to think that the 11plus forum is the scariest forum in the world!

[stillenacht]

anyone agree??

Why do you think I go back sometimes and stir the pot?

No - wish I was, it's a cool name!

Missed that bit! I think it's scary because it's peopled by such.......driven......individuals. I am always scared by people who make the moulding of their children their career!

The "waiting for Tiffin results" thread was an eyeopener on there, with some counting down the days in Big Font, and squealing about having to go to the Priory.
Well worth going on there on a Friday night and posting outrageous things.
But some parts of it ARE informative and I'm sure a great help to some.

Many years ago a Grammar School education was the only way for poor working class children to receive an academic education.All primary schools prepared all children for the exams.There was another chance to get in at 13+ and another for the 6th form.There were technical colleges and secondary modern schools all tailored to help children reach their full potentil.There was no nonsense about catchment areas because there was true equality of opportunity.The comprehensive system destroyed that.What we should have done was kept Grammars nationwide and poured money/resources into secondary and technical schools so that all children felt equally valued.Not everyone benefits from an academic education but those who do are our doctors,lawyers,teachers etc.University for all is nonsense too.Sometimes I really do despair.

"Many years ago a Grammar School education was the only way for poor working class children to receive an academic education"

Now they are a way for privileged children to become even more privileged, while simultaneously compounding the disadvantage of the disadvantaged.

Why?If we campaigned for a return to the original system then the original standards could apply.I grew up on a council estate in a pit village in the North East.I went to Grammar School and eventually to University-the first of my family.That would be rare now not because there are grammar schools but because there are not enough of them.

The problem is that people are prepared to demand more grammar schools, but ask them if they want more Secondary Moderns and I doubt if they would.

To use my personal experience, my children go to a large, very socially diverse primary school on the edge of two housing estates in an area of significant social deprivation. We have 50% more children on free school meals than the national average.

And who goes to grammar school? The children of professional, middle class affluent parents - that's who. And the children who really really need the step up go to the high school, which is good, but not as good as it should be because it doesn't have that top 25% - they are all off in their ivory tower learning Latin.

pranma - I too am from the north-east. And 'me mam' got into a grammar school from a council estate in Yorkshire. But I can assure you that she would have little chance of doing so now, in a grammar school county in southern England. Her parents would never have been able to afford the kind of tuition that is the norm for more affluent children, or indeed have been savvy enough to use internet forums. And that is why I don't believe that grammar schools these days provide any kind of 'ladder' for the bright working classes. I wish they did, but the truth is that they don't any more.

MNers' spelling gets no criticism from me! tis only those who jump in first with their 'standards' who deserve a comeuppance. My spelling and gramma are fantakka mind.

Agree that the remaining grammar school places are mainly going to children of the affluent. A bright working class child can still shine in a normal school.

Speaking from experience of a fully comprehensive, mixed ability system here, where the schools would have to answer questions if the didn't produce a reasonable quota of straight A students from various backgrounds. Whereas under the old system a child would be written off without an 11+ pass.

I went to a grammar school and my results were shite.

Not everyone who gets in does well. Some would be far better off at the local secondary school. I was tutored to death for 11 plus, had private edu before that and flew through the exam, but of course struggled once i got there with all the natural bright sparks.

I was one of quite a few. Seriously not worth it in the end. If you child has not got it naturally, do not put them through this.

Yes, great to have xxx grammar school on the cv but not much good with only a few c's to add to it.

What about late developers and ones that just need the 'lights switched on' by good tutors or willing parents who can explain and get through to these children so they can pass the exams?

Isn't that what the 11+ forum is all about? That it gives these children a leg up? It can't be all that scary if that's what it is aiming to do?

I suppose it is only scary if the obsession gets out of hand as in you think,live,breathe the 11+. There are seriously addicted people on that site and that in itself is scary too.

You can find things out from the schools or areas where you are taking the exams, can't you?

"A bright working class child can still shine in a normal school."

But the whole point of the grammar shool system is that bright working class children should be given a step up out of disadvantage. And it may have happened in toe past, but it certainly doesn't now.

And the presence of grammar schools has a negative effect on other schools in the area - a school missing the "top" 25% ( in terms of pupils AND involved and aware parents) is always going to find it hard.

May I just say that I think that the reason Grammar schools today are seen as for the privileged few is because there arent enough of them.If there was one for every area and all primary schools prepared and entered all children then it would be the norm for academically able children,not the exception.Fwiw I think today's system is awful and has created sink schools with no alternatives in areas already deprived.I have a feeling I am on the wrong thread here!