To ask will a bright child really be ok whever they go to school ?

[Ishani]

Bit of background, ours have been in private school since nursery apart from 2 years where we tried the local church school.

We moved them not because of the school itself but down to a group if bullies who were awful and when our DD moved they got their teeth into another child who then went on to fail the 11+ as a result of these little witches, seriously this other girl was one you'd have bet your house on passing but she was so unhappy in year 5 and 6 there's no other explaination, she just didn't want to go where these other girls were going, they have all of course passed and are off to the best grammar in the country :-(.

being happy and in a good social peer group, being safe and working hard are far better indicators of a succesful person

you need to move to get a school place unless you pay private

Have you been to visit the school they will go to? You see to be in a rambling panic. Get rational and practical.

do not put your faith in OFSTED (waste of time, have no respect for their inspectors or inspections)

put your faith in personal visits and gut feelings - speak to as many kids (not parents) as you can - view some classes - see how you feel about SLT

I second activate's advice from personal experience. Do not put your faith in OFSTED.

Do they allow that pointydog. I've asked to visit and again nobody is getting back to me secondary seems to be a whole different kettle of fish, having said the primaries just rushed me around each classroom so I was desperately just trying to look at the work on the Walls and to see if anyone looked sad or own their own.

They should certainly provide an opportunity for people mioving into the area to visit, yes. I'd insist.

Another vote for visiting - wouldn't dream of sending child to a school I hadn't looked at. Don't be intimidated by secondary!

I don't think a very bright child will necessarily do well anywhere, because a seriously sink school is perhaps too big a battle to fight against. But the majority of our state schools? Yes , a bright child should be fine, particularly when from a supportive home. Ime a lot of parents who get in a stress about having a use private schools, or who obsess about getting their child into a state school with a 90% pass rate, do it because they fear that their children are- shock horror- fairly average academically. If you have a bright child, and confidence in that child, you shouldn't worry!

My brother was very bright and went to a very good public school but failed all his A levels because he did too many drugs.

I did the same dexeter I suppose you could say at least my parents didn't pay £70k for the pleasure of having a dope smoking hippy for a daughter though.

Depends on what you mean by 'bright' - if we're talking giftedly bright then it's often not realised this is a special educational need as much as the child with learning disabilities has and should be recognised as such. It all boils down to howell the teachers practice differentiation. You'll get good teachers who do this well in pretty much any school.

As far as I am concerned, it is down to the child's particular teacher. A 'good' school can still have some bad teachers in it, and a bad school can have some good teachers in it.

My DS is bright, but this year the school have failed him as his teacher is incompetent at teaching and medeocre at best at classroom management. He has not learnt what he was meant to, so he has huge gaps in his knowledge, but he is in a very 'good' school, according to the school's reputation and their last ofsted inspection (before his rubbish teacher started working there).

And the worst thing is, of course, that she is going to go on teaching there, because it is almost impossible to get rid of bad teachers in the bloody public sector.

Rant over.

I don't think she's going to set any records with her exam results, above average, reading age of 14 at 10 that sort of thing rather than winning chess against grand masters.

Weeeell. I'd have said no a few years ago. But, I have moved counties for the DDs schooling. DD1 has gone from failing in her A'levels to predicted 4-5 A's and B's.

That is entirely down to her moving from a failing school to an excellent Grammar school. She has the ability but if the teaching is not there (teachers not turning up for weeks on end, no text books, no structured lessons, just watching endless videos), then there is very little chance of the child being able to do it's best.

Not everybody has access to a good free school. near me, the options are a couple of private schools (?6,000 a year, approx) a selection of community schools that don't seem to send anybody to university, and a few good catholic schools with good reputations. I won't get into the catholic schools and yet I've been judged (on line!! people don't say these things in real life) for considering private.

I know people love to say "a motivated, clever child will do anywhere" but the reality is it's not usually that simple. My child is fairly well motivated but also inclined to be distracted. She's clever enough bu tno genius. It could go either way

My kids have always gone to local schools but we are lucky to live in a good area with a good state school. I am a stay home mum of 5 and we couldn't afford private unless I went back to work; but I wouldn't choose that anyway as i like them to have a good social mix too. I believe a bright child can do well anywhere. 2 of mine are classed as G&T and are doing very well in state, doing A levels in year 10 in some subjects and precicted top grades. Of course i don't count my chickens as they could go off the rails etc, you just never know. I would say unless it is a very rough school with terrible results, they will do well in state. They will also learn to get along with, or tolerate, all types which they will need for the rest of their lives.

Sarah- yes, thats what I meant about a failing school. I think it's very hard for ANY child of reach their potential in a school like that. But presumably your dd would , if shes bright, be predicted 5 A grades at A level if she were now in a decent school, regardless of whether it's grammar or private? If performing at this level is dependent on being in fee paying or grammar- well, that's when alarm bells Ring for 'me, because I suspect the pupil is going to struggle later at university.
The parents who are at most risk of this I think are the one who have access to perfectly good state schools with decent pass rates but still lack confidence their child will achieve well

No, I agree, she would be doing well at any decent school. Sadly, it' is a very 2 tier education round here. The grammar schools are excellent. The rest of the secondary schools are, to put it bluntly, crap.

Sorry,to hijack (a little) can I ask why a couple of you wouldn't put your faith in OFSTED?

I am totally out of the loop,I have been abroad a while...:)

Ishani, the local authority can't offer you a place until they know you are moving! You have to be able to show it on paper; either a rental contract with a start date or a solicitors letter with a completion date if buying.

They can't offer you until they know this otherwise people would just contact the local authority and say they're moving when they're not, just to try to get their kids into a school that's not the closest.

When you apply mid-year, they simply give you the spots they have available and if there is more than one, they let you choose. You can also be put on the continuing interest list for the school of your choice and basically wait until a space becomes available for you.

This is the the problem we are now faced with when moving (in three weeks) for my DS1 who will be in year 2 in September.

He will simply be given a space at a school in the area and if you don't like it, you either pay to go private or you home ed.

We are therefore looking into areas with mostly good schools so even if it's not the closest, he will still be in a decent school. And then when my DS2 gets a place, which will be able to select (choice of 3) he will go to the top of the list as a sibling if we want to transfer him.

In answer to your question, I don't know if she will do well or not. There are so many factors involved in a child's performance at school and a good ofsted is not the sole determining factor here.

Sorry, read more of this thread and can see you know how it works. Can't you just ring up the local authority and ask which schools have spots?

I've done that with the LA in the area to which we're moving and they've been very helpful.

We could play the game and give dh's week day address if I thought that would help, I was trying to be honest and say tell me if you've a space on this good school and I will buy a house in it's carchment which I would. Maybe that's what you do, buy the house and then throw a hussy fit and insist your child goes there, seems like too big a gamble to me though.

Nearly all the research shows that it's the home environment that makes all the difference (high expectations and support - that means a learning friendly home, not necessaily the OP being at home).

That said I think some of the real sink schools will be just too hard.

The OP's high schools sound like arses as they will have to take her DCs if she moves, whats it to them re any Grammar school arrangement.

But motivated at 11 may not mean motivated at 14, particularly if your DD feels she has to conform.

I think bright children with supportive parents will get good grades practically wherever they go to school.

However - and this is crucial to me - there are settings where they will be happier, as well as being more stimulated in their education.