St Ambrose Appeals

Eleven Plus (11+) in Trafford

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now
Oasis
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:35 pm

St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Oasis »

Just wondering if anyone has had a successful appeal at St Ambrose this year?
I think they have been extremely harsh. The appeal was so emotionally draining & all the stress & heartache was in vain!
Nimbus
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat May 18, 2013 12:23 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Nimbus »

I'm sorry if you did not get the result you were hoping for. It's an awful business.
Oasis
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:35 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Oasis »

Thanks Nimbus,

Yes you are right. I did not think it would affect me the way it did! The panels have no idea what you have been through to get to this stage. I just keep thinking about the long, difficult journey we had to get here, overcoming all the adversity, the revision, the tests, the results, the allocations, the preference appeal, statement & hearing! It's the principle that's annoying me, it boils down to being the wrong faith, even though they are state funded, they don't want to represent the state! The £24million of taxpayer funds would have been better spent shared between the equally needy `more inclusive' grammars!

We just have to be thankful for having a grammar school allocation, even if its not the preferred one. For the boy who had been written off by his teachers, grandparents, & other family members, we proved them all wrong, after some intervention, a lot of perseverance, and a little bit of luck!
Oshosh
Posts: 265
Joined: Tue Oct 16, 2012 9:35 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Oshosh »

Hello oasis,

My heart went out to you and Ur Ds, when i read your last statement. Faith schools were never my favourite- however in this day and age where youngesters are going stray- religion is needed.

You are not in the wrong faith- whoever said that!!!!!!!. pls pass on congrulations to your DS, you must be one pround parent. No matter what happens your faith in your DS ability will never lessen- i can see one strong DS there- keep it going.

My DS will be going to trafford grammar as well. So hopefully we will bump into each other.
Nimbus
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat May 18, 2013 12:23 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Nimbus »

Oasis wrote:Thanks Nimbus,

Yes you are right. I did not think it would affect me the way it did! The panels have no idea what you have been through to get to this stage. I just keep thinking about the long, difficult journey we had to get here, overcoming all the adversity, the revision, the tests, the results, the allocations, the preference appeal, statement & hearing! It's the principle that's annoying me, it boils down to being the wrong faith, even though they are state funded, they don't want to represent the state! The £24million of taxpayer funds would have been better spent shared between the equally needy `more inclusive' grammars!

We just have to be thankful for having a grammar school allocation, even if its not the preferred one. For the boy who had been written off by his teachers, grandparents, & other family members, we proved them all wrong, after some intervention, a lot of perseverance, and a little bit of luck!
Well done to your DS for getting in a GS- from what I have heard, St A is very religious, so if he is not R/C this may be a blessing - I'm a big believer in fate! :D
Oasis
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:35 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Oasis »

Thanks for your support everyone, it means a lot!.

I feel as though I've spent the last few years fighting against everyone for my DS. I believed in him even when nobody else did, & I am proud of our `Joint' achievements! It's affected me more than him, I have cried at each an every stage!. I knew it was a long shot, but I had to give it a try, otherwise I would have always wondered `What if'. It was the high level of discipline, & single sex aspect which attracted me to them, (he didn't do well enough for AGSB), having a child who has been labelled `Easily distracted, in space, so laid back that he's horizontal'.... Boys perform better in single sex environments, girls & boys brains work differently, most teachers don't know how to extract the best out of boys, to ensure they are achieving their potential.

When we went for the test it seemed like a very multi cultured school, they needed the numbers when the school was not as popular so everyone who passed was allocated a place. Non-Catholics have also been successful at appeal stage in the past. Now they have their funding, resources & academy status, they don't need us for anything else!. This year they have already offered 10 spaces over PAN at first allocations, (Only to category 7 - All Catholics) so the school is already over its capacity before they have reached appeals. If they are determined to `Ethnically cleanse' the school, they should only allow Catholic boys to sit for the test, this way the boys are not unnecessarily disappointed. My DS does not class himself as being any different to any of his RC peers!

I'm also a strong believer in fate, so I'm sure it's for the best, if that's the attitude they have, he would have been miserably for the next 6 years!
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by kenyancowgirl »

Oasis wrote:Thanks for your support everyone, it means a lot!.

I feel as though I've spent the last few years fighting against everyone for my DS. I believed in him even when nobody else did, & I am proud of our `Joint' achievements! It's affected me more than him, I have cried at each an every stage!. I knew it was a long shot, but I had to give it a try, otherwise I would have always wondered `What if'. It was the high level of discipline, & single sex aspect which attracted me to them, (he didn't do well enough for AGSB), having a child who has been labelled `Easily distracted, in space, so laid back that he's horizontal'.... Boys perform better in single sex environments, girls & boys brains work differently, most teachers don't know how to extract the best out of boys, to ensure they are achieving their potential.

