Word of Caution

winnie · Post by **winnie** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 10:57 pm

Well said Kent mum - as both a teacher and a mum I can vouch for the wisdom of 'knowing your own child'. My son has always been one of those very fortunate children who has found school work relatively plain sailing. In year 5 he came up against an English teacher who had many problems in her personal life which sadly affected the quality of her teaching. Result? A set of bright capable children who became demotivated and careless towards their work. As parents we fell into two distinct groups: those who said "ah well, c'est la vie, if he's bright enough he'll get through the 11+" and those (me included) who said "No, my child belongs at Grammar school, I'm getting a tutor in to build the confidence back up". Neither reaction is wrong of course!
I would hope that I am principled enough NOT to push a child into the grammar system if they were not capable of succeeding. Far better to be in the top 20% of a comprehensive than the bottom 20% of the grammar. It's all about aptitude + confidence at the end of the day.

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 11:37 pm

Someone has to be in the bottom 20% !!

It sounds as if the bottom 20% should not be there in Grammar school. It is a great shame that children should be made to feel failures just because they are not near the top. It is the thorny issue of how to encourage children without making the competitiveness such that those who do not "win" feel they are failing.

Some studies have indicated that it is the borderline children who may derive most benefit from being in a Grammar school in terms of their academic progress.

Darren · Post by **Darren** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:43 am

I'd love to put my kids in the local comp just down the road unfortunately these are really poor performing schools and scary places to be when the kids come out.

I have no choice I'm forced to put my kids through 11+ ****.

Darren · Post by **Darren** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 8:45 am

I didn't swear on my post by the way.

Some reason it has blocked the word H-ell

007 · Post by **007** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 11:42 am

I also agree about the coaching.I gave my daughter the VR and NVR test papers to look at 10 weeks before the exams.If she found them difficult I would not have bothered to go ahead with it.As it happens she got three quaters of the papers right first time,so I thought let's go ahead.The only problem she has is when i started timing her for the VR papers she just can't finish them in time.The questions she does finish are nearlt all correct!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 4:41 pm

It sounds as if the bottom 20% should not be there in Grammar school.

I think from a statistical point of view this is impossible!!! Somebody has to be in the bottom 20%!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 10, 2007 6:15 pm

Alex wrote:Someone has to be in the bottom 20% !!

It sounds as if the bottom 20% should not be there in Grammar school. It is a great shame that children should be made to feel failures just because they are not near the top. It is the thorny issue of how to encourage children without making the competitiveness such that those who do not "win" feel they are failing.

Some studies have indicated that it is the borderline children who may derive most benefit from being in a Grammar school in terms of their academic progress.

I think you will find that in the good grammars the bottom 20% is probably equal to the top sets in a comp. I know in my daughters school, they don't do "bottom sets" as they girls are all bright and they don't want them to feel that they aren't.