Feeling Alone
Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators
-
Dorset Parent
Feeling Alone
Thanks everyone for your replies. Jed - thanks for your views on education in general. This whole business is making me think so much about it. I am interested in how your children are experiencing a grammar and a comp and I hope you continue to post your views on the site - I will be looking out for them.
Angelz - your son is amazing for doing an hour each day (and I am sure lots of other sons/daughters are amazing too). I find it hard to fit in with working (but I note you only had a week off in the holidays yourself), and other activities with both my children. I agree that pushing my daughter too hard doesn't work.
Patricia - thanks for your advice on questions to ask at the open evening this Thursday. I have written them down. And other advice too.
USA - you seem to be the oracle! I notice your posts on other people's questions. Do you run this site (I don't know much about it - I stumbled across it by accident when I was searching the internet for papers to download , not realising that nothing is free!) Yes it is BSG. How did you know the statistics if you are not local? I'm impressed! What does PM you mean? Please explain!! How do you know everything?
Everyone reading this (apart from Jed, who's already responded) any more views on whether it is a disadvantage to go to a secondary school without a sixth form? Has anyone else experienced this?
Angelz - your son is amazing for doing an hour each day (and I am sure lots of other sons/daughters are amazing too). I find it hard to fit in with working (but I note you only had a week off in the holidays yourself), and other activities with both my children. I agree that pushing my daughter too hard doesn't work.
Patricia - thanks for your advice on questions to ask at the open evening this Thursday. I have written them down. And other advice too.
USA - you seem to be the oracle! I notice your posts on other people's questions. Do you run this site (I don't know much about it - I stumbled across it by accident when I was searching the internet for papers to download , not realising that nothing is free!) Yes it is BSG. How did you know the statistics if you are not local? I'm impressed! What does PM you mean? Please explain!! How do you know everything?
Everyone reading this (apart from Jed, who's already responded) any more views on whether it is a disadvantage to go to a secondary school without a sixth form? Has anyone else experienced this?
Hallo Dorset Parent!
No - I do not run the site - but it did make me laugh - so thank you for that!! No - I do not know a lot, but like Jed, am very interested.
I live in America now but we would like our son to go back to a UK education next year.....hence my interest in this site, as obviously noone else here can help me. I remember a few years back a friend sitting for Bournemouth, but cant remember all the details. We lived in Richmond at the time and compared it to Tiffin where she had a 1 in 10 chance of getting in! A 1 in 3 seemed a doddle! (well at the time anyway!)
So, how can we help you out? Patricia is right - you have to ask questions. What is the weighting on the tests? Are they all equal marks? Sometimes VR is worth 50%. Does she have to pass all 3 or can her stronger subject carry her weaker one? What are the essay titles like?
Have you a technique bk on VR? You will have to work hard but if you both really want it, it will be worth it.
No - I do not run the site - but it did make me laugh - so thank you for that!! No - I do not know a lot, but like Jed, am very interested.
I live in America now but we would like our son to go back to a UK education next year.....hence my interest in this site, as obviously noone else here can help me. I remember a few years back a friend sitting for Bournemouth, but cant remember all the details. We lived in Richmond at the time and compared it to Tiffin where she had a 1 in 10 chance of getting in! A 1 in 3 seemed a doddle! (well at the time anyway!)
So, how can we help you out? Patricia is right - you have to ask questions. What is the weighting on the tests? Are they all equal marks? Sometimes VR is worth 50%. Does she have to pass all 3 or can her stronger subject carry her weaker one? What are the essay titles like?
Have you a technique bk on VR? You will have to work hard but if you both really want it, it will be worth it.
-
Dorset Parent
Feeling Alone
USA - thanks for the further info - I hadn't thought about weighting. So that's why you are called USA! I hope that VR is weighted more as her Maths is weak and the English tests seem such a high level for a 10 year old.
It's my day off work today and I have just come back from the visit to the popular comprehensive. From detailed questioning about the admissions procedure, I now know that it is not possible to get in as the cut off for outside catchment with no siblings is a road much nearer than us. There were lots of us there, living outside catchment and from questioning the others I was the furthest afield!
