11+ 2025 support thread #3

@Tiredlady1 Gosh I know, the recent press articles annoy me! Kids get in on hard work and merit... I understand, some kids might have better chances if parents can afford a tutor, etc. but the press makes it all about race.

I agree.- I have not seen my son so enthusiastic about school for years and it makes me realise how much he hasn't been pushed at primary. Unfortunately he got norovirus at the start of term but seems to be in his groove now!

DS is loving it. Really enjoying the independence such as taking the private school bus and canteen. He's also enjoying the different subjects. Our little 10/11 year olds worked so hard to get into these schools so it's been slightly disheartening to see some press articles discredit the effort they've made. It definitely helps to be surrounded by children who have put the hard work in.

DD seems to be settling in pretty well. Coping with the early starts and bus journeys. She’s finding she’s actually quite a long way ahead of the current teaching level in a lot of subjects, which has given her a confidence boost - she was worried about keeping up academically.
Her new best friend went home poorly today, which she was sad about, but it also gave her the chance to strike up a friendship with someone new, so a tiny silver lining there.
All going ok so far! 🙏🏻 Oh apart from being very resentful about homework… no change there 🙄

@DolphinOnASkateboardwhat fantastic news for you and your ds! You must be over the moon so happy for you both!
Ds has settled brilliantly couldn’t have asked for more really. They’ve not been set home work for the first two weeks but it just starting to be set now. His school places a massive emphasis on sport so Ds has been loving trying lots of new things and has been told he will be put forward for school boy trials in his sport which he is delighted with.

Sounds like she's doing great and getting stuck in! My DD is loving it so far - made some nice friends, trying out all the clubs to see what she likes, doing homeworks as soon as it's set - long may it continue!

Amazing!!! So pleased for you all :) Justice has been served! I hope he has a fabulous time there :)

And for all the fighting his parents and teachers did for him, this is his achievement. Seven years of hard work by him made it possible for
us to do 11 months of it.

Thanks everyone, both for your kind words now and for the support over the nightmarish past 11 months.

He literally hasn’t stopped smiling since he heard the news. Absolutely over the moon. He’s been putting in a huge effort to settle in at his upper school and has been doing really well so he’s a little sad to be leaving so soon. But he is probably the only person who’s happier than his parents with the move.

I know I’m a massive hypocrite for railing against the flaws in the system for so long and yet still grabbing the opportunity it presents. But we live in the world as it is, not the world as we would like it to be. And in the world as it is, Bucks makes you endure this insanity to make sure your kid gets the kind of education that will maximise their potential rather than getting them to the minimum acceptable standard.

@DolphinOnASkateboard I am literally overjoyed for you and your DS! It was meant to be. I hope he can get resettled again quickly. Keep us updated on how he gets on?

How has everyone's start of term gone? DD2 seems to be settling in well. We did a few meet ups with people over the summer which seems to have paid off as she's making friends with the people we met, mainly, but has also found another girl to get the bus with. The journey is looooong and I do worry about that as she's knackered, but I think it is still probably the best choice overall as she's a quirky little bean and I think she is more likely to find her crew here. They do maths puzzles in form time and she's about to join geography club.

Now I have it all over again with dd2's 6th form. Her school is falling apart a bit. They're no longer allowed to employ permanent staff, but she's also got her eccentricities and I think they've managed her pretty well so far. Have absolutely no idea how she'll do in GCSEs though which makes choosing next steps quite hard. In principle she has every bit as much potential as dd2 but is less inclined to channel it. If I hint at this though she goes mad. We are looking at arts routes alongside the academic.

Oh wow that's such good news. What a journey you've been on ! Like you said, what's 2 weeks on 5 years. Wishing him the best of starts at his new new school

I am a long time lurker but posted a bit. Bloody excellent news!! Your son will always remember how you fought for him. I can concur - lots of boys joined during last week in my son’s grammar, so he won’t be late.

Oh this is fantastic news! When I saw the thread had been updated I really hoped this might be why! He will be absolutely fine starting now, they're still all finding their feet. Someone needs started in dd2's class this week for the same reason. Aw, I'm so pleased for you. All that stress I don't envy, but so glad it came right in the end. Is he happy?

Omg I am so so pleased for you @DolphinOnASkateboard & for your son too! Have been quiet on here but followed your story as we are in bucks too and was gutted for you with the farce of the selection review. So glad he got a place in the end. A pain now with the uniform etc but itll be so worth it in the long run

This is the best news Dolphin, I’m delighted for you and your DS. I’m sorry that the journey has been such a stressful one.

So pleased for you! I have been following your story since the beginning and was hoping you'd have a happy ending.

How does your DS feel about it?

HE GOT A PLACE! He got a place he got a place he got a place!!!!

Just heard from admissions and someone somewhere must have decided to go somewhere else and not tell the council because a space has come up and he’s got it!

I could actually cry in fact I think I will.

Of course he’s just spent two weeks getting settled at his upper school but what’s two weeks against five years? And I need to go a whole new shopping spree for uniform, which is financially unhelpful but a hell of a lot cheaper than years of extra tutoring.

I still can’t quite believe it. Thanks so much to everyone on here who has been so supportive. I 1000% would NOT recommend doing it this way but after a year of shit I do suddenly believe in happy endings.

Yeah, thought about that but by the time they reply it'll be a moot point. Plus, and I know this sounds dumb but that's the point I'm at now, we'd have to put the question to the school itself (as an academy) and I don't want to do anything that makes us look in the least bit bothersome just in case.

On Sunday I spoke to a couple of people who were absolutely 100% sure he'd get a place. On Monday I spoke to a couple of people who were absolutely 100% sure he wouldn't. Kind of more depressed about the whole thing than I was on results day and SR result day because now we know he is officially good enough but it could all be for nothing. The school he has an offer from is going to take one look at him and his SATs and say "right, don't need to do any work on this one" and concentrate their limited resources on lifting up kids who need help to get their heads above water.

I think if you did an foi request they'd have to tell you if they hold the information, but they would get 21 days to reply.

He's on the waiting list for AGS and AGS alone, his "qualification" can't be transferred as it came from an appeal for a place at a specific school rather than a selection review that would qualify him for anywhere.

Just need one thing to go in our favour between now and September but our luck so far has been non-existent so I'm not getting my hopes up. Council has literally said they won't tell us whether anyone has ever got off the waiting list from this position before.

His SAT scores put him in the top 5% nationally, but of course in Buckinghamshire that counts for absolutely nothing when it comes to deciding how "academic" he is.

@DolphinOnASkateboard can bucks council put you on the wait list I know people who have moved from RGS and John Hampden in the first few weeks of term.

Aw Dolphin. I'm sorry, what a swizz. I really will keep everything crossed for someone moving house or choosing private. Surely it must happen sometimes? Round here there's quite a lot of movement but know it's a bit different outside London. Either way I hope it gives him the confidence to wring every last drop out of secondary school.