"The Myth Behind School Admissions"

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Sally-Anne
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Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

"The Myth Behind School Admissions"

Post by Sally-Anne »

Sorry to dislodge March 2nd and Time to Register from the top of the list, but back in the real world, there's an interesting article in today's Telegraph, showing that 1 in 6 children failed to get into their first choice school nationally.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... nedu10.xml

The figures by County are shown here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... edu410.xml

To save Rosey et al wasting valuable posting/eating/drinking time the figures for Bucks & Kent are 44% and 25% respectively!

(Dame) Sally-Anne
BradPitt

Post by BradPitt »

These figures could be a little misleading. In Medway first and second choices were classed as equal first. I don't know if that was the same everywhere.
Therefore, if you passed you got into your first choice Grammar and if you failed (sorry, were deemed to be non-selective) you got into your first choice high school. I'm sure if the figures were re-calculated on that basis they would be quite different.
I am only aware of 2 people at my daughters school who didn't get into their first or second choice schools and that was really down to them not being realistic over their choices.
Lies, damn lies and statistics!!!
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

Oooooooooooooh! Is that the REAL Brad Pitt?!

Yes, Brad, I agree with you. I originally posted this article on the Bucks forum, and we have had the same debate there - do the figures reflect a "raw" first choice of school, i.e. before 11+ results, etc?

What still interests me very much though is the difference between Kent and Bucks. Both are selective, and yet one scores significantly better than the other.

Forgive my ignorance, but is Kent 100% selective in the way that Bucks is, in that the 11+ is taken by all children unless the parents choose to withdraw their child?

Sally-Anne
BradPitt

Post by BradPitt »

Sally-Anne, Medway is a separate Education Authority to Kent but in both the decision to take the test or not is down to the parents (and children!).
Obviously, the schools try to give guidance although they cannot say whether your child should take it or not.
Personally, I think all children should take it and then schools should be selected after you know the result. It seems crazy to me that you have to go through the process of picking schools before you know whether you have passed or failed. Obviously, for those that decide not to take it the decision is easier as they only have to choose their favourite non-grammar schools.
Oh, and yes I am the real Brad Pitt. (I wish!!!)
Tired Mum
Posts: 452
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:23 am
Location: Hop County

Post by Tired Mum »

Sally Anne thanks for the link to the article - we are officially a statistic! I do agree that the stats can be interpreted in different ways however as a 'statistic' with a 6th Choice school (18% of us in this borough) I would like to know what happens to those parents with bright children who have very little options available.

I suppose you could move house? Why should I? I live in an area where my local school (despite being renamed) is a 'dive'- yes some children do succeed there but they are, as a proportion of those attending, very few. I try not to hold much store with the league tables; I believe that if you have lived long enough in the community you know which schools are 'good' and which are 'bad', typically by the behaviour of the children in public and from the experiences of other parents.

My local school is 'bad' and .9 of a mile from my house. My next school is 1 mile from my house and just happens to be a Super Selective. The school after that is 1.9 miles away is a 'good' school - again not sure where they are in the league tables (don't really care even to look); the children are generally well behaved in public, neat and tidy, parents I know with children there past and present are very happy with the standard of education, therefore I call it a 'good' school.

I am unfortunate that while my child passed the grammar threshold with flying colours she is just on the border of super selective (see other threads - 1 point) - so I got the 'bad' school. I've not looked at the league tables to see where they are, as a parent knowing my child I feel it is not suitable for her educationally or emotionally.

Although I have been told on countless occasions that "the cream rises to the top", I have a 40 year old brother who was in the same situation at 11 and was bullied mercilessly when he was placed in a similar environment. Incidentally, he cried when he learned of his niece's predicament last week as it brought back those memories. Oh - he didn't rise to the top!

I know that the system says I have a right to express a preference - actually all I wanted was a choice that would suit my child. I suppose that is too much to ask.
neurotic kent mum
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Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 12:40 am

Post by neurotic kent mum »

You have every right. My choices were more staightforward. I so hope you can work your way through this minefield. Cream might rise to the top but my dcr would be swamped with the need to be liked long before she rose above it. The bison has it in this situation.
Footymad
Posts: 149
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2006 1:17 pm
Location: nr yorks

Post by Footymad »

My daughter is one in the 8% in lancashire that didn't get their first choice school? :x

Seems very low?? :? :?

Footymad :oops:
nomorefingernails
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 3:01 pm
Location: kent

Post by nomorefingernails »

This does sound very low when you bear in mind that out of my daughters class of 31, 7 haven't been given a place at any of their 3 preferences :!:
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