Tiffin Girls Admissions Consultation 2016

[TiffinGirls]

I agree with everything you said Louise2.

TB- the letter gives fairly personal examples and could potentially identify certain girls. It basically describes how the pressure put on the girls by the school is unbearable and the consequences of that. I think it would be a breach of trust of the girls to put it in the public domain.

[tiffinboys]

Yes, of course, if there are personal details and girls could be identified to general public. I thought that this eloquent letter has been written to describe the situation in TGS without naming any one.

[Louise2]

I agree it's not something that should be put on a public forum, although no specific names are mentioned some may be identified by what is written.

[Sue Donym]

IMHO parents have far more influence over their daughters than teachers. If the girls feel under that much pressure I think the parents need to take an honest look at themselves and take responsibility for that.

I don't believe that parents who strive to get their daughters into Tiffin suddenly become blasé about their daughters' exam results - parents expect TGS to get top results which is why they send them there in the first place, and that comes hand in hand with high expectations. It's the school's job to get the best out of the girls, academically. All too often parents want to blame schools for problems which stem from home, IMO.

[tiffinboys]

Just want to say, I have a daughter at TGS and I have always found the school to be excellent when it comes to pastoral care and, IMO, they have put many measures in place to try and eradicate pressure on the girls. My experience of the grammar system has been that the pressure comes, in the main, from the parents themselves, and not from the teaching staff. I know of many parents who let their daughters know, in no uncertain terms, that they expect them to get top marks across the board, and I suspect that the girls are blaming the school because they feel powerless at home.

Seems like that pressure in 6th form is quite different from the earlier years. SD, is your daughter in 6th form?

[panicattack]

Just to say not in 6th form but daughter's experience so far very positive all round - lots of support from school and not just a focus on academics. There's plenty of sport and community activities. Would be interested in knowing how many signed the 6th form letter to see how widespread the feeling of pressure is.

The idea of opening up more places for FSM pupils is fantastic but having a top 300 threshold probably makes it out of reach if you can't afford tutoring. This isn't far I guess from the final cut-off anyway of a school of 180. Top 400 or higher would have been much fairer. No threshold at all would be a braver step. If no FSM pupils get in from designated Kingston area, then others from Kingston area get in and Kingston is second richest borough in London. So the new system could result overall in fewer disadvantaged kids getting in, not more. (Having said that, I think the very rich tend to choose other schools)

If Tiffin wants more disadvantaged and more local kids generally it should have

1. 30 places for local FSM kids and if these are not filled then 30 FSM in outer designated area (raise the threshold to Top 400 or more).

2. Have say another 30 places for locals (with say a top 350 requirement).

For information on current breakdown of pupils and boroughs/ wards they are from, see the London School Atlas http://www.london.gov.uk/webmaps/lsa/

[loopylou]

then others from Kingston area get in and Kingston is second richest borough in London. So the new system could result overall in fewer disadvantaged kids getting in, not more.

The inner catchment has been chosen to include less affluent surrounding areas - Ham and Berrylands for example. They haven't simply drawn a 1 mile radius around the school. The consultation document says:

The Inner Area is proposed having analysed the socio-economic profile of the area within which the School is situated. The aim of the boundary as drawn is to ensure inclusion in the Inner Area of the areas of highest child poverty which are nearest the School.

Tiffins labels the larger council estates to be placed within this priority area and have identified areas of high child poverty to be included in the priority area.
The highest level is actually in Kingston itself, near the Cambridge Road Estate, where 45.2% of children live in poverty compared to a national average of 20.1%
Some of the areas immediately surrounding the school are very deprived not just in local terms but in national terms too.

I do agree though that your solution would be even better than the current proposals and would help even more children who would greatly benefit from a place.

[TiffinGirls]

Panic, the letter was signed by nearly all the girls, perhaps all. It circulated among them for some time. It would hardly have been taken seriously by the Head and the SLT if it was just one or two girls.

I know as a matter of fact that a number of girls including my own DD have been referred to CAHMS by their GP as a direct result of the pressure they are under at school. My DD is not affected by eating disorders or self harming but knows of at least 10 cases.

The pressure as far as my DD was concerned was not evident until GCSE results day onwards.

The accusation up thread that parents are to blame is really nasty. I sent my DD to TGS because I thought it was a nice school. She would have done well academically at any school because she is very clever. I regret persuading her to stay on for Sixth. I thought it was a laid back and nurturing environment - totally the opposite to the actual reality.

[tiffinboys]

Panic, the letter was signed by nearly all the girls, perhaps all. It circulated among them for some time. It would hardly have been taken seriously by the Head and the SLT if it was just one or two girls.

I know as a matter of fact that a number of girls including my own DD have been referred to CAHMS by their GP as a direct result of the pressure they are under at school. My DD is not affected by eating disorders or self harming but knows of at least 10 cases.

The pressure as far as my DD was concerned was not evident until GCSE results day onwards.

The accusation up thread that parents are to blame is really nasty. I sent my DD to TGS because I thought it was a nice school. She would have done well academically at any school because she is very clever. I regret persuading her to stay on for Sixth. I thought it was a laid back and nurturing environment - totally the opposite to the actual reality.

Is SLT remuneration or bonuses depend on school's performance in league table? That may also explain their insistence on open selection (well, even now the catchment is just too large - going to nearly 12 km radius).

panicattack, the pressure on girls may not be evident until they come to yr 11 for GCSE exams. However, some parents are also partly responsible for expecting superb grades from DDs and many expecting them to get into demanding uni or medicine. This would be true in any high achieving school.

[SunlampVexesEel]

Is there any information available as to the number of students admitted who are within the proposed boundary line?

i.e. Does providing 30 'local' places has an effect or are there already >30 in that category so its effect would be limited?

Regards
SVE