what next?
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Guest
what next?
I have been reading with interest the comments of all posts regarding the 11 plus results under the new format.
My child missed out by a few marks having easily passed the vr paper but failed the nvr paper.
We were devastated by this and are desperately seeking advice.
Her primary head has advised against appealing since in her own words "the new head( ex-independent sector) seems intent upon turning the school into a place only suitable for academic geniuses".That's ok but it is supposed to be a local community grammar school.
My daughter is a bright child but lacks self-confidence and is extremely un-streetwise. We are painfully aware that she would get eaten alive in local alternative due to its robust sub-culture and we are already advised that those other suitable schools within a reasonable driving distance are oversubscribed.
Our only way out appears to be a move to the independent sector- a move we are loathe to make for many reasons not least of which is financial- but you have to do the best for your kids.
Any ideas?
My child missed out by a few marks having easily passed the vr paper but failed the nvr paper.
We were devastated by this and are desperately seeking advice.
Her primary head has advised against appealing since in her own words "the new head( ex-independent sector) seems intent upon turning the school into a place only suitable for academic geniuses".That's ok but it is supposed to be a local community grammar school.
My daughter is a bright child but lacks self-confidence and is extremely un-streetwise. We are painfully aware that she would get eaten alive in local alternative due to its robust sub-culture and we are already advised that those other suitable schools within a reasonable driving distance are oversubscribed.
Our only way out appears to be a move to the independent sector- a move we are loathe to make for many reasons not least of which is financial- but you have to do the best for your kids.
Any ideas?
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Guest
So sorry you find yourselves in this position.
I am assuming from what you say that you are in or near Bourne. Whatever the head may want, the school is at present a controlled school and the head will not have any control over the outcome of an appeal. The appeal will go to an Independent Appeal panel which is independent of the head, the governors and the county council. Have a look at the county council website under "admissions" for info on appeals and the guidance on them which is under "useful documents".
I would say, therefore, that the decision on whether to appeal is going to depend on the strength of evidence as to academic ability etc - there is a wealth of information on this website both in the special section written by Etienne and in the appeals threads to help you.
The final numbers of applicants for the other schools in your area cannot yet be known as the closing date has not yet gone by. I am not very familiar with your area but I am assuming that it is the Technology College that you do not want (despite its pretty good results)? The Deepings school was oversubscribed by 27 last year but it is said that overall numbers of children are down this year and I understand that it draws from a fairly wide area. Try asking the school what they think of your chances. Corby Glen was not oversubscribed last year - it is very very small - don't know whether you would see this as an advantage or disadvantage;
Wish you all the very best in whatever way you decide to go.
Sara
I am assuming from what you say that you are in or near Bourne. Whatever the head may want, the school is at present a controlled school and the head will not have any control over the outcome of an appeal. The appeal will go to an Independent Appeal panel which is independent of the head, the governors and the county council. Have a look at the county council website under "admissions" for info on appeals and the guidance on them which is under "useful documents".
I would say, therefore, that the decision on whether to appeal is going to depend on the strength of evidence as to academic ability etc - there is a wealth of information on this website both in the special section written by Etienne and in the appeals threads to help you.
The final numbers of applicants for the other schools in your area cannot yet be known as the closing date has not yet gone by. I am not very familiar with your area but I am assuming that it is the Technology College that you do not want (despite its pretty good results)? The Deepings school was oversubscribed by 27 last year but it is said that overall numbers of children are down this year and I understand that it draws from a fairly wide area. Try asking the school what they think of your chances. Corby Glen was not oversubscribed last year - it is very very small - don't know whether you would see this as an advantage or disadvantage;
Wish you all the very best in whatever way you decide to go.
