Discriminatory Entrance Tests - is this true?

[Blu]

VictoriaPeckham's post on another thread. Is this true? How very appalling if true - but I am discovering some of limbo-dancing that state primaries achieve in order to squeeze through the regs and avoid any chance of muddying top SATS positions.

Vp - do you have evidence of this?

Hi Blu, I have heard of private schools wanting athletic kids and testing them on the playing field, which makes me sad as ds is clever but dyspraxic (not that we can afford private education). I also wondered how true this was.

I have no doubt this is true - no experince myself, but discriminatory or not would this be a school you wish to send your child too? All prep schools have their focus, be it accedemic, sporty, arty - why (if you can afford it) not choose one that more suits your child.

I am more playing devils advocate, but why would you want to send your child to a school where he is going to not fit in.

Cazzycabs - personally I wouldn't dream of it. And actually, if he would' fit in', I would be even more reluctant to send him there as I would hate to send my child to a school where the expectation and engineering was that everyone could be assumed to 'fit in' i.e 'be like us'. Hardly horizon expanding or character building!

whhere's all this limbo dancing SATS stuff - what thread is it on?

I have never heard of a physical test like this, but don't know a lot about private school selection tests. Blu, that boy in my son's class (the one I told you about on another thread) could easily prove that a physical handicap does not necessarily make a boy weak or unsporty.

Did you Cecilia? I wonder if that's where Victoria Peckham got it from?

I am not actually attempting to get DS into a private school, and TM, my rather hysterical limbo-dancing ref was because my closer look into how SEN is dealt with in the admissions process reveals that certain schools - those with a v high league table performance - are the ones making it hardest for applicants under SEN criteria to actually get in. In my limited experience of 4 schools anyway.

TM - I have no doubt! and must e mail you about that....

No rush, blu - just email me when you have time