11 Plus Exams Forum

I think this illustrates how demoralising the boundary changes have been for a whole group of children. I have a child due to enter secondary school in 2012, and I now think that I am not prepared to raise my child's expectations and hopes, and ask my child to do its absolute best, when the odds are so stacked against. I am sorry for your daughter Concerned and hope you get the right school for her over the next few months.
I won't be posting here again - I feel this forum has totally ignored the plight of children like mine and Concerned's. Even the thread on the 2012 consultation got hijacked for some odd ramble that suited parents with the right postcode better. There is no valid information and no support for people like us on the Northants borders, the best we can hope for on this forum is a thread entitled "Why don't out of catchments move to catchment?"

How disappointing that you feel this way.
This forum will be what we make it really.
If you.want your viewpoint represented you need to.stay.
I have tried to ensure that posts remain balanced and on topic. In fact I spent 2 WHOLE days on here this week doing just that. It was a thankless task to be honest.

It's not just the rambling off topic, and I could see that Ed's mum had made efforts to stop this. It is more the fact that nobody ever acknowledges how thoroughly let down the children on the Northants border have been, by the head of the school they have a right to choose not to attend, by their own education authority, and by Warwickshire education authority. We would never have chosen to live here had we known that the Greenwich rule, which we thought was law, could be disregarded as it has been, and that our children's future would be affected in this way.

I do not feel that there is any acknowledgement or support for people in our position on this forum. It is more a case of "well, you chose to live there and we pay our council taxes so our children deserve these places more...." The results thread rightly celebrates the achievements of the children who have won GS places, but where is the thread celebrating the achievements of the children over the border who have scored over 303 - often well over 303 - but have no place?

And this really is my last post.

I do have sympathy with you, Ronald. We live quite literally on the boundary line for the Eastern catchment outer area and it was nearly impossible to get a definitive answer as to whether we would be included in round 1 until we had actually applied. Our DD scored extremely highly so we would have been in the same situation as you had we lived over the road! Where I originally come from there are some excellent grammar schools that have an inner catchment area, and then everyone else (!), thus supporting the needs of those who specifically live in the area either by chance or for that reason, and also giving those who don't at least a fighting chance! I lived in a small village at the time, definately out of the catchment but due to my brilliance (and modesty!) was able to secure a place as a high scoring 'everyone else'! Grammar schools have closed, jobs mean people have to move, finances ensure you stay put, family commitments beckon..there are many excellent reasons why people are not able to live in a catchment area but have a child who will shine at a grammar school. It may be worth lobbying, if you can gather support, for change. I suppose, as with everything, the amount someone is prepared to get involved very much depends on how it affects them currently! I hope your child gets every opportunity they deserve. Edsmum..I realise this is a little off topic, please feel free to move it. I was just hoping that Ronald would see the reply and so used the thread currently utilised.

I don't think there is a lack of sympathy for people who are out of catchment, I think most people accept that the grammar system is not very fair. The only way I can see it becoming fairer, is to bring back grammars in every area and ensuring that the test is undertaken by all children within catchment and places offered to the top performers. However there will always be parents who invest in tutoring and areas where lower scores are required etc so every year some people will be disappointed.

It's just not a fair system but then education isn't fair - some schools are better than others, some teachers are better than others, some parents can afford to pay...

I think any child who has a parent who is willing to invest time to support though, will generally do well regardless of where they are.

ernestcyril wrote:I do have sympathy with you, Ronald. We live quite literally on the boundary line for the Eastern catchment outer area and it was nearly impossible to get a definitive answer as to whether we would be included in round 1 until we had actually applied. Our DD scored extremely highly so we would have been in the same situation as you had we lived over the road! Where I originally come from there are some excellent grammar schools that have an inner catchment area, and then everyone else (!), thus supporting the needs of those who specifically live in the area either by chance or for that reason, and also giving those who don't at least a fighting chance! I lived in a small village at the time, definately out of the catchment but due to my brilliance (and modesty!) was able to secure a place as a high scoring 'everyone else'! Grammar schools have closed, jobs mean people have to move, finances ensure you stay put, family commitments beckon..there are many excellent reasons why people are not able to live in a catchment area but have a child who will shine at a grammar school. It may be worth lobbying, if you can gather support, for change. I suppose, as with everything, the amount someone is prepared to get involved very much depends on how it affects them currently! I hope your child gets every opportunity they deserve. Edsmum..I realise this is a little off topic, please feel free to move it. I was just hoping that Ronald would see the reply and so used the thread currently utilised.

I understand.
I might have a go at putting these last few comments into another thread. Done.
It's a shame Ronald has felt like he cannot continue to post and I too feel huge sympathy for how the catchment changed and affected people. We were lucky and able to move house to be within catchment; not everyone can do that.