'Open' Days at local private schools

[VonHerrBurton]

Our (state primary) school have sent letters home 'inviting' certain dc, maybe 5 from a class, to a Maths Open Day at a private high school. Some from Years4, 5 and 6.

There was one last year, it was a Taster Day, and again a handful were selected by the class teachers.

None of the parents have ever shown/registered any interest in the private school and there didn't seem to be any rationale for the selection.

Has anyone experienced this and if so, why do they do it and how do they select certain dc? There was a sports one a couple of years ago and the chosen few got to do rowing, swimming, archery and other things. The other dc were gutted not to have been invited, my ds included!

It'll be nothing to do with whether anyone is interested in changing school. It will simply be the venue for extension activity. Presumably the invited children are those who are good at maths?

Yep, it's a G&T scheme - they haven't labelled it as such, I suppose, because they don't want a backlash from parents crying elitism because their child didn't make the cut.

That's why I'm asking meditrina as no, certainly two of the dc in ds's class that are invited are in the lower set for maths.

I would totally understand and that would be the plain and simple explaination if that was the case. No backlash involved from me, alma, I'm interested to know the selection procedure, that's all.

As I said, the sports one a couple of years ago, my ds was heartbroken he didn't get to go as he wanted to try sports he hadn't tried before and the dc selected for that certainly weren't the sporty type, then or now.

Probably so the private school can tick the box of sharing with other local schools. My dd used to day she never got picked for things whilst eldest always seemed to drop lucky, but then she had such a spate of being chosen she said she felt embarassed by the end!!!

'Open day' does sound a bit more touting-for-trade than the more usual 'workshop' or something.

These days are run purely as a maths activity event and has sod all to do with the private school promoting places.

The kids going will have been chosen on their mathematical ability or potential to gain some confidence/mathematical knowledge from the day.

It does sound like an ISSSP thing, but I still think 'open day' is an unfortunate term likely to cause confusion, especially given that this is the season for open days!

Several schools by us run these days. Some sporting, some musical even as far as to be just "string days" for those that play violin etc. There are art days, drama ones, shakespeare, Science ones, general knowlege challenge etc. I dont have a problem with them I see them the same as I would a hockey/football/netball tournament.

I think in general kids are chosen to attend where their current school thinks the kids that are particulary interested or good in the area would gain. Also some of these days are run like competetions where schools complete against each other (like a football tournment - but maybe in maths for example) so in that case the school would probably choose their most mathematically (or whatever subject) gifted pupils to compete.

Its just another fun way for kids to learn.gain knowledge.

My daughter went on an art day and a science day in year 3, but in our case our primary head knew we were already planning the move to private school, and we were already on the waiting list for the school that was hosting.

Have you approached your local private school, as on the waiting list your child would also get the opportunity to go in for a taster day.

Yep, tis a box ticking exercise in trying to look non elitist.