Jed - I hope you are reading this as you may relate to what I am about to say.
But the experience was useful. The presentation from the (male) head was so different from the secondary school evening last week. An emphasis on results, tables of statistics, lots of facts about how well the students do. A completely different approach. The talk last week from the female head was all about caring, courteousy, a good atmosphere for the girls to work in. Results were not touched upon, only that it was the best secondary in the town. No detailed charts! Obviously she stressed that she had high expectations for the girls and there are sets for many subjects. It's a single sex secondary without a sixth form. It did indeed have a good atmosphere and the girls who spoke and who showed us round seemed pleasant. We looked round the comprehensive and saw some lessons in action. Class sizes were small, calm atmosphere, sixth form seemed good, motivated students. Yet afterwards my daughter said she preferred the secondary as it was just girls!!
I asked the head about admissions to the sixth form and he said that people came from all sorts of schools - even from the grammar. He said the approach was different now. All applicants - including those already at the school - were judged on same criteria, grades, aptidues, suitability of subject and they were all interviewed. I am getting a better picture of what lies ahead and I cannot predict what my daughter's strengths will be in at that level, so I perhaps should not panic about a lack of sixth form at the secondary school.
I have rang up the secondary school and asked for a tour round the school when it is in action - as I missed it. I was told other parents have requested this and they will let me know when it is. I want to have another look and during the school day.
Tomorrow evening is the grammar school open evening. I wonder how that will go? Will this be the right school for my child even if she does get a place? I have an open mind for now but want to leave my options open, hence preparation for the tests.
If anyone out there has any thoughts on how they felt when visiting different types of schools, I would appreciate it. Even though I don't realistically stand a chance of getting into that good comp, I am so glad we visited. It has really made me think...
Any thoughts about school specialisms? Are they important? The secondary is a "Business and Enterprise College" and the comp is a specialist school (maths, science and technology). I will find out what the grammar schools is tomorrow.
It's my day off work today and I have just come back from the visit to the popular comprehensive. From detailed questioning about the admissions procedure, I now know that it is not possible to get in as the cut off for outside catchment with no siblings is a road much nearer than us. There were lots of us there, living outside catchment and from questioning the others I was the furthest afield!
Jed - I hope you are reading this as you may relate to what I am about to say.
But the experience was useful. The presentation from the (male) head was so different from the secondary school evening last week. An emphasis on results, tables of statistics, lots of facts about how well the students do. A completely different approach. The talk last week from the female head was all about caring, courteousy, a good atmosphere for the girls to work in. Results were not touched upon, only that it was the best secondary in the town. No detailed charts! Obviously she stressed that she had high expectations for the girls and there are sets for many subjects. It's a single sex secondary without a sixth form. It did indeed have a good atmosphere and the girls who spoke and who showed us round seemed pleasant. We looked round the comprehensive and saw some lessons in action. Class sizes were small, calm atmosphere, sixth form seemed good, motivated students. Yet afterwards my daughter said she preferred the secondary as it was just girls!!
I asked the head about admissions to the sixth form and he said that people came from all sorts of schools - even from the grammar. He said the approach was different now. All applicants - including those already at the school - were judged on same criteria, grades, aptidues, suitability of subject and they were all interviewed. I am getting a better picture of what lies ahead and I cannot predict what my daughter's strengths will be in at that level, so I perhaps should not panic about a lack of sixth form at the secondary school.
I have rang up the secondary school and asked for a tour round the school when it is in action - as I missed it. I was told other parents have requested this and they will let me know when it is. I want to have another look and during the school day.
Tomorrow evening is the grammar school open evening. I wonder how that will go? Will this be the right school for my child even if she does get a place? I have an open mind for now but want to leave my options open, hence preparation for the tests.
If anyone out there has any thoughts on how they felt when visiting different types of schools, I would appreciate it. Even though I don't realistically stand a chance of getting into that good comp, I am so glad we visited. It has really made me think...
