DS1 is just finishing Yr4. He is very bright (not being PFB: his maths & literacy grades are at Yr6 levels). He will obviously be capable of keeping up at an academic secondary school. So that's not the issue.
We live in a typical inner London borough, mix of rich & poor, state schools appalling in the main, access to 2 grammars, plus private schools. We live in the catchment of a state comp which until recently was bloody awful but has dragged itself up, is gaining a good reputation & is now, tentatively, 'in demand'. We wouldn't have considered it before but it's now a possible - only drawback being that DS1 is bone idle & we worry he wouldn't get pushed enough. The grammar schools are an hour's journey away & competition is fierce. There's an exam, obviously, but no interviews. The private schools have straightforward entrance exams (ie not 11-plus-y non-verbal reasoning, just maths & english), plus interviews. DS1 could do these easily & any teacher interviewing him would realise his potential (sorry, I'm really trying not to sound smug, just honest. He's a PITA to be honest because he never puts any bloody effort in).
So
I'm realising that his classmates' parents are booking tutors left, right & centre, & I don't know what to do. DS1 doesn't need tutoring in Maths & English, as in how to do it (although his handwriting is a bit dodgy) but probably needs some experience in non-verbal reasoning. I'm quite good at NVR, & spatial awareness - would it be enough just to buy some workbooks & go through them with him? I am loath to spend £100s on tutoring but am I being naive?
I'm not sure I want him to go to the grammar school anyway, simply because the journey is such a pain.
I'm worried I'll feel we've failed him when everyone else is tutored to the hilt & he isn't. With a very bright child, does it really make so much difference?
I don't want to get into a political argument about this, either way. In my mind it's an education issue.
TIA
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Should one tutor or not - am I being naive to think 'not'? (a bit long, sorry)
17 replies
scampadoodle · 11/07/2011 11:58
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Philem ·
13/07/2011 11:31
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