Did your state teacher recommend your DC for grammar?

[ConcernedDad]

Thanks for sharing Zeinab. Wish this forum also had a Like button aka facebook.

[laretta]

On a similar note, 4 years ago when dd1 received her offer of gs place - the English teacher at school asked where she was going to high school - she replied - and the teacher said "good luck" but not it the way one might expect. It was more of a condescending you're gonna need it 'good luck' shocking! As it turns out dd has just been diagnosed with dyslexia, shame it was not picked up sooner, as with many bright children she found ways of hiding her difficulties - and clearly her primary teacher just thought she wasn't up to it.

[aargh]

I am shocked by these teachers of whom you speak.
The Y6 teacher at my school was greatly disappointed this year that despite all her encouragement and speaking to parents, none of her brightest pupils even tried taking the test. Several of them looked like dead certs.

[DC17C]

Early in Yr5 I did ask my DD's teacher what he thought about her trying for GS entrance test and he thought she should probably try it but did not give me any idea of what he thought he chances were. She has a qualifying score for 3 schools so just waiting for the 1st of March to see where she is going!

This year with DS the same teacher was much more forthcoming at parents evening and showed me DS's CAT scores and that he was very supportive that DS should try the test. He did say that he was not so familiar with 11+ last year as new to the area so that may be explains the different approach.

[KS10]

I think that's really important. When teachers train, the 11+ doesn't even figure. And where you end up teaching affects your ability to comment on the 11+. I suppose that given we're in an area where there are no grammar schools I wouldn't expect the teachers to comment on my DC's chance of success.

[mv45]

Good luck for next Thursday!

[Moonlight]

Hi

So, Back to the original question "did teacher recommend? **** no! but they will surely take the credit if DD gets offered a place.

On 1st March they will be jumping with joy when 11 plus results come in as traditionally some of the credit goes to primary schools. Not in my case, I have had to support my DD myself.

I know what you mean with this. Our primary Head Teacher was very happy to share grammar school success with new prospective parents as it looked good on their school. My son got a place at grammar school because of the extra work he put in not because of any help that he got at his primary. Once he reached level 5 with his subjects that was it, job done!

[aliportico]

My dd1 was home educated, but went to school for the middle term of Y5, and it was her teacher there who suggested she had a decent chance of getting into the grammar school. Not having been involved with schools beforehand I had no idea it even existed, lol! And my dh, who grew up in this town, thought it was a private school. So I am rather grateful to that teacher

[Booklady]

[quote="mv45"]On 1st March they will be jumping with joy when 11 plus results come in as traditionally some of the credit goes to primary schools. Not in my case, I have had to support my DD myself. quote]

Ditto - I always feel my DD got her grammar school place in spite of the school - not because of it! Its down to the hard work she, we and her tutor put in!!

[MrsChubbs]

Having seen numerous children over the years who were a "dead cert" for qualifying in the Bucks 11+ exams and who then didn't for whatever reason, I would think it is a brave teacher or Head who pins their colours to the mast and definitively states "your child should pass". In America if this happened they would probably be sued if they then didn't.
Saying that though, most teachers who are familiar with the system and test should have a fair view of the child's ability and I would hope they would encourage every child to take the test unless it would stress them out. The Bucks system is opt out after all.
Mrs C