Can you request friends in form class?
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Can you request friends in form class?
This for those already with kids at Watford and/or Parmiters.
My child is a bit timid and does not make friends easliy. So being a mum you worry. Its not that he will be on his own forever - but it takes him time. I am worried that those first few weeks and indeed the first half term will have an impact on his life at high school.
Basically what I am trying to ask you is that would we be able to specify if someone that he already knows from current primary school to be in the same form/class? I appreciate they will get split according to ability in maths etc, but what about having a friend in his form class.
Could we request a friend in his form class?
My child is a bit timid and does not make friends easliy. So being a mum you worry. Its not that he will be on his own forever - but it takes him time. I am worried that those first few weeks and indeed the first half term will have an impact on his life at high school.
Basically what I am trying to ask you is that would we be able to specify if someone that he already knows from current primary school to be in the same form/class? I appreciate they will get split according to ability in maths etc, but what about having a friend in his form class.
Could we request a friend in his form class?
Watford Boys tend to put 2 or 3 boys from the same primary in the same form, for just this reason. If a primary has lots of boys at the school, they spread them out, presumably to avoid creating cliques. They do a good job of settling the new children (and Watford Girls does it even better, IMO). I'm sure Parmiter's is similar.
My DD is at Parmiter's - she was the only one who went there from her primary. I think the school did a super job of helping her - & all the others - settle in. As with Watford Girls / boys, they tend to spread out kids from the same primary school across the classes.
It sounds like you think a number of your son's current classmates may go to school with him. I'm sure Parmiter's would consider your request to put him with a friend, but you should also encourage your son to join as many clubs as he can (something for everyone!) & try hard to mix. Primary friendships seem to often fall by the wayside when children go to secondary.
BTW, they are not set in Yr 7 so all the teaching is done in class (they are placed in one of two bands on entry).
It sounds like you think a number of your son's current classmates may go to school with him. I'm sure Parmiter's would consider your request to put him with a friend, but you should also encourage your son to join as many clubs as he can (something for everyone!) & try hard to mix. Primary friendships seem to often fall by the wayside when children go to secondary.
BTW, they are not set in Yr 7 so all the teaching is done in class (they are placed in one of two bands on entry).
Busy Bee, my child is in Parmiter's year 7, I was a bit worried about the friendship thing too. I had a big chat with the head of year seven, who really put my mind at rest.
As Tense said, firstly they are split into one of two ability bands, and they are then randomly allocated a form within those bands. She said that they spread all the same name children fairly across the classes (so that there aren't seven Emily's in one form for example), she specified that they did not allocate on the basis of who was best friends with who, and when I asked if there was a chance that my child could be in with their friends, she said it was down to luck of the draw. Anyway, as Tense says, all these weeks into year 7 life, and the old frienships are history, lots of new pals now!
As Tense said, firstly they are split into one of two ability bands, and they are then randomly allocated a form within those bands. She said that they spread all the same name children fairly across the classes (so that there aren't seven Emily's in one form for example), she specified that they did not allocate on the basis of who was best friends with who, and when I asked if there was a chance that my child could be in with their friends, she said it was down to luck of the draw. Anyway, as Tense says, all these weeks into year 7 life, and the old frienships are history, lots of new pals now!
Just to be clear, at WB and WG (unlike Parmiter's), there's no banding in the form allocation. All the forms are mixed ability.
Also, if you have the reverse problem, i.e. a child that's been bullying yours and you want to avoid, all the schools will want to accommodate you on that.
[edited: I incorrectly said Queens' grouped by ability.]
Also, if you have the reverse problem, i.e. a child that's been bullying yours and you want to avoid, all the schools will want to accommodate you on that.
[edited: I incorrectly said Queens' grouped by ability.]
