Update and advice for parents going through this process
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Wildfuture
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Re: Update and advice for parents going through this process
Where did I get that from?! Apologies. That's why I never went to grammar school. If you include Birmingham applicants probably looking at 4 apps per placeMadDad1975 wrote:Don't worry - they're wrong! There's c630 places but nowhere near 20,000 GS applicants - closer to 2000.guest201 wrote:Dont fancy those odds!!Wildfuture wrote:There are roughly 30 applicants (maybe more) for every grammar school place in Warwickshire
Re: Update and advice for parents going through this process
Thanks for taking the time to post this OP - your post rings true to me already even though my DS is only in year 5 and obviously hasn't even sat the test yet. He too would be described as "a Maths whizz who hates comprehension" and my main concern with regards to the test would be that he won't perform as well in the VR section as the Maths & NVR.
That said, we have already looked around a high school (because there's so many to have a look at we thought we'd tick a few off the list now!) and were both thrilled with the school when we looked around it; so much so that I questioned him taking the test altogether! We are lucky that we've found a back up already and it just so happens to be the high school that's nearest to us, albeit we are in Worcs not Warks.
That said, we have already looked around a high school (because there's so many to have a look at we thought we'd tick a few off the list now!) and were both thrilled with the school when we looked around it; so much so that I questioned him taking the test altogether! We are lucky that we've found a back up already and it just so happens to be the high school that's nearest to us, albeit we are in Worcs not Warks.
Re: Update and advice for parents going through this process
Thank you all for your replies. I am so glad I posted this now as I think it has shown there can still be a light at the end of the tunnel irrespective of the score in the 11plus.
LJandCJ it sounds like you are doing a better job than me, as we actively discounted our local comp quite publicly with our son as we were 100% confident that he would ‘pass’!! (So foolish and naive now, I realise) My husband and I met at grammar school and we assumed he’d follow but I can honestly say the CEM test is insanely difficult. I have an A grade in A level English Literature and a first class teaching degree and I had to look up definitions of words and struggled with some of the comprehension answers (of which there were often two answers intentionally plausible).
I think there is an incredible amount of competition for GS places these days from further and further out and children are sadly tutored for a year/two years to specifically pass that test. This wasn’t something I was prepared to do and I’m happy with that decision.
Our second born is now in Year 4 and so the thoughts begin again. I will give him the same opportunity as our eldest, but I WILL NOT jeopardize his happiness and mental health for the sake of an exam at the age of 11.
It’s very easy to get carried away, but as others have said, children are only so for such a short space of time and happiness to me will always come first.
Good luck everyone. The very fact that we are on this forum means we are all united in the fact that we care and place importance on education. Children from backgrounds like that will generally do well, if they themselves want to and the support system is in place for them. We’re all just doing the best we can and no one has all the answers, so hats off to everyone winging it as best as the next Parent.
Xx
LJandCJ it sounds like you are doing a better job than me, as we actively discounted our local comp quite publicly with our son as we were 100% confident that he would ‘pass’!! (So foolish and naive now, I realise) My husband and I met at grammar school and we assumed he’d follow but I can honestly say the CEM test is insanely difficult. I have an A grade in A level English Literature and a first class teaching degree and I had to look up definitions of words and struggled with some of the comprehension answers (of which there were often two answers intentionally plausible).
I think there is an incredible amount of competition for GS places these days from further and further out and children are sadly tutored for a year/two years to specifically pass that test. This wasn’t something I was prepared to do and I’m happy with that decision.
Our second born is now in Year 4 and so the thoughts begin again. I will give him the same opportunity as our eldest, but I WILL NOT jeopardize his happiness and mental health for the sake of an exam at the age of 11.
It’s very easy to get carried away, but as others have said, children are only so for such a short space of time and happiness to me will always come first.
Good luck everyone. The very fact that we are on this forum means we are all united in the fact that we care and place importance on education. Children from backgrounds like that will generally do well, if they themselves want to and the support system is in place for them. We’re all just doing the best we can and no one has all the answers, so hats off to everyone winging it as best as the next Parent.
Xx
