QE Barnet preparation

[beoptima]

Assuming he qualifies, you still won't know whether you have a GS place - you could be too far away.

true..Strictly speaking, Milton Keynes is not in catchment for any grammar schools in Bucks but over the years pupil have been lucky to get places after clearing the entrance..with new estates being built around Buckingham, not sure if this will be the case forever..

[Guest55]

Are you within the distances allocated this year? Although even that isn't a guarantee - especially RLS.

[beoptima]

Are you within the distances allocated this year? Although even that isn't a guarantee - especially RLS.

Yes thanks..we are based at westcroft so it seems kids got offered last year from this estate..

[piggys]

No, it's not a burden for the tax payer; it's a burden for the schools. They have to pay for the marking out of their funds.

[streathammum]

... whose funds come from the taxpayer...

[piggys]

Funding for state schools has been cut massively under austerity. Don't be obtuse.

[streathammum]

Yes I know. I think we're on the same side here. It is true both that state schools are funded through general taxation AND that austerity has put enormous strain on public services.

If people sit tests in state schools when they have no intention of going to those schools they are wasting public money (which is the same as saying they are putting an added burden on the taxpayer - it's the same money). It is always bad to waste public money but the effect is even worse when school funding is so tight.

[mad?]

If people sit tests in state schools when they have no intention of going to those schools they are wasting public money (which is the same as saying they are putting an added burden on the taxpayer - it's the same money). It is always bad to waste public money but the effect is even worse when school funding is so tight.

Apologies for my inelegance, this is what I meant.

[Choco]

OP, would you consider yourself an exam tourist?

After all, your boy can only go to one school in the end and you can only live in one area.

By 'exposure' do you mean that you want him to have lots of practice at exams. Are you seeing the early ones as free mocks, without really planning to go to those schools. It does sound as if you have either already almost discounted some or know you won't get offers from them.

And a question for everyone else - this thing with taking exams all over the place and registering for any high achieving school, regardless of where it is, what do people think is a reasonable amount of schools for a child to put in for, in terms of sitting the exams? I know people are against sitting of significant numbers and sitting in places where they are never going to realistically move to, but what do you feel is acceptable?

Personally, I think parents should have visited the Open days and working open mornings and carefully assessed travel options or moving costs and house prices and other implications of a move before the child sits the exam, or better still, before they apply to sit. I maybe unusual in my view.

[tiffinboys]

Yours is a common sense view, Piggys. Unfortunately, common sense is in short supply.