Thread to share the horrors of secondary transfer

[TheDullWitch]

Oh my lord, 9 open days to attend in the next month. So why does it feel living round here that - unless you have girls or are Catholic ? you have absolutely no choice.

BR is definitely on my radar pooka! We are about 400 yards from the borders of both Bexley and Bromley where we live, thank goodness (where schools are concerned). Agree that for a town of that size and long history it is a cultural howling wilderness though, sadly

Sorry to disappear without telling you all the details!

I live in Chippenham, Wiltshire. One secondary school (Sheldon) is in top 15-30 comprehensives in the country depending on what measure/table you are using - e.g. this year's A level results put it at no. 25. It's also one of only 9 comprehensives ever to have had 3 successive 'outstanding' reports from Ofsted. So no pressure there for next time round...

Another school (Hardenhuish) also seems to do very well, again winning various accolades.

Both these schools (literally next door to one another) do not select at all, either on religious, academic or 'house price' sort of grounds. They have a totally mixed intake, but still do really well. I don't know anyone who lives in the town who has ever been refused their first choice.

The 3rd school I don't know as much about, it's only about 6 years old. But again, it seems to get very good Ofsted reports etc.

Come to Wiltshire - it's a great place to live!

Aha Portonovo! Will check it out. Sadly I think the commute would kill me...but thanks for reappearing.

Thanks for putting us out of our puzzled, envious misery portonovo

No, don't commute, move to the South-west!

Lovely towns, great countryside, some really good schools. House prices not cheap but better than South-east/London - we moved from Berkshire, definitely more house for your money here!

Feeling very smug now, sorry!

Thank you PortoNovo...Wilthire, here we come!!

Batters...oooo, er, how horrible. There goes my idea that that one would do then!

Ha! They called me an "old bag" when I pretended to call the police to stop an almost identical incident about a year ago. Insults are obviously coming on in leaps and bounds....

Does anyone else have children swotting for horrible tests in January all through the Xmas hols.

Is anyone waiting to find out if they have interviews/ have got into schools, state or private?

hi
Yes ~ we are waiting with baited to see if DS got his selective music place.
Hope you get the school you are after too.
x

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DD had 2 test last week, Thurs & Fri, and has another one this week. All selective private schools. We have an interview on Wed for the school she sat for on Thurs, not sure whether hey interview everyone or reduce by 1/3 as all the rest do.

She's cool about tomorrow as the one she wants was on Fri. Tomorrows is actually the academic school. What's the betting she gets that one & not the one she wants!
(actually, at this point in time I will be happy if she gets an offer of any of them!)

Results are posted on 1st March, have no nails left

Good luck to everyone else in the same boat.

hi
My DS doesnt play an instrument but has sings. He is hoping for a selective music place at secondary modern school with a good name.
Would love for him to go private but cant afford it.

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It is the waiting that bugs me. One school had its tests 8 days ago and starts interviews this coming Sat, but no one has had a call one way or the other. Not even the mums of brainiacs who'd be sure to get an interview. JUST TELL US!

Not sure how long we have to wait. The form stated the 1st March but after his musical audition they said they should be able to let us know in 3 weeks, that was 2 weeks ago. I am not getting my hopes up to find out earlier than the 1st March, have decided if we find out earlier it is a bonus.

Anyone else waiting for 11+ results and finding it difficult? My dd is a borderline 11+ person and has also done an audition for a non selective oversubscribed specialinst music school. Find out on March 2, apparantly! I think I need to stary a massive clutter-clear spring clean to keep my mind off it!