Any thoughts about school specialisms? Are they important? The secondary is a "Business and Enterprise College" and the comp is a specialist school (maths, science and technology). I will find out what the grammar schools is tomorrow.
-
Guest
Re: Feeling Alone
Hi sorry for the delay in replying. This maybe a bit long winded but I will try to keep it as relevant as possible.Dorset Parent wrote:Dear All
SJ - Your experience is very similar to mine at my local school, but at least you had practice tests. You express exactly what I feel. How are you doing now as you sound at a similar stage to me (but ahead). Please let me know if possible.
The local grammar school contacted our primary school with a standard letter advising parents that they could register their children to have the practice 11+ papers sent direct to the primary school for the pupils to complete at the headmasters discretion.
I started reviewing secondary schools when my son was in Yr 5 as I was aware that I would not be able to get around and look at all of the schools I wanted to, as invariably their open evenings coincided.
We have looked at 2 grammar schools and got a completely different feeling from both, one being single sex and the other mixed & 3 local comps. The problem was that 1 of the comps is being merged into an academy with 2 other schools and this academy will have 2200 pupils and had not been built (and still not completed). One other had a speciality Science status and the 3rd really wasn't an option as far as I was concerned, but I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt as a lot of the children from our primary school attended this school.
We moved recently(unexpectedly and not to try to gain a better secondary school education, I hasten to add) and so am now having to look at completely different comp schools, but the grammar schools are still the same ones.
With regard to the grammar schools, one has a speciality status in Engineering & Languages and had a presentation that was extremely relaxed and quite humorous, but stipulated that they wanted to get the best out of their pupils and touched on their academic achievements. The other has a speciality in the performing arts(not my sons favourite thing) and its presentation was about what was expected from the children, statistics, results, basic hard work and pastoral care.
I thought that both my son and husband would prefer the more relaxed approach, but both surprised me and preferred the mixed school with the "expectation" presentation.
This is probably all academic as he may not have passed, but even if he has he may not be offered a place as we are still out of catchment. With regard to the looking at the local comp schools now that wehave moved, the first one is on 28.9.06. I still think that it is difficult to get a real feeling for a school on their open evenings etc as there is always so many people trying to do the same and you cannot always get to ask about specify areas of concern with regard to your child.
My overwhelming concern is something that I have experienced in primary education, is that those that are able, do enough to keep"above standard", but it is not an accurate picture of what they are capable of. They are not pushed or extended as the school/teacher has to pitch the lessons according to the "average"and the extra resources available are used by those not achieving the required standard, so those that are above standard can in fact start to stagnate! Don't get me wrong I am under no illusion that children do plato out, but sometimes it is just so obvious that the are just doing enough to get by.
Recently a "outgoing" teacher commented on my son after receiving his 11+ practice paper results & sats results saying "I don't think we or your child have always recognised his potential" How frustrating is that!
What sort of questions are people asking when they view a secondary school as a possible option for their child? What sort of things are they looking for? Does anyone consider if the school has a speciality status as a good thing or do people thing they are just a "selling point" and not really worth the paper they are written on so to speak.
Anyway hoe to hear from you all soon
It is a good to read the ofsted reports from top to bottom and go back to the school if you gave any question. You can compare the schools for both lower school and sixth form; and also the league tables.
It is also useful to find out how many hours per week.fortnight pupils spend on each subject. Some schools spend more time on the core subjects, other have more subjects with less time on each.
It is also useful to find out how many hours per week.fortnight pupils spend on each subject. Some schools spend more time on the core subjects, other have more subjects with less time on each.
-
SJ
Thanks Catherine, much appreciatedCatherine wrote:It is a good to read the ofsted reports from top to bottom and go back to the school if you gave any question. You can compare the schools for both lower school and sixth form; and also the league tables.
It is also useful to find out how many hours per week.fortnight pupils spend on each subject. Some schools spend more time on the core subjects, other have more subjects with less time on each.
