Grammar in Devon?
Any had any expereince of this - state schools only
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Secondary education
Where do children go that dont get into Colyton?
20 replies
nomorechoc · 02/06/2009 20:33
OP posts:
SomersetScrumpy ·
04/01/2011 11:45
Hi
Just thought you might like a first hand view of my son's experience of applying for Colyton Grammar School in East Devon. This is an honest no nonsense view of our opinion, as there is a lot of rubbish, rumour and heresay on this site.
My DS sat the entrance exam for Colyton in November 2009. He gained a place and started Year 7 in September 2010. Prior to attending Colyton Grammar, he went to an Independent fee paying school, but was in a state primary before that, where he was put in a gifted group with several other pupils in his class, all doing extension work. At independent school, he was placed in top sets for everything, and stayed in top sets, as well as being selected for the scholar's class.
My circumstances changed and I had no support, and so, although we could not really afford it, we moved him to the fee paying school for the pre and after school care, as we were running our own business and state Primary couldn't provide this.
As his mum, I tutored him at home,for nearly two years prior to the exam, using the mixed Bond paper packs from WHSmith in English, Maths and Verbal Reasoning. Our DS consistently got around 90% for these tests. We did NOT have a private tutor. He was not tutored by his independent school, as they would not have had a vested interest in doing so; being in the top two / three pupils in his year group, they wanted him to stay and go onto their senior school. We were actively discouraged from applying to Colyton Grammar, and were told that no one so far from the school had managed to pass the 11 plus to gain a place! That made my DS want to go to Colyton even more, just to be the first to get in!
My DS is bright, and got a silver, one mark off a gold in the Maths Challenge in Year 6, came top, getting 100% in both final Year 6 Maths exams. He was bored at his independent school, as he didn't feel that the work was challenging him enough, and with a few exceptions, his peers were generally not at the same standard academically, and so he was frustrated as he had no peer group to "bounce off" academically. Our experience of independent schooling is that, (like the state sector), there are a good percentage of disruptive pupils who do not want to learn, who are only there due to their parents ability to pay, not because their parents are passionate about education.
Our advice is that education begins at home. I am sure that if there were to be research into this, the single most important factor would be good sound parental support at home. I believe that our DS is very happy and in his position at Colyton, not just because of innate ability, but because of his up bringing; knowing the parameters and being loved, nurtured and cared for, teaching your child effective time management, getting into good routines, how to be organised, being organised yourselves as parents, and making sure that your children are brought up in a calm and happy environment. Knowing when to say "No" to your child and guiding them is also important. Sleep is important and routine bedtimes have always been a feature on school nights. Our DS comes home from school, has his supper, and goes upstairs to have a shower and get changed immediately after. He then goes into his bedroom, and does his homework in a relaxed and quiet environment with no distractions. He has had a study desk and lamp in his bedroom which he has had for 2 years and this has proved essential. Once homework is done he gets into PJ's and has leisure time before bed. Hot chocolate and snack, and in bed by 8 ish for reading, then lights out at 8.30pm. Our routine seems to work! Our DS needs 10 hours to be happy and effective in academics, sport, music etc, otherwise does not enjoy life and get 100% out of it.
My DS absolutely loves Colyton. He enjoys the lessons, the homework and has made some absolutely fantastic freinds. He feels that it is not a hot house environment, and most of his freinds and contemporaries are predominantly from state schools, and not from private. He much prefers Colyton Grammar to the private independent he attended before, for many reasons. At Colyton, a lot more progress is made as there are brighter children, and therefore with less distractions as pupils generally want to learn. He says the work is more challenging and therefore more interesting, but not hard, and he learns much more in one lesson at Colyton than he did in several lessons at his previous independent. The teachers are really good and make lessons exciting and learning fun, you are never bored!! They expect a lot of you in terms of attitude and commitment, so that expectation means that it is inevitable that good results will follow. The teachers are not afraid to advance you, and teach you more than the curriculum suggests, if you have finished the work that is provided in class.
The sport is really good, and so is the music. There are endless lunchtime clubs, academic, sporting etc.
Many of the parents are proffessionals and academics, (and many are not!), but all are very freindly, approachable, down to earth normal people who have chosen to send their children to a state selective school.
Don't listen to all the rumours, which come mainly from people who have, unfortunately, either not managed to get their children into Colyton, or those who, for various reasons, decided not to apply.
If you are considering Colyton for your child, give it a go, don't be in awe, as it is a wonderful and down to earth school. You may be pleasantly surprised, just have the confidence to "go for it!" I get the impression that it's often the parents, more than the children that are worried about applying.
Gook Luck! 
KindleTheSky ·
04/01/2011 14:51
I would think most of those kids could take a GCSE shortly after the start of year 7
abgirl ·
04/01/2011 15:34
I went to Colyton actually, several years ago
- it was very challenging but great fun. It was pretty much like a whole year of head girls and boys really, I have v fond memories and am still in touch with lots of the friends I made there.
That said, I am now a staunch supporter of non-selective education and there's no way I'll be coaching my 2 DSs to go there...
SomersetScrumpy ·
04/01/2011 19:10
abgirl, hi - interested to understand why you are "now a staunch supporter of non- selective education", since it sounds like you had such a great time at Colyton? 
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