Year 6/secondary transition help please

[curlew]

My dd is in year 6 and we live in an 11+ area . There are arond ten secondary school, selective and non-selective within travelling distance and we have to send in a from putting our three chioces by 20 October. Nightmare! I discovered this term that the teachers at Primary school are not allowed to offer any advice or opinion on what might be the best school for a child. They are not even allowed to say whether or not a child is likelyh to pass the 11+! My daughter is quite musical and one of the good non-selective schools has 10%admission on musical ability. I tried to ask her music teacher whether he thought she had a chance of getting in (because Idon't want to put her in to a selection process she hasn't a hope of getting through), and he said he wasn't allowed to tell me. He then said " Go for it, but I didn't say that" Why on earth aren't we allowed to call on the expertise of the people who presumably know best to help us make this crucial decision? Am I missing something? Help/opinions please. OK. rant over - and I do know I'm lucky to have any sort of choice al all!

Probably to stop paretns suing if the teacher gets it wrong

Curlew, do you have to do the 11+? When my niece and nephew went to school in your area, they went to Westlands first and then did the 13+, transferring to Highsted and Borden grammars respectively. Just another option if it's still available.

With regard to recommendations, I don't understand your dd's teachers. At DS2's school, we get a letter indicating whether, in the school's opinion, our child would be best suited to a high school, grammar or are borderline for grammar. This helps us to decide whether to enter our child for the 11+. Later the children will do a mock 11+ and, based on the result of this, the school will also indicate whether they are prepared to support your child in the event that an appeal is necessary.

Obviously the schools are best placed to know which style of education would best suit our children. We all have our own opinions, but parents' opinions are based on how the child is at home, parent/teacher consultations, etc. The teachers' opinions are based on how they perform in class and this is the best indicator of their ability. Have you challenged the head about this?

Thank you Freckle - sadly the 13+move doesn't hapen any more becaus there are supposed to be grammar streams in all the non selective schools. I'm interested in your ds's school's procedures. I just assumed that what they do at my daughter's schhol was universal. Apparantly we are told whether or not the school would support an appeal but absolutely nothing else. I will raise it with the head now I know it's not a universal rule.

Pixiefish - that was the only reason I could think of too. How bonkers is that!!!!!

Well all the school is doing is giving their view on which school would best suit your child. They are not giving any guarantees, so being sued really shouldn't be a concern.

Some people have ignored the school's recommendations in the past and entered their child for the 11+ having been told their child is high school material. Apparently, they have always failed which tends to show that the school's recommendations have some merit.

I would definitely challenge your child's school. Here it's just a question of high school or grammar, but you seem to have other options too, which must make the application process more complicated.