School choice - a possible compromise?
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You see I would approach this differently.
Yes, once she's started in secondary education she should (wherever possible) remain in the same school, but I don't think that choice should automatically be CLC (or any other private school).
In your situation I would go with DD and visit both options and (supposing you're MORE than happy with both schools) then, after laying the scenario out for her, give DD the option of choosing the school she goes to.
I don't see why, just because you can afford to, that you should send any child to private school if they have passed (and therefore qualify for) GS. If you've qualified you have as much 'right' as others to attend.
Good luck with your decision.
Yes, once she's started in secondary education she should (wherever possible) remain in the same school, but I don't think that choice should automatically be CLC (or any other private school).
In your situation I would go with DD and visit both options and (supposing you're MORE than happy with both schools) then, after laying the scenario out for her, give DD the option of choosing the school she goes to.
I don't see why, just because you can afford to, that you should send any child to private school if they have passed (and therefore qualify for) GS. If you've qualified you have as much 'right' as others to attend.
Good luck with your decision.
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silverflora
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- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:47 pm
Thank you all for your valuable insights. I knew it wouldn't be as straightforward as I had thought initially.
We have visited CLC a number of times over the years, and will be going to see Pates tomorrow, DD armed with a list of things she wants to ask about/ check out.
I think you are all right - moving after 2 years is probably a bad plan - so we will go with whatever decision we make before March - and stick with it for the following 7 years. Let's hope its the right one!
We have visited CLC a number of times over the years, and will be going to see Pates tomorrow, DD armed with a list of things she wants to ask about/ check out.
I think you are all right - moving after 2 years is probably a bad plan - so we will go with whatever decision we make before March - and stick with it for the following 7 years. Let's hope its the right one!
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hermanmunster
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- Location: The Seaside
Good luck with your visits Silverflora, difficult making decisions like this I think.
You are right to go at least with the attitude that this is for the 7 years of course there is always a plan B if the child is not happy / does not get on etc but it shouldn't be public knowledge.
I used to get quite concerned at DDs school where parents used to say "I going to send her to x, but if that doesn't work out she can move to y" - didn't feel it encouraged kids to settle in.
You are right to go at least with the attitude that this is for the 7 years of course there is always a plan B if the child is not happy / does not get on etc but it shouldn't be public knowledge.
I used to get quite concerned at DDs school where parents used to say "I going to send her to x, but if that doesn't work out she can move to y" - didn't feel it encouraged kids to settle in.
Sorry I don't know Pates or CLC, but I'm just wondering why these are the only two schools that figure in your current thoughts. Is there some specific reason why your daughter can only go to one of these two schools (or both for a short time under your current proposal?)
And I'm not 100% sure that I understood your opening post - you said you had always thought both children would go to CLC, but then DD1 passed for Pates ....... why did she sit it in that case? And also you say that the second daughter will not get into CLC .......... so why did you always think both daughters would go there?
Is CLC very academic these days? Would she be a border or a day girl?
Sorry for the questions, Perplexed by Name, Perplexed by Nature
And I'm not 100% sure that I understood your opening post - you said you had always thought both children would go to CLC, but then DD1 passed for Pates ....... why did she sit it in that case? And also you say that the second daughter will not get into CLC .......... so why did you always think both daughters would go there?
Is CLC very academic these days? Would she be a border or a day girl?
Sorry for the questions, Perplexed by Name, Perplexed by Nature
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silverflora
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 12:47 pm
Sorry to not have explained properly, but I had initially put both DDs down for CLC - this was 6 years ago!
I naively thought that both would be fairly similar in their capabilities - they were only reception aged children then.
However, they have turned out completely differently and DD1 is bright, DD2 needs additional educational support. Pates is extremely hard to get into, CLC is much easier but not easy enough for DD2.
I like both schools much more than any other in Glos - but do need to find a 3rd which will cater for DD2's needs. I am still looking - see my other post!
I naively thought that both would be fairly similar in their capabilities - they were only reception aged children then.
