffins, I went to the local comp. I did better than him in my O'levels and A'levels, I went to a better university, got a better degree, and went on to get an MA (with distinction!) and AHRB funding for a PhD.
So... I guess the moral of the story is that a place at a grammar school doesn't guarantee success, and a place at a comp doesn't guarantee failure. I believe that a bright child, with supportive parents, will do well anywhere. They might have to work harder for it at a comp, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in terms of life lessons!
Good luck to everyone, I say, and to all our kids. It’s a tough few years they have ahead of them, whatever school they go to.
However, if my daughter ends up at the mixed comp (where she has a place) it won’t be the end of the world. The story I bore her with is this:
My brother went to Tiffins, I went to the local comp. I did better than him in my O'levels and A'levels, I went to a better university, got a better degree, and went on to get an MA (with distinction!) and AHRB funding for a PhD.
So... I guess the moral of the story is that a place at a grammar school doesn't guarantee success, and a place at a comp doesn't guarantee failure. I believe that a bright child, with supportive parents, will do well anywhere. They might have to work harder for it at a comp, but that's not necessarily a bad thing in terms of life lessons!
Good luck to everyone, I say, and to all our kids. It’s a tough few years they have ahead of them, whatever school they go to.
OK.. I am going to add my commentary to what seems a controversial conversation. I welcome your comments.
If their were grammar schools in each and every borough within the UK then I could understand the argument for schools like Tiffin allocating preference to local children. It is felt that if this was the case Tiffin wouldn't be so oversubscribed, and parents would send their children to the borough Grammar school.
There are 32 London boroughs and probably only 3-4 grammar schools in London.
It would be gravely unfair if children from backgrounds who cannot afford independent schools were limited to their local comps due to a postcode lottery. I understand the frustration that Kingston parents must have in this situation. However as a parent who does not live in Kingston, I too do not favour our local comp. Therefore it is felt that Kingston parents have the same options of local comps such as Coombe Boys etc. For which they may or may not wish their DC to attend. The same for those outside of Kingston without the local Grammar option.
I feel that as there isn't a level playing field in relation to grammar schools in every borough, there can and should not be local preference. It would be in my view like preferring locals to a hospital over residents who live in an area without a hospital.
Your comments are very welcome maybe I am missing something but Grammar schools are state run and should be open to all children regardless of their borough.
If their were grammar schools in each and every borough within the UK then I could understand the argument for schools like Tiffin allocating preference to local children. It is felt that if this was the case Tiffin wouldn't be so oversubscribed, and parents would send their children to the borough Grammar school.
There are 32 London boroughs and probably only 3-4 grammar schools in London.
It would be gravely unfair if children from backgrounds who cannot afford independent schools were limited to their local comps due to a postcode lottery. I understand the frustration that Kingston parents must have in this situation. However as a parent who does not live in Kingston, I too do not favour our local comp. Therefore it is felt that Kingston parents have the same options of local comps such as Coombe Boys etc. For which they may or may not wish their DC to attend. The same for those outside of Kingston without the local Grammar option.
I feel that as there isn't a level playing field in relation to grammar schools in every borough, there can and should not be local preference. It would be in my view like preferring locals to a hospital over residents who live in an area without a hospital.
Your comments are very welcome maybe I am missing something but Grammar schools are state run and should be open to all children regardless of their borough.
All I need now is wings!
My comment would be that there are children who pass the exam with flying colours. Wherever they happen to live they deserve and need a Grammar School place in order for their exceptional needs to be met and this should be provided for them.
Then at the borderline there are children who pass or fail the exam by 1 mark or 2 marks. Some of these children live within a mile of the school and some live 10 miles away or more. In those cases I am not convinced that the benefits of admitting the child who lives miles away who scored 1 point more outweighs the advantages of admitting a local child. Basically both children are of roughly equal ability and one was luckier on the day of the exam but because of this both will be travelling a long way to school each day.
The other issue with Sutton is that the infrastructure hasn't kept up with changes in admissions. Years ago the top local children all went to the Grammar schools. Now far less of them get a place (not because they are unintelligent but because the standard has been raised by increased numbers of applicants). As a result more Sutton children apply for the comprehnsives and there are whole pockets of Sutton where you are not in the catchment area for any comprehensive at all (eg your closest school may be 1.5km away but with more local children applying, the furthest distance that they offer places to is only 1.2km).
This problem is also mirrored in Kingston and as a result they plan to build a new comprehensive next to Tiffin Girls.
Then at the borderline there are children who pass or fail the exam by 1 mark or 2 marks. Some of these children live within a mile of the school and some live 10 miles away or more. In those cases I am not convinced that the benefits of admitting the child who lives miles away who scored 1 point more outweighs the advantages of admitting a local child. Basically both children are of roughly equal ability and one was luckier on the day of the exam but because of this both will be travelling a long way to school each day.
The other issue with Sutton is that the infrastructure hasn't kept up with changes in admissions. Years ago the top local children all went to the Grammar schools. Now far less of them get a place (not because they are unintelligent but because the standard has been raised by increased numbers of applicants). As a result more Sutton children apply for the comprehnsives and there are whole pockets of Sutton where you are not in the catchment area for any comprehensive at all (eg your closest school may be 1.5km away but with more local children applying, the furthest distance that they offer places to is only 1.2km).
This problem is also mirrored in Kingston and as a result they plan to build a new comprehensive next to Tiffin Girls.
