Bum. Bumety bum bum bum. All children who sat the local grammar school entrance exam have to resit!

Any joy with the school, namechanged?

Apparently, there's four in DS3's class sat the paper.

(there's only 14 in their year).

To be honost I dont really blame the tutors, really it was the school in questions fault as it had the exame papers on roation I think 15yrs so only 15 papers and the tutors just got the girls to practice and practice with previous papers. Im not going into the whole selective school thing and what I think as Im past that stage dds in y7 and y8 and at a good school, they never sat for selective . but it just proves my point that the selection and test process in a lot of cases isnt on how bright the child is but what tutor they have had.

mdrooney - yes I know. How do these tutors get hold of the ACTUAL paper that nobody is supposed to see before the ACTUAL day????

My friend's dd did the exam at one of the schools in question last year, and heard some of the other children saying they had seen the paper and practised it the previous week. Outrageous. The tutors should not be allowed to get away with it. Doubtless the same people are up to the same tricks this year. The whole thing is a farce.

(Have just come in from another open evening at one of the selective schools, and feel very stressed).

I did have the heebie jeebies about our decision when all the hoo har about the ex principal and the sacked English teacher kicked off!!!!

Fingers crossed namechange. I totally understand. You've probably guessed where mine are.

Sounds fair enough, Islands. We all do what we think is appropriate for our own children. We made a cursory glance a few years back (for secondary, was never a consideration for primary) but it was never a serious option, really.

We're happy with both schools ours have attended, and consider ourselves quite fortunate, given some of the local schools.

I know some folk that have sent their children private, and they're happy with the choice they've made, although I do know one colleague has just pulled her daughter out.

Namechange - Is your dd purple, navy, red then? I presume not tartan.

There must be some sort of system to cope with extenuating circumstances which I reckon a wedding in Barbados would be. I still can't beleive how this could have happened - who gives a tutor a copy of the paper???

Unknown - It wasn't a decision we took lightly, and to behonest I don't tell a lot of people in real life where they go in case they think we are snobs or something. I have family who are perfectly happy with their state schools. To be honest we couldn't get a nursery place locally when dd was 3 so went private for the nursery years and sort of fell in love with the school in a way.

Dh teaches in the state system (not locally though)

lol - I thought that was a wink, and you were being sarcastic.

sorry.

(really do need my new glasses.)

ah yes, but you've both taken a different route...some of us have children in the local state schools.

Oh joy of joys.

(quite happy though with the schools my boys attend).

Yes, I'd be upset about that too.

Good luck in sorting it out.

I think they changed the time the exam was sat the year after DS1 could have applied - it used to be January, two months after the LEA forms had to be submitted, so you could really screw your chances of where you got if your child didn't pass.

We looked at the school with DS1 and although not catholic, had a good chance of getting in, but we don't think the school would suit DS2, so chose against it.

DS1 may consider it when he goes on to A levels, some from his current school seem to transfer at 16.

Are you looking at DD staying where she is now?

My own dd is only 7 but I know she hasn't got a hope in satisfying the Catholic criteria so we probably shan't bother when the time comes although I guess I could use it as practice as the entrance exam is a lot earlier than the other she will sit.

This sounds awful but I can't remember her age. Her sister started there 2 years ago so she either started there last month (if she got in) or it is next year. I'll have to ask when I next see them.

Would imagine she will be.

DS1 and DS2 both have friends there.

One of DS3's friends and her parents were considering St Jo's, so she may have sat the paper last weekend. Will have to ask tomorrow. Don't know of any others this year.

Me either, but I get the Newcastle edition.

What a farce. To be honest I didn;t even realise they tutored for the St Jo's test. I know the prep and St Teresa's prepare the kids for the exam but apparently only about half the prep kids get in.

I have a cousin there and another hoping to go soon. Actually thinking about it, she may be affected.

Not seen anything in the Sentinel Islands.

Ooerr, Could easily have been DS3 sitting that this year.

Hope she goes on ok when she resits.

Do tell your dd not to panic though. The exam for St Jo's isn;t as hard as for other grammars and they don't go by order. They set a pass rate and anyone who gets above that is then chosen by the normal criteria with being Catholic pretty high.

Really!!!!!!!!!!

Has this hit the Sentinel yet, between that and Edensor's Marbella trip Stoke schools are really doing well arn't they?????