Lack of plan B

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bewilderedofbearwood
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:51 pm

Lack of plan B

Post by bewilderedofbearwood »

Hello, this is my first time posting on the forum. I have been lurking for a while and it's an amazing source of information. My son is only in year 2 so I am either over anxious or well organised depending on your point of view.

My question is how many of you moved to what you felt to be a better area for comprehensive schools whilst still hoping to gain a place for your child at a selective school? I want to be positive and we will make sure he is well prepared for the test when it comes but I feel there would be so much less pressure on all of us if the non-selective options were better.

I'd really like your opinions: if you moved where was it from and to? Also if anyone would like to tell me to stop worrying about Sandwell secondary schools that would also be very welcome!


Thanks,
Bewildered.
mombrum
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Mar 15, 2015 4:04 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by mombrum »

In my opinion, moving around year 2 is a good time to do it as it takes a while for your child to settle in and make new friends before moving on to secondary school. I had a few friends that moved at around this point and that is thier experience. We opted to stay put and go for the eleven plus but you cannot underestimate what this involves. Firstly your child must be able and secondly he must be willing to put some significant work in for around 12 months prior to the exam. I don't know of a single child who got into a grammar this year who had not received some form of tutoring. My son has been fortunate and has got into a lovely grammar which was his first choice, but the scores are going up every year and competition is intense. I certainly would not contemplate the 11 plus unless you have a fairly bright child as from what I saw, children who were tutored for many years just didn't get in, and the bright ones needed no more than 12 months of tutoring. Best of luck, there is no easy sollution I'm afraid!
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by muminbrum »

To fail to plan is to plan to fail..... Or something like that!


No idea about sandwell schools but you need a plan b to stop it all getting too highly pressured for you and your child.

Research local comps, go and look round them on open days, read Ofsted etc. Think about your child, would they cope with life at a comp. My eldest would have struggled more than ds2.

Move close to a good comp. Sutton or Solihull are the obvious choices. Between infants and juniors is a good time.

Think about whether you could afford an indie school. Places like the priory have scholarships that are quite easy to get.

Is your child streamed at school for maths and literacy? Being in the top maths set at out three form entry primary is the best indicator of 11 plus success that I've seen.

We did mostly diy tutoring over about 18 months. No more than 30 min a week until just before. My boys also had a few sessions with a tutor in the run up mostly for their confidence as all their friends were tutored and they thought they were missing some magical tips!
Turtlegirl
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by Turtlegirl »

Sandwell schools are quite mixed! Worth thinking about academy entrance - you can get places with music/sport aptitude at some of them, so if there is some inclination instrumental lessons might be worth a whirl - they're also a great thing for kids to do anyway. Most schools have detailed admissions criteria on their websites, so you can read them and work out how it works. You can also phone and ask the distance of the last admitted child, which can help you work out catchment areas. They are often quite small, especially for good/popular schools eg when I asked about Q3 academy a few years ago, the last admitted child lived about 1 mile away from the school. Also note that a few schools have quite complex distance measuring criteria (Sandwell Academy & the new Birmingham University Academy fall into this category).

If you're in Bearwood (guessing from your name) remember you're not just restricted to Sandwell schools - you're free to look at Birmingham schools if you meet their criteria too, so depending where you are a Birmingham school might be a solution. The LA just administers your applications.
muminbrum
Posts: 362
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:14 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by muminbrum »

Forgot one more option which is to develop religious fervour and go for a faith school. Some require two years regular attendance.
Turtlegirl
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:54 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by Turtlegirl »

Only one CofE school in Sandwell. Some Catholic, but you'd have to be a baptised Catholic too I think.
Midlandsmom
Posts: 275
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:25 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by Midlandsmom »

Hi, we were in a similar situation and moved from a part of Sandwell where our only realistic secondary option would have been a dismal school, to Halesowen where we have realistic preferences of good/outstanding secondaries (and yet we're just 10 minutes drive from where we lived before....) My eldest was planning on trying for KEFW this year, and still is, but the "pressure" is off now as we have a decent back up plan and school that we would be happy with if grammar doesn't work out. I'm a big planner, so feel happier that we made the move and our eggs aren't all in one basket anymore, the pressure to get the grammar place would have felt immense, for both me and my child I think, if we hadn't moved. In terms of changing primary schools, I didn't as I love our outstanding Sandwell primary, and am happy to commit to driving the kids to and from for the next several years, but this depends on circumstances and I know that's not always viable. There must be some good secondary schools in Sandwell, but afraid I don't know the Bearwood area well. Good luck, I think it's always good to know your options and be prepared.
bewilderedofbearwood
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:51 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by bewilderedofbearwood »

muminbrum wrote:To fail to plan is to plan to fail..... Or something like that!


No idea about sandwell schools but you need a plan b to stop it all getting too highly pressured for you and your child.

Research local comps, go and look round them on open days, read Ofsted etc. Think about your child, would they cope with life at a comp. My eldest would have struggled more than ds2.

Move close to a good comp. Sutton or Solihull are the obvious choices. Between infants and juniors is a good time.

Think about whether you could afford an indie school. Places like the priory have scholarships that are quite easy to get.

Is your child streamed at school for maths and literacy? Being in the top maths set at out three form entry primary is the best indicator of 11 plus success that I've seen.

We did mostly diy tutoring over about 18 months. No more than 30 min a week until just before. My boys also had a few sessions with a tutor in the run up mostly for their confidence as all their friends were tutored and they thought they were missing some magical tips!
Thanks Muminbrum. Sutton is on the list of possible places.
Yes he is in top group for Maths and Literacy at a 3 form entry but I know this is not enough. He asks for additional maths work at home :shock: and reads a lot.
bewilderedofbearwood
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:51 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by bewilderedofbearwood »

muminbrum wrote:Forgot one more option which is to develop religious fervour and go for a faith school. Some require two years regular attendance.
:lol: I don't think I can summon up any religious fervour - helpful though that might be.
Indies are just about do-able but only if we don't move to a more expensive house
bewilderedofbearwood
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 4:51 pm

Re: Lack of plan B

Post by bewilderedofbearwood »

Turtlegirl wrote:Sandwell schools are quite mixed! Worth thinking about academy entrance - you can get places with music/sport aptitude at some of them, so if there is some inclination instrumental lessons might be worth a whirl - they're also a great thing for kids to do anyway. Most schools have detailed admissions criteria on their websites, so you can read them and work out how it works. You can also phone and ask the distance of the last admitted child, which can help you work out catchment areas. They are often quite small, especially for good/popular schools eg when I asked about Q3 academy a few years ago, the last admitted child lived about 1 mile away from the school. Also note that a few schools have quite complex distance measuring criteria (Sandwell Academy & the new Birmingham University Academy fall into this category).

If you're in Bearwood (guessing from your name) remember you're not just restricted to Sandwell schools - you're free to look at Birmingham schools if you meet their criteria too, so depending where you are a Birmingham school might be a solution. The LA just administers your applications.
Thanks Turtlegirl. I have a spreadsheet on the local schools (sad I know) and it is not looking promising in terms of distance of last admitted child. The only Birmingham school nearby is one I want to avoid.
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