my son is going to the local bog standard comp

I was loving the positives coming out of this thread, having seen so many threads on MN that made me sad to be sending my dd to our local comp. We, theoretically, could have sent dd through private education, but we'd have been seriously skint and I'd have had to go back to a job I hated instead of taking on a more socially responisble, poorly paid job.

The primary schools around here are lovely but the comp is average with a very mixed intake. It has knife crime, drug use, some bullying, but the Head deals with these issues effectively and the majority of parents I know who have kids here are happy with the way things are dealt with.

I went to an innercity comp with very little going for it back in the 70's. It became an Academy some years ago and recently merged with another failing secondary school. It is failing to reach the ground floor minimum attainments in some areas and though it's making improvements with teaching and behavioural management and I suspect it's worse now than it was then (and it was pretty grim back then!) It's very much the kind of school that would worry you sick if it was your local BScomp. And on a socio-economic footing I can't imagine many folks living around there who could contemplate private education under any circumstances, no matter how sensitive or bored their children are.

Education, like social standing, is a lottery. You get born into an area or a life and you have to make the most of what you've got. Hearing some people say how well their kids have done at a struggling comp is news to be celebrated. I really don't see how it's smug to say that. I think it highlights that with the right support and the right attitude, your kids can do what they want to. Thanks OP for starting this thread.

95.6% of children got a place at one of their top 3 choices. So this thread is about a "club" that nearly 96% of the population are automatically members of! Not particularly exclusive.

It must be horrible when you don't get a decent place at all. If successive governments had put effort into improving all comps (and sec mods, I'm not anti GS) instead of promoting spurious 'choices' then surely this problem wouldn't be so bad.

It seems to me that its an issue that mostly affects London and its environs where 'choices' are theoretically available in a way it doesn't affect smaller towns/rural areas where its BSC or nowt.

I am just at a loss full stop. I am just off to drop DS1 at the local comp. I am sorry if that upsets anyone.

I am at a loss that we have so little faith in our children. There are children failing at good schools and thriving at those deemed not good - all this sadness about a school surely going to rub off on child and become a self-fulfilling prophecy "If he had got in at x ..." Have faith

I am not saying the OP meant to gloat but to be honest some of the posts on here are a bit gloating even if they don't mean to be.There are one or two implying that people are only unhappy because they want selective or private but actually lots just don't have the option of BSC even though that is what they want and that is hardly their fault.

Gloating mrswoodentop I think she was saying it ok to go to the local comp let's all celebrate that fact and do not be "sad". Sad ... OK as I said we have an excellent school so maybe I do not understand but I know that all my kids would do well at any school as they have intrinsic work ethic and support from family ! And quite frankly I would sooner spend our hard earned cash on family times and times together

Oh dear Lord. Smug? I've heard it all now.

Yes, extremely happy my son is at our local comp. one of the best in the country, he's thriving, the sports facilities are excellent, many, many other positives, can add a few thousand onto your house price if its within catchment - we're lucky. Perhaps you have to pay a fortune for all that and it's making you a little.....bitter. Sorry!

Am I stupid or do I not get your children not mix with my children perhaps I am naive but I really think no one would be hurt as thoses who do not care about the childs education send them to local school good or bad and those who send to the local school [even if not top of league tables etc] have their reasons and of course they care about their child education so I do not think they will be hurt

OK maybe I am supersensitive I just do think maybe starting this thread on the same day that many were feeling sad that they didn't get offered a place at their BSC did sound a little like gloating

That's like a BFP announcement when people are struggling to conceive though isn't it? I still don't get it.

Well I'm sure some people find "Tell me about your positive birth experience" or "What are the good things about having a 2 year old" thread deeply painful, but they serve a useful purpose in reminding people who are paranoid that the extreme things are not the norm, and for the majority of people the average outcome works out fine.

Yes there is a lady on the offers board who is in bits because because her son has not been offered a school at all ,she applied to all her local BSC no selectives etc she was offered nothing ,apparent 4000 11 yr olds in greater London are in the same boat ,some not all the posters on this thread seem to imply that this is in some way her fault .

It's just a bit well I'm alright my child has got a place at a good local school ,what about a bit of compassion for those who were not allocated a good local school.

Maybe it's just the insensitivity of the timing ,starting this thread at the same time as some have no place .I am not in this situation ds3 only year 5 but I flinched when I saw the title ,I just thought how hurtful to all those people without places

I think I will blushing. I didn't realise what trouble could be caused by sending DS to the local comp.

Sparkling , don't be just keep off the school threads

Now I am hurt blushing. I don't get all this at all. Another fairly lighthearted thread goes all pear shaped.

Imagine how hurtful it is to read that some posters don't want their children to mix with my children.

Imagine how hurtful it is to read that you don't care about your kids education if you send them to the local comprehensive school. I've read that plenty of times on MN.

Puremince I am confused our school is a true comprehensive as you put it construction, beauty etc and does shine in league tables so schools can without being purely academic.
And some friends of mine do send to the local school that perhaps does not shine out but are confident that their child will do just fine so do not think it hurtful and suggesting all would love a BSC to send children to is patronising and hurtful to those who do through choice

Hurtful? Smug? Insensitive? I am even more .

But seeker what is clear from the offer day thread is that some people just don't have a local BSC ,there are quite a few people who have applied tontheir nearest school,not private,not selective just their local school and have no place ,in some cases no place anywhere and it others they have been given a place at a school they didn't apply for which is not definately not their local school (1 hour plus commute).

Imagine how hurtful this thread is ,I am sure they would love a BSC to send their child to .This thread does come across as rather smug and insensitive

I really don't want to bring this thread down- but.....

"club" wa obviously a joky way of putting it. Particularly obvious when we remember that it's a club where 90% of the population are automatically members!

It's really easy to forget on a "selective" forum like this that about 90% of kids go to Their nearest school and most do fine. It's fabulous to have a thread reminding us of that fact.

And ( this does not apply to me because my implacable opposition to private education is well documented), there must be nothing more depressing and/or infuriating to the minority of parents whose children are NOT doing well in their local school to have private education presented as a viable choice. "We had to send him to private school" is a sentence that must really stick in the throat of the vast majority who could no more afford fees than fly.

And that sentence, or something like it appears every day on here. And it is one that fuels the usually unfounded fears of first time secondary parents who have sleepless nights about the drug fuelled knife wielding low achievers that they think their children are going to be surrounded by. A year down the line they realise thqt their children are surrounded largely by other children of concerned, involved parents. Because most are. regardless of sector.

It's not smug , it's most peoples reality. Time and again comprehensives are slagged off on MN, it's nice to read a positive thread for a change.