Page 6 | To think my DC is too clever for state secondary school?

chisanunian · 30/04/2022 00:21

My dc1 started their degree course aged 16.

Was it a wise decision? On the whole, and with the benefit of hindsight, no. Being exceptional is not without its challenges.

PyongyangKipperbang · 30/04/2022 00:21

two of my six are gifted, both did state school as I have no other choice. They have both had unconditional offers to RG uni's and are excelling there.

Its not where they learn but how they learn that matters.

LakieLady · 30/04/2022 00:23

How would you feel about him boarding, OP? Many public schools give scholarships to gifted children whose parents wouldn't be able to pay fees, but they usually have to board iirc.

A friend's son got a full scholarship to Christs Hospital and a colleague's son got one for Oundle. It might be worth looking into, especially if there's a good school reasonably near you that takes weekday only boarders (Kings at Canterbury used to, as did Marlborough). And some give full scholarships to children from the local area (Christs Hospital has a scholarship specifically for children from the Gatwick area).

FrankLeeSpeaking · 30/04/2022 00:25

If he wants to do well he will. Plenty of smart children in state school. Some private schools are way down the education tables.

grapewines · 30/04/2022 00:28

Crowdfunding private education. I really hope you are on a windup. Exactly why should or would strangers pay for your child genius' schooling?

stopwaitingforpermissiontobeyou · 30/04/2022 00:28

TheAbbotOfUnreason · 30/04/2022 00:18

In Scotland you could easily be starting uni at age 17.

I've known a few. None did well. two failed in the first term due to making bad decisions on drink and socialising - hence my earlier question about whether OP's son has any friends.

DressingGownofDoom · 30/04/2022 00:30

CinnamonJellyBeans · 29/04/2022 23:56

Quantum theory.

Yeah sure he does.

I used to watch Quantum Leap when I was about 7, am I a genius

Blinkingbatshit · 30/04/2022 00:38

I haven’t rtft BUT I’m assuming someone has told you already - if your child is that bright then state school will do them just fine!…private is only required for that little bit extra which, from your first post, it sounds like your child does not need. Unless they are aiming for a choral scholarship then I’d sit back comfortably😄

Lalliella · 30/04/2022 00:38

I honestly think he’s destined for amazing things.

TurquoiseSwirl · 30/04/2022 00:38

okay….. HP has a lot of small words on a page?

ForTheLoveOfSleep · 30/04/2022 00:39

OP honestly (and gently) nothing you have written here suggests your son is any more intelligent than an average 12 year old. Top of year 7 means bugger all as it is not a thing. Who have you heard this from?

Reading a book and fully understanding what they are reading is completely different to being able to sound out the words which most seven year olds can do. So "reading" the HP books is really not that remarkable.

As to the nuclear fusion research, its an interest of his. Just because the chosen subject matter is a science doesn't mean he's a genius. My 12 year old daughter loves IT and PC games and is fully capable of writing code and has made several simple simulation type games on her PC. She's not a genius she just has an interest.

My 11 year old daughter had a Fazbear Frights book arrive from amazon yesterday evening. She finished it this evening. She also has drawn/written several manga type books. She not a genius she justchas an interest.

My 6 year old daughter has ASD and functions at an age of around 18 months. But she has perfect, or absolute, pitch. She can hear a song on TV or radio and play the notes almost immediately on her keyboard.

Everyone's child is amazing to their parent OP.

Also, even if he was a genius, asking for strangers to fund his education is CF behaviour IMHO.

sazza76 · 30/04/2022 00:40

I personally think you will be doing him a diservice to push for him to go up a year (not that they are likely too). Genius or not, think of all the curriculum content he will miss in every subject including the more practical one’s and one’s like PSHE. He would also be with peers more developed than him emotionally and in terms of life skills. What about his mental health, how he is now in year 7 can easily change epecially when puberty really kicks in.
Also he can’t leave education a year earlier?
Secondary schools usually have a policy regarding Gifted kids, ask about it?
You could always get him a private tutor to add to his interests so he doesn’t get bored. Not to put him ahead of others but to offer a more indepth education in those areas.
There is also a difference between being able to read well and having the comprehension of everything happening in the story. I would also be careful about what he is reading, just because he can read a particular book doesn’t mean he should. He is still a child it is a parents job to ensure they aren’t exposed to anything inapropriate as much as possible. Books can be as damaging as films or video games.

mycatisannoying · 30/04/2022 00:41

The private school in the next town? I feel you may have to cast your net wider ...