When we went for the test it seemed like a very multi cultured school, they needed the numbers when the school was not as popular so everyone who passed was allocated a place. Non-Catholics have also been successful at appeal stage in the past. Now they have their funding, resources & academy status, they don't need us for anything else!. This year they have already offered 10 spaces over PAN at first allocations, (Only to category 7 - All Catholics) so the school is already over its capacity before they have reached appeals. If they are determined to `Ethnically cleanse' the school, they should only allow Catholic boys to sit for the test, this way the boys are not unnecessarily disappointed. My DS does not class himself as being any different to any of his RC peers!

I'm also a strong believer in fate, so I'm sure it's for the best, if that's the attitude they have, he would have been miserably for the next 6 years!

I'm sorry, I am not from this area, not particularly religious and certainly nothing to do with this school but I actually take huge offence to the implication and expression that this school is trying to "Ethnically Cleanse" the school. Please do NOT equate your child not getting a place in a school with the types of genocidical atrocities that have been taking place across the world!!

If it is a Faith School, then its admissions code will specify that they have to give priority to that particular faith. If there are an over PAN number of that Faith that apply - whether it be Catholic, Jewish or a.n.other then the school is meeting the Admissions Code (which will have been agreed with the LEA) by allowing that Faith first bite at the cherry. This is not ethnic cleansing - faith schools are allowed - I suspect you are using this term because you are upset that you did not get a place but it is exceptionally clumsy. All over the country Faith Schools tend to be oversubscribed as there are so few of them and to many, it is exceptionally important that their dc go to a school that truly represents them.

I do get that you are upset that you did not get in on appeal but please do not make crass statements to make yourself feel better. Hold on to the fact that your son has done well, really well, with your support and will continue to do really well with your support, regardless of the institution he is in.
Altymumof2
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:54 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Altymumof2 »

Oasis- I'm sorry about your appeal, I am sure it must have been really tough- I know people that have been down the appeal route and they have said it is unbelievably stressful, I have a friend who had an awful time with admissions at St Ambrose too.
It sounds like your son (and you) have done very well though, so congratulations and good luck to him when he starts his new school in September.
Oasis
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:35 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Oasis »

Sorry if I caused you offense, it was not intentional :!: I think it shows how passionately I feel about the whole situation! I'm not saying that the Catholics shouldn't have first priority, but being a state school has to account for something? I don't know of any other `Faith' which the government would fund, they are all private schools. There would be uproar if the government used taxpayers funds to fund education for Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or any other faiths children, never mind build state of the art facilities, including swimming pools, & recreational facilities exclusively for their use!!

All the dynamics of the schools literature has suddenly changed. Where as, previously there were many photographs containing boys of other races, now its very difficult to spot anyone other than the Catholics. Are you telling me, `other boys' have not contributed towards their exceptional academic results?, they haven't benefitted from the morals, values, discipline, academic & spiritual education? they haven't enhanced the schools reputation, they haven't given anything back to the school, community or charities the school supports? In actual fact they will have enhanced all of these. When the church had control of the school, the results were very poor, standards were not great, & we have all read about the disgusting behaviour, which has only recently been publicised, that had been taking place behind closed doors.

It's been a long, difficult journey, & now we are at the end, the whole process starts again with DS No.2. We definitely need God's help to go through all of this again !!!
Altymumof2
Posts: 77
Joined: Sat Mar 02, 2013 9:54 pm

Re: St Ambrose Appeals

Post by Altymumof2 »

Oasis wrote:Sorry if I caused you offense, it was not intentional :!: I think it shows how passionately I feel about the whole situation! I'm not saying that the Catholics shouldn't have first priority, but being a state school has to account for something? I don't know of any other `Faith' which the government would fund, they are all private schools. There would be uproar if the government used taxpayers funds to fund education for Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or any other faiths children, never mind build state of the art facilities, including swimming pools, & recreational facilities exclusively for their use!!

All the dynamics of the schools literature has suddenly changed. Where as, previously there were many photographs containing boys of other races, now its very difficult to spot anyone other than the Catholics. Are you telling me, `other boys' have not contributed towards their exceptional academic results?, they haven't benefitted from the morals, values, discipline, academic & spiritual education? they haven't enhanced the schools reputation, they haven't given anything back to the school, community or charities the school supports? In actual fact they will have enhanced all of these. When the church had control of the school, the results were very poor, standards were not great, & we have all read about the disgusting behaviour, which has only recently been publicised, that had been taking place behind closed doors.

It's been a long, difficult journey, & now we are at the end, the whole process starts again with DS No.2. We definitely need God's help to go through all of this again !!!
I have just read your comment and also feel offended. I am very surprised you wanted your son to go there if you felt so strongly about this school? quote "When the church had control of the school, the results were very poor, standards were not great, & we have all read about the disgusting behaviour, which has only recently been publicised, that had been taking place behind closed doors."
St Ambrose is a super school and incidentally, there is King David in Crumpsall, an excellent Jewish state school and KD in Whalley Range.
Locked
11 Plus Platform - Online Practice Makes Perfect - Try Now