ScoobyDoo555

My eldest is moving up to secondary school next year, so we're starting to look seriously at the options. We're not looking at private schools etc - regular comprehensives.

We've narrowed it down to 3 - a perfect-world option, a potential, and the local school.

Visited the perfect-world school last night, which coincidentally was my old school.
All I've asked my eldest to do is to look at the possibilities of what other schools might be able to offer her - she's got her head screwed on the right way, despite being a "kid"

She loved the school - it's in the top 5 in the country, almost on our doorstep - being the countryside, have to travel to get anywhere
Both Wifey & I took a step back, and watched her converse with the teachers about what her aspirations and hopes and dreams are (very moving actually as it occurred to us that she's growing up )
Highly creative and musical (chip off the old block ) - the school excels at this type of thing.
Ofsted report is all Grade 1s with a few 2s (rather impressive)

We're off to see 2nd school next week, but have looked at the Ofsted reports (always look at them all just to see the schools overall direction), and it's an up-and-coming school. Again, hopefully focusing on the creative aspects as well as the mainstream academic stuff.

3rd school - VERY local one has just moved into a shiny new-build. The last 2 Ofsted reports are quite damning - grade 3s with aspects (such as music as a grade 4) - BUT all of her friends will be going there.

The downside is that it's (a) more of a sports-biased school/college, and (b) those that are able to do well, do well. Those that can't, usually (and sadly) fail epically.

I'm trying to take a step back and trust that my kid will see through the shiny cr@p and see what this place will or won't do for her.

The downside, is that IF we can get in to the ideal school, which I don't think is likely, a lot of things will have to change.
We're slightly outside of the catchment area (despite the fact that I now live in the same town I grew up in - therefore could go to this school. Looks like they changed the catchment radius)
We could move in to the catchment area - don't even know if this is allowed, but the problem is the house-prices double if not treble for a similar property - a downsize would have to take place.

It's a lot to take in - especially as we (including daughter) have to make the choices by the end of the month!

Don't quite know what I'm trying to say here, but it's been therapeutic to "air" it.
Anybody else going through a similar process (or has been through it)?

Dan

Leslie

The post war 11+ exam instituted by Atlee's government was as good a system as any. The exam was essentially an IQ test as well as a basic knowledge examination and the ones who passed went to a grammar school type education. This ensured that the money spent on that education had the minimum of wastage involved.

Of course such a system now would be shouted down by the PC lefty lot who will say it is a divisory system and that everyone must be dragged down to the same lower levels!

One obvious reason for the present low standards of general education that we see now.

It has to be faced that not everyone is suited to higher education and some are far better off and happier on the vocational side. Its just a fact of life.

Les

ScoobyDoo555

I've been saying this for a long time, that just because as a society we should be giving people the opportunity to academically progress, it doesn't necessarily mean that they actually should.

There is a lot to be said about the fact that we all have our own academic limits - just because you're great at A Levels (for example), doesn't mean you'll succeed at Degree... etc etc

I was more shocked that in my case, my local school has such a woeful record, yet if I lived a mile or so down the road, I'd be able to send my kid to one of the best (not that I necessarily should ).........

Dan

Dingdongler

Life is about sacrifices for ones children as I'm sure you know. You may well have to shell out more for a house in that catchment area, but at least at some point you will see that money back ie when you sell the house and downsize/retire etc.

Those poor sods who shell out private school fees for 15 years will never recoup that money in the way you will.

Good luck to you and your daughter, I'm sure she'll do well

Dingdongler

Life is about sacrifices for ones children as I'm sure you know. You may well have to shell out more for a house in that catchment area, but at least at some point you will see that money back ie when you sell the house and downsize/retire etc.

Those poor sods who shell out private school fees for 15 years will never recoup that money in the way you will.

Good luck to you and your daughter, I'm sure she'll do well

ScoobyDoo555

Thanks

The issue is that the catchment area house prices are CONSIDERABLY more than we can afford - most houses starting at around the £350K mark

We even contemplated renting our place out, and renting a place in the catchment area..... even something smaller.