Sara
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ANDREW THE POET
Hello,
I don't know if it is any consolation but here in Spalding the chatter amongst parents is often how they can get their non-grammar offspring into the technology school in Bourne! Indeed, many have successfully fought to do so over the last few years. I don't know whether you are referring to Bourne (which seems likely) but parents to seem to have a high regard for the alternative to the grammar in this area. I used to live in Peterborough and moved to Lincs so that, even if a grammar was not an option, there would be a secondary school with a less 'robust' set of children available. Indeed, had our child been a girl we would have been more than intent on sending 'her' to the Glede Girls' school in Spalding - this has a particularly warm, welcoming and calm environment.
Andrew
I don't know if it is any consolation but here in Spalding the chatter amongst parents is often how they can get their non-grammar offspring into the technology school in Bourne! Indeed, many have successfully fought to do so over the last few years. I don't know whether you are referring to Bourne (which seems likely) but parents to seem to have a high regard for the alternative to the grammar in this area. I used to live in Peterborough and moved to Lincs so that, even if a grammar was not an option, there would be a secondary school with a less 'robust' set of children available. Indeed, had our child been a girl we would have been more than intent on sending 'her' to the Glede Girls' school in Spalding - this has a particularly warm, welcoming and calm environment.
Andrew
Again I assume that you are referring to the Bourne Area. I am not sure whether Bourne Grammar is the "hot house" that it is being portrayed as but my son and I visited both Spalding Grammar and Bourne and indeed for reasons I will not go into here, lets just say we both preferred Spalding in the end, despite my initial thoughts that Bourne would be better for him.
With regard to the Robert Manning Technology College in Bourne, on the open evening we were made to feel VERY welcome, the staff and pupils were all extremely friendly, it had a wonderful warm inviting feel to it and we all felt very comfortable there. It was clean and tidy and the puils went out of there way to help you in any way they could as did the staff.
The only reason that this has not been one of our choices is because the Deepings is closer to our home.
With regard to the Robert Manning Technology College in Bourne, on the open evening we were made to feel VERY welcome, the staff and pupils were all extremely friendly, it had a wonderful warm inviting feel to it and we all felt very comfortable there. It was clean and tidy and the puils went out of there way to help you in any way they could as did the staff.
The only reason that this has not been one of our choices is because the Deepings is closer to our home.
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Guest
Thank you so much for your post.This will really help us.We will without doubt plan to visit the school next term and see for ourselves.It sounds a whole lot different to that portrayed by many people to whom we have spoken and have tried to dissuade us from looking.SJ wrote:Again I assume that you are referring to the Bourne Area. I am not sure whether Bourne Grammar is the "hot house" that it is being portrayed as but my son and I visited both Spalding Grammar and Bourne and indeed for reasons I will not go into here, lets just say we both preferred Spalding in the end, despite my initial thoughts that Bourne would be better for him.
With regard to the Robert Manning Technology College in Bourne, on the open evening we were made to feel VERY welcome, the staff and pupils were all extremely friendly, it had a wonderful warm inviting feel to it and we all felt very comfortable there. It was clean and tidy and the puils went out of there way to help you in any way they could as did the staff.
The only reason that this has not been one of our choices is because the Deepings is closer to our home.
My son has passed the 11+ but the Robert Manning Technology College was still an option for us because they were very open in what they could do for the higher achievers and it all sounded really supportive and encouraging along with the fact that the school was so open and welcoming and the pupils were an assett to them and made our son feel so "at home".Anonymous wrote:Thank you so much for your post.This will really help us.We will without doubt plan to visit the school next term and see for ourselves.It sounds a whole lot different to that portrayed by many people to whom we have spoken and have tried to dissuade us from looking.
Our primary school headteacher also told us to have a look at this school, before we had received our sons results, but even after we received them and we discussed our visit there he still felt that it might be a good option for our son and as I said it ws only location and the fact that there was not a lot to choose between this and the Deepings, that it was not on of our choices.
We went not knowing anything about the school and were most pleasantly surprised. All schools, whether a Grammar or not, will have pupils that are a little "over the top"(that is the politest way I could think of putting it), just because it is grammar school will not make it immune to this element.
