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St Albans High School for Girls Exam today

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 9:57 pm
by Daogroupie
Anyone else sit this exam today? I thought the welcome from the school was lovely. Parents were invited for coffee and the Head and other senior staff toured the room talking to all parents. Each girl was sent a welcome card in the post and was handed a little booklet about the day. They were in small groups looked after by very capable Y11 girls. Then they were all given a balloon and brought back to the hall together with the parents waiting on the balcony so it was very easiy to spot your dd. The only sour note for me was not the school but some of the girls themselves who astonishingly started playing a game of it in the hall with the Head and Teachers present. Could they really be unaware that it is the whole package and not just how well they on the exam? I cannot imagine any child at our primary school starting a game of it when the Head was in the room so for girls who are trying to gain entrance to a heavily oversubscribed school it seems remarkable. Our children sit in silence when assembled and have to stand up and write lines if they even talk. If any of our children had behaved the way those girls behaved anywhere while representing the school they would be in serious trouble. They all knew each other so I can only assume they were prep girls. In terms of wanting a serious academic school for my dd I did find it worrying. Just would not have happened at Habs, City or St Pauls. So why did it happen there? Were they enouraged to let off steam?

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:15 pm
by Ed's mum
Forgive my ignorance but what does 'playing a game of it' mean?

Playing it.

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:36 pm
by Daogroupie
It is basically a simple chasing game. One person is it and chases the others trying to pass on the role of being it. If they manage to touch another person they become it snd so the chaser then becomes the chased. To make it more exciting either certain people or places can be ""home"" so you can shelter there before venturing out to risk being ""ittt'd" again. It is a very easy game for children to start, usually when they are waiting for adults, as they do not need anything but each other. My dd''s will play it anywhere with anyone but would not dream of doing it in any formal environment or anywhere where people or instruments could get knocked over. It is fast and furious as the chased try and dodge any contact with the chasers. Today the girls were running in and out of groups of people and of course knocking into them. We are used to seeing badly parented children doing stupid things where they should not but this is the very last environment we would expect to see this. Coming out of a private school exam???

Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:10 pm
by hermanmunster
no I understand - the game has different names all country, - was "TIG" where I grew up and the safe place was "BARLEY"

SAHS post-exam behaviour

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 2:24 pm
by clear_rule
Really, Dao, do you think that the Heads, etc. were on the look out for badly behaved kids?
Playing IT is not very acceptable indoors, but for many of these children it was their last exam. I saw it as children just letting-off steam!!

Posted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 9:00 pm
by fairydust2010
Does anyone know the figures to suggest how oversubscribed the school is?

Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:24 pm
by clear_rule
Has anyone hear about interview from SAGHS yet? :?:

Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:49 pm
by skools
Yes we had a letter today. We are going next Friday morning. Another friend received her letter today - she is also Friday morning.

St Albans Interviews

Posted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:32 pm
by Daogroupie
Well done Skools, we got friday morning too. What time is yours? pm me if you like.

Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:40 am
by fairydust2010
I would be interested to know how oversubscribed the school is for senior school places. Does anyone know how may applications they get for how many places? Thanks