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Original poster

Waiting for Results on 1st March

959 replies

GORGEOUSPSYCHIC · 13/01/2011 20:32

Thought it would be nice to start a support thread on here about the wait for our DC getting into secondary schools. Anyone else glad the tests are all over?

OP posts:
TIDDLYMUM · 02/03/2011 15:00

No grammars in Stockport. But it is but a hop skip (and a six o clock get up) to the schools in Trafford so for West Stockporters like me, lots of us sit our DCs for Trafford exams ( 1 for each school don't you know!)and if they score ( usually a higher score required) then they can get in... Other than that a good number go private. Our catchment school was reasonable, but my son goes to GS in Trafford. loves it, don't regret the decision or resent the early starts... well not that much anyway :)))

SK4Mum · 02/03/2011 15:04

Thanks for the reply mummytime. We have now contacted the LEA and they have added her to the waiting list. They also advised us to lodge an appeal which we were surprised about!!

Ballarat, no you're right there's no Grammar system in Stockport, we were applying out of catchment (Trafford)

MNHQ
NancyMumsnet · 02/03/2011 15:09

Jenny22, we've deleted your posts because they breeched our talk guidelines. If you want to talk to us about this, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]

TIDDLYMUM · 02/03/2011 15:14

SK4 was it Loreto or AGGS? I might be able to give you some pointers as previously mentioned.

curlymama · 02/03/2011 15:19

SK4 Mum, that's interesting that they advised you to appeal. Wishing you lots of luck with it! Smile I'm thinking about doing the same with a grammar school, but I'm not sure what I will say.

My DS ranked 159 out of 537, they only offer places to the top 100, and he got a score of 331.41, which is apparantly below the pass mark. But I don't even know what the pass mark is! He has AS, which is one of the main reasons I want him to go to the grammar. I just feel it would be a better environment for him and they seem to have a lot of AS students there so I would think they would know the best way for him to achieve his potential.

Does anyone know what I should do, or if it's worth doing anything based on his score?

Ugh, this is horrible!

mamatomany · 02/03/2011 15:24

I'm wondering the same curly mama my daughter is very gifted at Art, she has been on the G&T register since reception. The grammars facilities are second to none, the local private schools cannot compete. I'm now in a flap because it's possible i'm going to end up paying for an education less suitable for her needs :(

curlymama · 02/03/2011 15:31

It's awful isn't it? I'm finding it hard to even know what to do for the best!

I always said if he didn't get in then it wasn't right for him, but that was when I thought he'd do it! DS is on G&T too, I wish all these things were taken into account and it wasn't all based on one morning worth of tests. They lost my ds on the morning of the tests and he got sent to the wrong room, so he only just got settled as the time started.

I may be overthinking now, and I'm definately ranting!

Sorry about that! Smile

mamatomany · 02/03/2011 15:54

Rant away i'm having to do my everything's fine face when i just want to cry, i'd rather it was than her disappointed not helped by the fact my MIL has just told my husband he should have married a more intelligent woman, I have dragged down the IQ of the children apparently :( What a fcuking day.
Haven't told DD yet, I want it to be away from her school friends to let it sink in.

TIDDLYMUM · 02/03/2011 16:06

What a charming m-i-l, can I put poison in her tea or will you. Grrrrrr.

What part of G and T doesn't she get??

x

GORGEOUSX · 02/03/2011 16:07

Bloody hell Mamatomany - hope you told her, at least they've got your good looks!Shock Grin

Ballarat · 02/03/2011 16:09

Oh ok, not too far to travel I guess. I was just surprised as when I lived in Trafford there was much angst about being in the right catchment so it surprised me that you could get in from as far away as the Heatons. Smile
Good luck with it though. I don't know your particular comp but schools in Stockport are generally good I thought. Mind you, we also lived in Wilmslow at one point which had an excellent secondary school yet everyone chose to bus their kids over to Cheadle Hulme or Manchester Grammar.

I've just discovered that the place we're looking to buy in has a crazy system too. Nowhere near enough places for the kids in the county apparently. Shock How do they get away with that?

TIDDLYMUM · 02/03/2011 16:12

unbelievable. foul old hag

That has actually topped my late (god rest her) m-i-l comment on our first meet.

' Ooooh you've lovely teeth.. are they your own?'

