How well did your child do at grammar school?

monstermunch · Post by **monstermunch** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:43 am

I'm trying to gather as much information as possible whilst deciding whether to send my child to grammar or independent school. I know there are league tables but they do not always give a genuieimpresion of whats really happening at schools. I'd be interested in finding out predicted scores, actual scores and what uni's most grammar school kids go off to.

proud mum x2 · Post by **proud mum x2** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 10:59 am

Hi monstermunch, I have a lad just about to sit his GCSE's, he is predicted all A's and A*'s He is really only just beginning to work hard,and has held his own until now with a minimum of hard work! We are a "normal " family, no chance of financing an independent education, which is why we chose to try him for a Grammar school place.
He had no tuition, (apart from practice papers from school)so he did well to get in, as it a highly selective school.

He has enjoyed every moment of his time at school,and made lots of really good friends,so for us it was the right decision,as it is cool to be clever there.We now also have a daughter starting the same school in Sept,so hope that things will turn out well for her too.
Good luck with your decision,we all want the very best for our children.

monstermunch · Post by **monstermunch** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 11:13 am

Well done to your son, and obviously to you as his mum. Are A* and A's the expected norm for the kids at his school?

proud mum x2 · Post by **proud mum x2** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 12:03 pm

Thanks monstermunch, A's and A*'s seem to be the norm,although my DS insists he doesn't know what other DC have predicted! The school seems to expect,and the children deliver,the atmosphere is good,and the children are supportive as well as competitive.The entry into 6th form is competitive as the school admit 40 extra,so to get in the exsisting pupils need to score 21 points from their "best " GCSE's including english and maths.

bestb wishes P.M

Tom's mum · Post by **Tom's mum** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:13 pm

The only downside with grammar, in my experience (and I've said it somewhere else on the forum) is that if a child ends up with respectable GCSE grades as my son did (one A, maths; 8 x B, 1 x C) they perceive themselves as 'rubbish' as the rest of their class got straight As. In the great scheme of things, though, they have in fact done well - they've just lost perspective as they don't know what 75% of the school population are achieving.

monstermunch · Post by **monstermunch** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:58 pm

I want to know who got 4 Straight A's

Tom's mum - and do the class percieve him as rubbish?

mum3 · Post by **mum3** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:54 am

I had the same as Tom's mum with my son. Did hardly any work for GCSEs at 'top' grammar school and got the results he deserved. Plenty of others got 10 A*s etc. However, got exactly the same as his direct contemporaries at A level, A, B, B. and now at Russell Group university. GCES in my opinion are not a brilliant indicator of further success (eg can get A* etc if you put the necessary work in which he didnt!!!). Also many at his school got 3 straight As at A level and about 15 to Oxbridge (and a lot of others to medicine/vet) if thats what you are interested in Monstermuch (am sure you are Tipsy in disguise, where has Tipsy mysteriously gone????)

monstermunch · Post by **monstermunch** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 10:49 am

I'm Tipsy's sister

proud mum x2 · Post by **proud mum x2** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:03 am

arrghhhh.....no

T.i.p.s.y · Post by **T.i.p.s.y** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 11:05 am

But she's less controversial than me