However, they have turned out completely differently and DD1 is bright, DD2 needs additional educational support. Pates is extremely hard to get into, CLC is much easier but not easy enough for DD2.
I like both schools much more than any other in Glos - but do need to find a 3rd which will cater for DD2's needs. I am still looking - see my other post!
Thank you, I understand your question now ........... sort of .............. as I've just looked at the results of Cheltenham Ladies versus Pate's, and my gut reaction was why would one choose Cheltenham Ladies for a girl who could get into Pates?
Am I missing something? I don't know Gloucestershire or these two schools, but you have narrowed the whole of Gloucestershire down to two possible schools, one of which is selective independent but for that category has pretty mediocre GCSE results.
Sorry you did ask for advice, but until your search criteria are clearer I can't see how anyone can give you sensible advice on CLS versus Pate's. You also talk about your daughter having "upset the apple cart" by passing for Pate's - I presume this was tongue in cheek.
Why did your daughter sit the test for Pate's?
Am I missing something? I don't know Gloucestershire or these two schools, but you have narrowed the whole of Gloucestershire down to two possible schools, one of which is selective independent but for that category has pretty mediocre GCSE results.
Sorry you did ask for advice, but until your search criteria are clearer I can't see how anyone can give you sensible advice on CLS versus Pate's. You also talk about your daughter having "upset the apple cart" by passing for Pate's - I presume this was tongue in cheek.
Why did your daughter sit the test for Pate's?
Is it too late to have another look around at the options that are available?
I understand that there are several Grammars in your area, one of which may be more suitable for your elder daughter, especially when you look past the prestige attached to Pates and CLC.
Your daughter is just as entitled to a place at Grammar as anyone else who passes, regardless of their family income.
I would also suggest that your younger daughter might benefit from attending a different school. There is the danger that she might feel that people are comparing her to her sister, even if this isn't the case.
Good luck with your difficult decision.
I understand that there are several Grammars in your area, one of which may be more suitable for your elder daughter, especially when you look past the prestige attached to Pates and CLC.
Your daughter is just as entitled to a place at Grammar as anyone else who passes, regardless of their family income.
I would also suggest that your younger daughter might benefit from attending a different school. There is the danger that she might feel that people are comparing her to her sister, even if this isn't the case.
Good luck with your difficult decision.
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herewegoagain
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T.i.p.s.y
I don't know if CLC has some magic other than exam results, that was why I was asking. I looked up GCSE results on the DCSF performance tables - all I looked at was the official results for GCSE for 2007 that are placed on the internet - Pates was streets ahead on 5 A* to C etc etc. Maybe there is some reason for the discrepancy - like I said I don't know anything about either school, but if that is what I was looking at I would not choose CLC over Pates. Does CLC only put the less able kids through GCSE? Or was 2007 a bad year? Are there results mostly iGCSE and therefore not on the DCSF published stats?
I expected a response from the original poster who is asking for advice, not snappy responses from others. TIPSY you are no longer a shadow of your former self!
However, I would be expecting magic as well as the exam results, not instead of them. As you yourself have said TIPSY, at GCSE one does not have to be that clever to get a string of As or A*s. Maybe CLC is uplifting the results of some not so clever kids, I don't know, but would that make it the first choice school one would choose for a child who got into Pates. I really don't know. But maybe the results I have seen on DCSF for CLC are just for plain old GCSE and they do something else much superior that does not count. I don't know!
I expected a response from the original poster who is asking for advice, not snappy responses from others. TIPSY you are no longer a shadow of your former self!
However, I would be expecting magic as well as the exam results, not instead of them. As you yourself have said TIPSY, at GCSE one does not have to be that clever to get a string of As or A*s. Maybe CLC is uplifting the results of some not so clever kids, I don't know, but would that make it the first choice school one would choose for a child who got into Pates. I really don't know. But maybe the results I have seen on DCSF for CLC are just for plain old GCSE and they do something else much superior that does not count. I don't know!