MyCatIsAJerk · 30/04/2022 00:42

GeniusCreator · 29/04/2022 22:37

DC is Yr7. Top of year according to what I’ve been told. Read the full series of Harry Potter books by 7 years old. Excels in STEM subjects. Spends ages at home researching science stuff like quantum field theory and nuclear fusion/fission and enjoys it! Designs his own websites and writes his own code for his own games. Primary school were always pretty amazed by him. Secondary school have picked up on him now and have said they’ve never seen anything like him.

He’s already mentioning being a bit bored in class. We live in what could be described as a deprived town and are not well off, no family to help out, so would never be able to get him into a private school. I did check with the private school in the next town but there are no scholarships available.

WIBU to try to crowdfund for private school fees?

He needs a much higher level curriculum than the state school one to continue stretching him. I honestly think he’s destined for amazing things.

Oh dear god no.

You’re one of those mothers.

Original poster

GeniusCreator · 30/04/2022 00:45

There are two private schools near us. A very good one I should have applied for in Yr6 for but didn’t think about it. The other has scholarships for age 13 in sport and arts only. Those are the two areas he’s not interested in. At Primary, the other DC would ask him to help him with work and school always said he was amazing and a delight. Due to Covid, he missed out on it being picked up on in Yr5/6 probably.

I always knew he was above average. He says he wants to go to Cambridge to be a theoretical physicist (absolutely no prompting from us) but hadn’t really considered how extraordinary he was until he started at secondary and started getting feedback.

I didn’t want to put it in the OP but he currently has the highest points for behaviour, work ethic/effort etc by a big gap out of the whole school (1000 + students) and I have had calls from them marvelling about him. He’s given a presentation at a science event alongside Y10s and 11s taking over a large part of it!

I’m not delusional honestly. Out of my other 3 DC, only one is similar but no where near his level still.

I do not put pressure on him. He needs no prompting with homework. I have to encourage him to actually do some gaming!

I’m going to get this thread deleted as it’s outing now. It was lighthearted with the crowd funding and username. I wouldn’t seriously try to do that!

The fact people can’t comprehend that you can have a super intelligent kid and want to do what’s best for them so they stay motivated and achieve what they’re capable of, say I’m making it up, is boggling really. We are not well off, DH and I didn’t go to Uni and are not particularly knowledgeable about this stuff ourselves, so not sure how to deal with it.

OP posts:

Vikinga · 30/04/2022 00:45

Could you speak to his school and see whether he could either jump ahead a year or two or take extra subjects to keep him mentally stimulated?

CinnamonJellyBeans · 30/04/2022 00:47

...not a mother, but a "creator"

Vikinga · 30/04/2022 00:48

And why do you think private school is anything special? Kids who go to private school aren't any more intelligent, just their parents can afford the fees. (I went to private school). Plenty of lower ability children and the same mix as in state school. And my local secondary school is better than the local grammar school.

So I think the answer is to skip a tear or two or for him to learn more stuff

TheAbbotOfUnreason · 30/04/2022 00:52

stopwaitingforpermissiontobeyou · 30/04/2022 00:28

I've known a few. None did well. two failed in the first term due to making bad decisions on drink and socialising - hence my earlier question about whether OP's son has any friends.

Show quote history

I’ve known a couple - one turned 18 just in time for the medicine cut off on 1st November, but was generally a sensible and mature young person (they were a friend of my DC from primary and I employed them in secondary school years). I do know a few stories that they probably wouldn’t want their mum to know though!

Moonface123 · 30/04/2022 00:55

Most kids are bored at school generally but for some it can actually cause alot of problems, it can cause anxiety and panic.
Intelligence and anxiety go hand in hand , most school refusers ( hate that term because it implies theres a choice) are usually high achievers whose needs are not being met.

TheAbbotOfUnreason · 30/04/2022 00:57

I didn’t want to put it in the OP but he currently has the highest points for behaviour, work ethic/effort etc by a big gap out of the whole school (1000 + students) and I have had calls from them marvelling about him.

Aye right.

stopwaitingforpermissiontobeyou · 30/04/2022 01:00

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IVFPrayingForBioChild · 30/04/2022 01:00

I think the youngest child in a family is usually the most intelligent as they sort of learn from their siblings.
My brother went to a state school same crap one I did.
He went to Oxford, career in Banking, now a career as a doctor.
Doesn't matter what school a kid goes to as long as the parents help them at home. Teachers are no good. Well they weren't in our school. All the "ethnic" kids did well because their parents made sure they did.

Fidodidit · 30/04/2022 01:02

If he’s really smart, he’ll be fine, he’ll find his own ways to stretch himself - as he seems to be already. My DCs attend a school where a large part of the catchment is deprived. There are a lot of smart kids and they work hard to stretch them.

grapewines · 30/04/2022 01:07

Everyone marvelling about him is pushing it a bit.