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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Awaiting grammar school results

146 replies

Asvan · 06/10/2019 16:39

Hi everyone

My daughter did the eleven plus exam for a nearby grammar school and the results are due to come out in mid October.

We didn't really put much pressure on her and didn't send her for tutoring or anything like that but, as the results day is approaching I'm feeling more and more anxious. We loved the school when we went to see it and would be overjoyed if she got a place there (even though the school is not in our catchment area).

I'm just nervous as I don't know which way it's going to go. She is a bright girl (on the top table in the top sets at school), but I know that this isn't always a guarantee. Especially as so many kids have had months of tutoring in advance.

Anyone else in a similar boat?

OP posts:

LoonyLunaLoo · 09/10/2019 12:21

Well done to mini @WingDefence!

Lemoncurd · 09/10/2019 13:08

Well done to those who have been successful!

No matter how often we say that it doesn't really matter and big up the alternatives to the grammar, the waiting is horrible! Still 10 days to go here.

Faith50 · 09/10/2019 13:11

Congratulations! wingdefence and looneyluna I hope you celebrate!

Ladies, I need some encouragement. Very down about my ds prospects.

At the non grammar schools in my borough, the percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above (A to C) is 33% to 38%. The number of those entering EBacc is between 14% and 35%. If my ds is not admitted to grammar school, he will have to attend a school with extremely low attainment levels as above. I am wondering if we will have to continue tutoring him through the five years.

I do not know what to do?

SirProjectofThigh · 09/10/2019 13:18

Oh yay! Well done Wing Boy!

It’s nice to hear.

SirProjectofThigh · 09/10/2019 13:21

Oh and LooneyLua too (missed a page!)

Faith it could be an option. Or try the best of the comps and if it really isn’t working out, would you consider moving?

WingDefence · 09/10/2019 13:23

Faith50 - don't give up hope just yet. Our non-grammar options were also low-performing comps but we have been told lots by others that a bright child should do well wherever. Perhaps look at whether the schools stream the children as I'd imagine that would help? And if the grammar near you has sixth form, that's always an option too.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 09/10/2019 13:26

My bright child got 12 As and As in a school in special measures. We helped out by buying some revision guides and I suspect some of her As would have been As with better teaching, but she was fine.

Transferred to college for A levels.

Original poster

Asvan · 09/10/2019 14:13

Congratulations to you guys! I bet you are so happy, and more importantly relieved! I have to wait until Monday to find out, please keep me in your thoughts! I would love to know by the weekend but I really have no idea when they will post the results out.

OP posts:

UselessTrees · 09/10/2019 14:22

Waiting here, too. We should get a letter on Saturday, or maybe next Tuesday, depending on which bit of information from the school is accurate!

DD1 wasn't tutored and didn't do a lot of preparation, partly because she went to see the school last year and didn't think much of it. Trouble is, the open day this year was much more impressive and she's suddenly keen to go. It really wouldn't be the end of the world if she hasn't done well enough to get a place, but I know she'll be disappointed. Gah! I just want to find out either way now!

Faith50 · 09/10/2019 15:28

sirproject We are considering moving depending on what score ds receives. A nearby borough has better performing primary and secondary schools. It will cost us though..........

wingdefence the non grammars in our area do have sets. The grammar schools also have sixth forms which year 11 pupils can apply for. Thanks

Tinkylittle 12 A's is excellent whether A or A*. Your child certainly is bright.

Faith50 · 09/10/2019 15:36

uselesstrees DS was tutored for a few years. This will make it all the more painful if he does not pass. He will be disappointed particularly as his friends have started to receive 'yes' letters for schools they applied for out of borough.

NumberblockNo1 · 09/10/2019 16:29

We cant afford to move. 😥

mcmooberry · 09/10/2019 16:44

Me too! For Reading School. Minimal tutoring as my heart wasn't 100% in it due to the hassle factor of getting him there but on the day of the exam I had severe regret about not doing more. We have a good local school that everyone goes to so it won't be a disaster. Good luck to everyone! Going to start reading more advanced books with my DD once she turns 8 in case she would like to try for Kendrick School as we were way, way behind in the VR.

LoonyLunaLoo · 09/10/2019 17:05

Thanks everyone, he’s sooo happy even if he couldn’t believe it at first!

@Faith50 I didn’t think DS would pass. He only decided to do the test at the end of June and he wasn’t tutored although we did work hard through the summer together. It’s not a superselective though to be fair.

Faith50 · 09/10/2019 17:16

Looney My ds will apply to non super selective. I have read that to be in super selective league, your DC must score in the top 2%.

At my ds's last open evening, his teacher told me he does not work at a level for grammar school. Apparantely he tries hard to keep up with his friends academically but has a way to go. I probably should have listened to the teacher as they tend to know. Oh well.

Irisloulou · 09/10/2019 17:29

Congratulations to those that passed!

My DS sat the Calderdale test, it was flawed and there were apparently question that couldn’t be answered. Caused a lot of stress as DS is a perfectionist. 😢

SirProjectofThigh · 09/10/2019 19:14

You gave him a shot Faith. If he doesn’t get in, things have a way of working themselves out. I would have thought that all the kids on this thread have a good chance of succeeding educationally, regardless of whether they get in, because we’ve all been invested enough to give it a shot!

That’s what I’m telling myself anyway.

Laser17 · 10/10/2019 21:41

I’m so glad this thread is here. Don’t find out results till mid next week and I need to chat to people about it! Don’t want to talk about it to my son because it just adds pressure!
I told him either grammar or the local schools will be great for him (this isn’t entirely true the local schools aren’t great haha)

Faith50 · 10/10/2019 22:42

laser I too am glad this thread exists and hope we keep it going way into next week.

DataColour · 11/10/2019 08:59

I'm awaiting my sons results too, due in about a week. Good luck to everybody waiting...it's hard!
I will be sad for him if he doesn't pass because he thinks he's done well and really wants to go to this particular school, but I've told him that the local comp is good too (which it is mostly).

Redlocks28 · 11/10/2019 09:08

Good luck to all of you waiting!

We were in this situation last year but our local alternative wasn’t not good! We live in a town with 4 grammars very close to each other (plus 4 super selectives further north in the county) and the alternatives are either difficult to get into, a trek away into the next LEA or pretty undesirable so it was pretty stressful!

LoonyLunaLoo · 11/10/2019 12:17

@Faith50 only 3/7 boys in DS’s class passed. I’m 100% certain that if his teachers had had to predict which 3 that would be DS wouldn’t have been one of them! But he did pass so didn’t give up hope 😊

Original poster

Asvan · 11/10/2019 16:38

I'm still waiting too guys. I rang the school yesterday and they said the results will be with us by Monday. I'm hoping that if they were posted today, we will get them by tomorrow.

I just really want to know now.

OP posts:

Lemoncurd · 11/10/2019 17:29

Good luck Asvan, still a week to wait here. Drumming fingers, trying not to let the impatience show or mention anything in front of the children!

Faith50 · 11/10/2019 18:36

Looney Teachers do not always get it right. Believe me if ds passes I will ensure his ex-teacher who was not encouraging gets to hear about it!

Asvan and Lemon I too am not mentioning to ds and am remaining cool in his presence. In reality I am anxious, not sleeping well, have cannot finish reading my book as I just cannot concentrate. We have decided on two other schools which puts me slightly at ease (really do not want to send ds to either). We attended one of the grammar school open days and I was blown away by the confidence of the pupils, expectation of staff, standard of writing, variety of subjects, the good manners. The grounds are beautiful as grammars often are.

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