Year 5's

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cazien
Posts: 533
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 12:20 pm

Year 5's

Post by cazien »

Just wondering if any Yr 5 DC's are going to visit the secondary schools on open days now? The Grammars seem to be advertising for Yr5 to visit them now but none of the comps are.

My DD is in Yr 5 but I cannot make my mind up if it too early to be visiting!

She would like to do the test next year but.... I do not want her to be deterred if she doesn't like the GSs now - because I know in six months time she could change her mind :roll: esp if we visit the comps later and doesn't like those either!

She is currently high&mid level 4s so would probably need to do Bond/CPG books to improve/prepare sooner rather than later, but worried if she doesn't like the GSs she won't put the effort in now but then will want to if she doesn't like comps later:?

As Ribston's open evening is tonight I need to make decision this afty...

Any thoughts, pointers, help anyone???
Iona
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:49 am

Re: Year 5's

Post by Iona »

Hi, my DD is Y6 and has just passed the entrance test. We had not looked round Ribston before and I have just got back from the open day. It is definitely geared to both Y6's who got in and Y5's who will be taking the test next year, as the head gives a talk in the main hall addressing both year groups. I took my other DD in Y5 to look at Pates and HSFG which made her want to take the test.

The pupils at Ribston were very welcoming today, so may be worth looking. If you are not sure you can still look again when there is another open day, that is what I have done with other schools. They seem to have others in the summer as well. :D
chumba
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 11:38 am

Re: Year 5's

Post by chumba »

I would go if it was me.

My daughter and I visited Ribston last year when she was in year 5. She loved it and it inspired her to work towards the test. However, it was busy and when walking from the field where we parked the car she squeezed my hand so hard and I was wondering if it was the right time to visit i.e. too early in the year. For us, I would say it worked to avoid the headteachers talk and just have a quick tour. Nothing wrong with the head teacher, but just not necessarily the highlight of the tours! The other benefit was that we could visit again in the summer just before the test and when she took the test she was quite familiar with the site. Helped her to do well in the test I think.
stroudydad
Posts: 2246
Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Year 5's

Post by stroudydad »

I too would go, in fact I would be visiting all potential schools now, including your local comp.
Iona
Posts: 27
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 11:49 am

Re: Year 5's

Post by Iona »

stroudydad wrote:I too would go, in fact I would be visiting all potential schools now, including your local comp.
This is what I did two years ago, good to do as I think it gives you a benchmark. Plus every child is different, so looking at all choices is a good thing.
Watermelon8
Posts: 309
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:46 pm

Re: Year 5's

Post by Watermelon8 »

We have looked round Crypt this am (my DS is Y5). It's earlier than I chose to look round with DD but then the test is earlier. They advertised it as Y5/Y6 open day/evening & the head did a speech with specific areas of interest to all, just y6 & just y5. I'd say definitely go.
cazien
Posts: 533
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 12:20 pm

Re: Year 5's

Post by cazien »

Thank you for all your replies - DD is a quiet, confident girl but can be a little "naïve/immature?" compared to some in her class, but I have that down to the fact that an unusually high percent have birthdays Sept-Dec, whereas she is a very late summer babe!

Off to Ribston we go!!!
Tolstoy
Posts: 2755
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:25 pm

Re: Year 5's

Post by Tolstoy »

We didn't take DS1 to see the schools until Y6. It was a mistake as he was set on attending the local Comprehensive and getting him to do preparation for the test was pretty impossible. When he finally saw the school he wanted to attend he made an effort and thankfully in those days the test was in November so it gave us two months. It is also so much better to see a school that DC may not be able to attend about a year before when you are all feeling optimistic rather than a couple of months or weeks before leaving it fresh in your mind when you get the disappointing news. Not sure if that scenario is happening in Gloucestershire but it is certainly the case here in Bucks.

Hence I am rather cross that I have missed the opportunity to do the visits with DS4 in Y5 and will now be forced to do it when he is in Y6.

Crossed posts cazien glad you are going
chumba
Posts: 61
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2012 11:38 am

Re: Year 5's

Post by chumba »

cazien wrote:Thank you for all your replies - DD is a quiet, confident girl but can be a little "naïve/immature?" compared to some in her class, but I have that down to the fact that an unusually high percent have birthdays Sept-Dec, whereas she is a very late summer babe!

Off to Ribston we go!!!
Good Luck!

You could be describing my daughter there, but it's amazing how much she has matured in the last 12 months.
Stressed?Moi?
Posts: 1844
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 11:28 am

Re: Year 5's

Post by Stressed?Moi? »

Definately go; it does help to galvanise thoughts. We sold grammar to our ds in the early days by explaining that the important thing was to have choices. An example we said would be if he passed for Pates (fat chance :D ) he would then have a choice of all of the grammars plus the local comp. That seemed to really focus him. Still a nightmare to get him to study with us over the summer, but we just kept bringing him back to this fundamental. New he's qualified for all but Pates, he has reluctantly but earnestly said "you were right" and "thanks for your help". DD is a Ribston, which is a cracking school and it well worth a look.

My dd will be doing the dreaded "show arounds" today. She said last year that she got one family who hardly spoke and it was quite awkward as she couldn't "get anything from them". So one thing I would ask is that parents consider that it isn't always easy for the kids, and please engage with them (even if you don't like the school on balance) as it makes a massive difference to their confidence - it also makes the time go quicker!!. In dd's case, she left the house at 7.30am today and won't get back until about 7pm. She will be doing lunchtime and evening sessions (with just lunchbreak and a 20 minute break) so a lot of them are very tired. The fact that they get a day off in lieu during the year does soften the blow a bit though.

Hope she and her friends do Ribston proud.
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