I'm also from the school of thought that life is also about what is possible, and disappointment is one of the many ways in which a situation can play out (school of hard knocks) - if we can't afford it, we can't afford it. Not going to cry into my "beer" over it.
It's not necessarily about the actual school either - I'm a FIRM believer in the fact that a child's pastoral and academic development is the role of the family (both immediate and distant) - the school is a device where concepts can be introduced, and then followed up at home. With that in mind, my daughter could be taught in the sh1ttiest school out - the home support network (without sounding arrogant) is very good. My (as an irrational Dad) fear is that if she's not stimulated and encouraged at school, she'll wander...... and that can only be a bad thing if not monitored and kept in check.

My one hope is that she has seen the standard set by the "good" school, and uses it as a yardstick when looking at the other schools if she doesn't get in to her first choice. (and subsequently likes the option 2 school )

Dan

ScoobyDoo555

feckin double posts

Coffin Dodger

Fecking 'ell, didn't realise it was so complicated, in my day you just went to whatever school was nearest. Did okay at my local comprehensive, leading on from that got a useful degree from a top tier university and now in a job earning a wage that is within the top 5% of the country's average wages. So not all bad

If the kid is bright they will succeed regardless of which school they go to. If they are thick then you have my sympathies

EddScott

Got to agree there. There are 2 public secondary schools that my daughter can go to within the area. One is on the doorstep, one a little further. League tables wise, the one a little further away scores 1 and 2s, the close one has some 3s. Her primary school is pretty much all 1s (its catchment area takes in the local ghetto so I think they make extra effort to elevate the kids).

Our MD on the other hand has put all 3 kids through private education at one of the top private schools in Cardiff. All 3 have gone onto further education, only 1 scraped through with a 2.1 One is pretty much unemployable and the other has just bombed big time on her re-sits - her get out of jail is that daddy will shoe-horn her into the company.

David Lock

Dan - we went through the same but a while back now. The default comprehensive for my kids was reasonable and with a sixth form. I looked closely at other "better" state schools but the factors that we decided on were things like school transport (selfish but practical) and where their friends were going.

So they went to the local comprehensive and the head changed at about the same time, and what a positive difference that made to the school.

So we learnt these lessons which may help in your thought process.

1) Even at a young age they make friends for life. Both my kids have very close friends that they met at primary and will be friends for life.

2) Schools do change. In our case we were lucky with a brilliant new head

3) The teachers are on the kid's side. If you give your kids support and involve yourself this will be of real benefit to your children.

So it's up to you. But I would stay put and let them hang on to their pals.

Despite it being just a local comprehensive my daughter got a fistful of As and went to a top uni and my son, with super encouragement from the music teacher left after GCSEs and is now happy as a pig in **** playing his guitar. He may even make the big time!

Good luck anyway.

David

ScoobyDoo555

I'm just wary with the "rubbish" school, as I went there and did very badly. I was moved to the "good" school and excelled. Got my A Levels, Degree etc and now have a good job etc.

This is my beef with the rubbish school - there is no encouragement from the staff (praise is given for the stupidest of things and the students aren't challenged, ie they get bored)

Coffin, as I've said previously, the family network is VERY able to support my daughter, but why should we do all the work! Surely that's the reason why they go to school - families support the school, not the other way around!
She is a smart cookie, so I think would do well wherever she goes, but I'm all for trying to give her the best opportunity I can.

Dan

Roll on next week

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

Just going this right now with my eldest who is 10. A cocky little bugger at the best of times and thinks he knows everything
But he is very bright, especially at Maths and is keen to get into a local grammar school of which there are two in our local area and within the catchment. Only problem I forsee is the lazy bugger will probably not try at the 11+ and so may miss out.

Looked at loads of schools so far and my god, it is such a lottery as to which ones are available and the difference in facilities, teaching levels etc.
He has his heart set on one and although it wil mean a bus ride for him, then as long as he is happy then all good.

I personally think the grammar school would be better but then Mrs Swiss thinks he might get bullied because we dont drive around in a flash car or come from a posh family but I told her rubbish. Just change his name to Rupert or Charles and he will fit right in

First 11+ paper today so lets see how he does

ScoobyDoo555

Hope it went well today

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

I tried to call him to see how it went but the ****ing ex-wife picked up so I wont know until tomorrow.

Thanks anyway and good luck to your daughter next week