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Education

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Original poster

How many of us have DS or DD going into year 6 and so having secondary transfer this year?

491 replies

RTKangaMummy · 31/08/2005 21:16

How many of us have DS or DD going into year 6 and so having secondary transfer this year?

How do you feel about it?

DS goes back to school next Monday into class 6.

He has been at same school since Jan 1999, so sort of 7 years this year.

There is one class per year and they are a very close class, have got 26 children.

How do you feel about them entering into their last year at Junior school?

I feel sad that he is going to be leaving.

Is there anybody else who is going through this especially for the first time?

DS doesn't have any younger siblings so when he leaves primary school that will be the end for the family as well. IYSWIM.

Added to this is the secondary transfer issues.

I am sure when it comes to next summer he will be ready to leave as will probably grown up alot by then.

I was just wondering if others were thinking the same as me or whether it is just me being a silly neurotic mother again

OP posts:

Tortington · 29/09/2005 22:04

frogs thread hijack v. sorry - can you confirm your attendance or not and see new deposit payment thingies on xmas doo thread - ta.xx

Original poster

RTKangaMummy · 29/09/2005 22:09

The well rounded idea sounds good

We are finding the whole thing sooooooooo stressful, are you?

OP posts:

frogs · 29/09/2005 22:30

You did know that really, roisin -- how do you think those league-table topping schools get there and stay there year after year? Sure, they're good schools, but they're not that good. But if you've got 12 applicants for every place, and the whole of pushy North London to choose from, then clearly the selection mill can grind very, very fine.

As far as I can see a school that is much less selective but has results that are within 50 or so places in the tables may well be a 'better' school in terms of what they're actually doing for their pupils, as opposed to capitalising on the pupils' natural ability.

RTKM, yes, pretty stressful. Obsess, obsess. I'll feel better once we've made the decisions and got the forms in. Our issue is that we could choose a highly-regarded girls' comprehensive (so-called) that the majority of the girls from dd1's primary school will go to. For various reasons we don't feel it's the right school for her, so we're going out on a limb. Which is probably the right thing to do, but is a bit scary, and is no doubt the topic of much gossip behind our backs.

roisin · 30/09/2005 07:30

Oh it's all making sense now!

So when is the deadline for getting forms in? And do you all have the stress of 11+ later on as well?

Milliways · 30/09/2005 07:54

DS went aroung our local grammar this week, and decided he REALLY wants to go there! Again, 500 applicants for 100 places as one of the league toppers. He also thinks it looks like Hogwarts in places!

It's so much pressure on them. The exams contain Maths etc that is NOT covered at your local primary, so those in private schools that practice 11+, plus those that can afford a tutor do have an unfair advantage.

Still, I firmly believe that he will go where he is meant to be, & my prayers are that that will be where he will be happiest. We are VERY fortunate in that our catchment Comprehensive is very oversubscribed, performs well etc, and we live in the right road & his sister is there. Also, it operates an equal preference system so NOT penalised if put grammar school first etc.

Good luck with the decision making everyone.

tigermoth · 30/09/2005 07:55

tomanypushchairs, my oldest ds sat the bexley 11+ last year, and I so remember the busy time we had, visiting schools in Greenwich and Bexley. I am happy to talk about our experiences, if you want to ask me any questions.

tigermoth · 30/09/2005 08:11

I really feel for you all. I remember ds and I etting stressed about the maths 11+ paper for the same reason milliways states - his state school had not yet covered all the maths topics in their curriculum, so we had to work through papers at home.

FYI, when people heard what school their child was going to in March, one child who initially failed to get to the nearest grammar school ended up with a place there. She failed her 11+ by one mark, and was set to go to Greenwich's 'best' local comp, but in June, a place was found for her at the grammar. As she was boarderline she was on the waiting list. So IME, there is still some movement after March.

This year, my son is cooking rock cakes for the visiting panents and children at his school's open evening. I am so glad he is now the host, not the visitor I couldn't go through all that stress again in a hurry.

Oh, and the three grammar schools we visited vared hugely in 'vibe'. One ds and I found cold and old fashioned, another seemed too results-led, a grammar school trying to be a bad sort of private school, and the last was super - my son really loved it. It seemed to offer a more rounded education. That's the school he is at now. So far, he really loves it, so our instincts were right.

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 20:44

I have done the ONLINE application stuff this evening

Thank goodness

We still have to take the forms round to the schools as I don't trust the postman

Anyone else done the ONLINE forms yet??

kcemum · 09/10/2005 21:17

Not done anything yet as still waiting to visit shortlisted schools, but will be applying on line.

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 22:04

when is your final date for online?????

kcemum · 09/10/2005 22:09

21st October at 12 noon.

Find out if we get the school of choice on the 1st of May.

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 22:10

hopefully that is supposed to be march!!!!!!!!

kcemum · 09/10/2005 22:11

Whoops!! Of course I meant March

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 22:13

You can do it now ands change them later

We haven't seen one of our choices but am sure we like it from stuff we have read and am going to see it next week but wanted to do the form as there are only 3 schools top choose from anyway

And the one we saw last week that was going to be no 2 we didn't see anything there that would suit DS so have made that no 3 ands the one we haven't seen as no 2 cos that has a very good G & T system

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 22:15

There is nooooooooooo way I could wait til may !!!!!!!!!

kcemum · 09/10/2005 22:18

Our school number two is now our school number one as it also has good G & T provision, also the staff have got back to me quickly and answered my queries well which is more than can be said for the other one!

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 22:21

our no 1 is the boys grammar

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 09/10/2005 22:22

That is impressive re staff

kcemum · 09/10/2005 22:25

I thought so too

kcemum · 15/10/2005 17:41

Well our application has gone in, just got to sit and wait now.

RTKMonherBROOMSTICK · 15/10/2005 18:38

We have put the online one in

And the grammar school one is in Which had to be in by friday 14th -- the rest of them is the 21st.

We still have the dossier for one school to do and the other application to the other one.

Milliways · 15/10/2005 21:12

We have now had Grammar Application confirmed, he is applicant 175! Hope the council acknowledge receipt soon as we had to post it to them not DS school (wrong council).

kcemum · 15/10/2005 22:32

Milliways, how many places have they to offer?

Milliways · 15/10/2005 22:34

100, and usually 500 applicants by closing date as only Grammar for miles & usually tops all league tables.

kcemum · 15/10/2005 22:36

Crikey, thats a lot of applicants, good luck. When will you find out if he's going to be offered a place?

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