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Original poster

Not sure what to about ds and sending him to a grammar school

13 replies

frascati · 29/07/2007 14:47

Ds is going into year 5 and we have been told to try for grammar school.
I will go and look at our 3 in the borough and the normal high schools.
I am just so split. Can anyone tell me the pros and cons.
Thing with ds he is bright but not a child that lives for school so not sure if it's for him or not?
All advie greatly received

OP posts:
Blandmum · 29/07/2007 14:53

In the end you have to pick the school that you think will suit your child best (obvious I know )

Have a look at the diferent schools and see what you feel about them all. I wouldn't make any decisions untill you have an idea of what they are all like.

It also depends very much on your ds. If he is the sort of boy who will strive to compete with those who are a little more able, then a grammar school may push him on a bit.

If he is the sort of boy who doesn't want to play if he can't win (IYSWIM) then possibly being in the middle of a very bright class may be demotovating for him. He might be better suited to being torads the top of a comprehensive.

Original poster
frascati · 29/07/2007 14:56

Thanks mb. That's what I am thinking. He loves sport and being with his mates. He is one of the "lads" iykwim but he definitely has the potential to do well in the right place.

OP posts:
NKF · 29/07/2007 15:00

Frascati - I'm having the same sort of dilemmas. Clever child but not one who is motivated by being top of the class. Likes to do well but not competitive. Independent minded, likes to self study. Not sure if our selective schools would be right for him.

Original poster
frascati · 29/07/2007 15:08

NFK ~ yes they do sound a like. Hard to know what to do isn't it?

OP posts:
NKF · 29/07/2007 15:14

And it does depend a lot on the alternatives.

eandh · 29/07/2007 15:54

I went to grammar school at 13 (am in kent and was in the last year to go at 13 before they changed entrance to 11 yrs old)

Although not 'super bright/straight a's person' I thrived at grammar school mainly due to the distraction of the opposite sex and because there seemed to be alot more focus on behaviour etc compared to the 2 years I had spent at normal secondary school where class was often distracted by one or two people.

Intially I was reluctant to go and my parents agreed that if I hated it after a year they'd think of other options, I loved it and stayed to do my a levels there too. I was never the top of the class but was always around the middle of most subjects and when my mock gcse results came through as a's and b's but a miserable F in french the school encouraged me to take extra tutuion (I was taking 2 languages german and French and there were discussions about not entering me into French exam as I suspect they did not want their results afected (school has something like 100% 6+ gcse a-c grades and 97% 10+ exams at a-c) The french teacher gave up 2 lunch hours a week to tutor me and it worked as I finally acheived a B. I honestly beleive I would not have acheived my grades if I had continued at normal secondary school.

Excuse typng etc have dd2 asleep on me whilst doing this

Original poster
frascati · 30/07/2007 17:32

thanks eandh. I do worry about the lack of discipline in schools these days and that is a major factor for me.

OP posts:
NKF · 30/07/2007 19:18

Frascati, we are reasonably fortunate in our local school but when you have a bright child, you can't help wanting a bright environment. One of my worries is how to prepare the child for the exam, encourage them to believe it's important but not so much that they are disheartened and demoralised if they don't get in. Even very bright children don't always get into the very selective schools.

Original poster
frascati · 31/07/2007 21:02

NFK ~ I am not sure if ds will get in tbh. The tutor is coming round next week to give him an assessment and tell me honestly what she think.

OP posts:
NKF · 02/08/2007 13:21

That will be useful, Frascati.

Hallgerda · 05/08/2007 10:20

frascati, my DS1 is at one of the grammar schools in your borough, and it seems to offer quite a lot to the sporty and those more motivated by interest than in being competitive. Feel free (OK, I know it isn't free...) to CAT me.

cat64 · 05/08/2007 23:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

floopowder · 06/08/2007 00:00

Frascatti, I would go and look at all the schools in your catchement area this september just you and your dp, then at least when it comes to sep 2008 you will know what you are looking for in a school. How I wish I had gone and narrowed down the schools to choose from a year early, there are 11 in our catchement area and it was over whelming.

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