TIDDLYMUM · 02/03/2011 16:17

Oh yes Ballarat its definitely an option. Being a Catholic family we also had the option of the Catholic grammars, so actually ended up with choice of two. There is a bus from Didsbury for my sons school and for the Catholic schools a school bus runs through the Heatons.

Its wrong that we have to go to such lengths, an old argument thats been done to death... Good luck with your move...

mamatomany · 02/03/2011 16:18

And she, MIL thinks she's moving in with us so I can help to look after her in her old age, she can shove that right where the sun doesn't shine !

Oh what do I do, spend my life savings trying to drag the children through a school she doesn't like that will give her the pieces of paper or send her to the crappy one (or move house) and do my best to top her up educationally and give her the money I would have spent to help her out later in life ?

idlingabout · 02/03/2011 16:27

Citrus and weblette - are you in West Sussex too.
I am simply disgusted by their incompetence. The published information clearly states you will be advised on 1st March. They have only posted the letters on 1st March and second class !! How does that equate to advising us all on !st March fgs. To make matters worse, we had applied online so should have received an e-mail yesterday. This never materialised. I called them to-day to be told that they had had a huge IT problem which meant they hadnt been able to send the e-mails and cant update the online system with the offers. They can`t even tell me when the problem will be fixed and seem to think it is acceptable that they have sent out the letters.
We had to stick to their deadline for applications so they shoulkd do the same for the deadline for offers.

Lucycat · 02/03/2011 16:30

SK4 mum, I'm also sk4 but we have got dd into our local school - P.wasn't that your local catchment area school? Unless you are desperate for her to go to a Trafford GS then please don't despair- It's o really good school going places,although P might not be your school..... Is it RV?

CointreauVersial · 02/03/2011 16:49

Well, I got my letter today confirming that DS1 has the place at his first choice, but the address on the letter was wrong Shock; luckily, only two doors down, and the neighbour knows us, so he dropped it round.

I checked on the website in a panic; thankfully I did make the application with the correct address. But I don't dare phone anyone to tell them about the mistake - I have visions of them withdrawing the school place!!

So I've accepted the school place electronically via the website, and will "ignore" the letter for the time being - don't rock the boat, eh?!

The school DS1 has got into has been massively oversubscribed for the past few years, and we were well outside last year's catchment. But for some reason they're not full this year, so have mopped up all sorts of people who didn't think they has a cat in hell's chance of a place. Some who didn't even put it first. So it's worth putting down all your real choices, even the unlikely ones, as you never know what is going to happen from year to year.

Anyway, stress over for me, the DDs will follow their brother, I can relax now until university applications....Grin

Ballarat · 02/03/2011 16:51

Tiddlymum, I wasn't being critical at all. Just surprised. Smile

Good luck to everyone still waiting.

themildmanneredjanitor · 02/03/2011 16:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lucycat · 02/03/2011 17:05

Hiya mmj! You must be pleased with chhs, I suppose your other option was the Academy- where I'm sitting watching dd1 swim! Nice glossy building..... Look at us sending our kids to the local comp, quite a rarity on mn Wink that'll stir up a whole heap of crap but hey ho tis the Socialist in me Grin

Lulumama · 02/03/2011 17:07

got letter today that DS got into first and only choice. v pleased. SENCO there is excellent, the school will meet his needs and I didnt realise how much I wanted him to go there until I got hte letter and realised I'd been holding my breath

congrats to those who are happy, and good luck to anyone embarking on teh appeals process

themildmanneredjanitor · 02/03/2011 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TIDDLYMUM · 02/03/2011 17:11

Hi Ballarat

I didn't think you were being critical anyway, so don't worry. I stand by my choice, and respect everyones right to do the same.

Lucycat, yes P. is a very good school and I would have been more than happy for my DS to go there. I believe as always it was greatly oversubscribed.

curlymama · 02/03/2011 17:15

Mama, your MIL sounds like a nightmare, ignore her, as best you can. Opinions like that really aren't worth anything.

SK4Mum · 02/03/2011 17:37

Ballarat, yes you're right the schools in Stockport are generally good, for us it's really the trade off between a Catholic and non-Catholic education.

Lucycat, P is our local catchment comp and our daughter has a place there. We were very impressed by the school and its' staff when we attended the open evening. They also arranged for us to visit during the school day a couple of weeks later. That was quite an enlightening visit and I must say the behaviour in the classrooms was impeccable.

TIDDLYMUM yes we are in the Heatons and it was L. Thanks for the offer I will PM you if that's OK?