Ever been desperate for a specific school?

[auntysocial]

I am absolutely desperate to get my son into a specific secondry school. He's only 8 (just going into year 4) but to me its so important that he gets in to this school when he's 11.

All the schools around us are terrible. The school I want him to go to is voluntary aided. Its an all boys school in the city centre...over subscribed but practically all the boys come out with 5 or more a-c level gcse's. Its the type of schools that they WANT to turn up to every day, everyone knows the boys by their distinct uniform.

My question is, how do I maximise our chances of getting my son in? I know they have to have an abilty test and an interview but this is supposedly to make sure that they get a mixed range of abilty...personally I doubt this and reckon they pick the kids by the best results.

Do you think his sats results from primary will come into it at all?

Any thing you know about this issue that could help us will be greatfully received.

Probably, tutoring for the ability test and interview - ask around now because if this is the case, the best tutors will be spoken for quickly.

I do have a nice story for you though. I have a very good friend, whose son wanted to go to a grammar school in Colchester. He was definitely one of the brightest in his year but something went wrong and he didn't get a place. At the time, they were all very, very upset. He went to the local comp - not great, not bad. Fast forward 10 years, he got excellent GCSEs/As, is at Edinburgh university and wants to train to be a teacher. Whatsmore, he actually loved his time at secondary school and didn't go to sixth form college (there is an excellent one in Colchester) despite getting a place, because he liked where he was.