Downsizing to educate privately - any pearls?

[Tiredbutstanding]

Here's my (sorry, long) dilemma- do I sell up to go private for secondary or not?

We have attended our school for 3 years. Eldest DD is Y4, and there is STILL no weekly or bi-weekly academic homework and definitely NO maths written sheets. We get 30 mins every 2-3 weeks - mostly to look something up on the internet, and write a few paragraphs. Our 'homework' for this TWO WEEK PERIOD is to cut out a hut from a pattern, and stick some foliage on it for a class project. I kid you not.

My DD has needed extra maths this year as she has gaps in yr 2 and 3 maths which were not spotted until year 4 (along with many other children). We now have a tutor to assist.

I have met with/written to, the head, governors etc, to ask for voluntary homework - to no avail. Subsequently ....as the school does not seem to respect homework, neither do my children!! So when it lands, it is a BATTLE to get them to do it. The first attempt is AWFUL and worries me incredibly that this is what they actually produce at school. Yet when 'encouraged' they do a really good job, and the work is of a high standard. (We do now of course do our own homework to make up the shortfall but as it is 'mum' making them do it, and not the school, it is perceived as less valid and even 'unfair/unnecessary').

Why I don't pull them out and go elsewhere?...because we had SUCH a horrendous time when we moved 3 years ago. Also, to be fair to the Head, the year 6 results for the school are good and he says to 'have faith'. It is true that their maths results were 100% Level 4 maths, and about 50% Level 5. So a small miracle may happen - hence we'll stay at this school and do our best for them via home learning.

But for secondary - should we sell the house, and downsize to go private (to a non selective private school). I fear that this LACK of self discipline (that the school is, if not engendering, at least not preventing) is potentially going to fail both DD's at secondary- just when you need to be well motivated to flourish amongst 30 per class, and 8 classes of 30 per year.....

Should say here that if we go private the current lifestyle will have to go too (like many parents). (I went private as my parents knew I was a lazy monkey and I can see the same in my kids!! However it forced me to work hard and later gain a good career......and I've been eternally grateful for this.

Any pearls for me?

Ok well rest assured I am not relying on a private school to help me navigate the state system, that would be very silly.

There will be so many places at grammar school and the pass mark will reflect it. A mark that would get you a place one year, might not another year.

Heswall- I know from personal experience what it's like to have q child unexpectedly fail the -11+. Please don't count your chickens.

I'm so glad you've said that SWC because I've spoken to local headteachers who seem to think they are the educational nirvana that all other LEA's should apsire to and yet I see an authority with a dwindling population under 18, a surpluss of school places and a handful of schools actually educating to a good standard.

I have my reservation about the grammars too in that they are big fish in a small pool, compared against the country as a whole the Wirral isn't much to get excited about.
Sorry I've highjacked OP

Seeker, I've known kids who should never be at a grammar school in a million years get in on appeal.

They can't get in if there isn't a space. They certainly don't get in on appeal in the 2 areas that I have experience of-despite solicitors.

I have know DCs who shouldn't be there-they were taught to the test. I have known people on a waiting list who got a place when some were taken up but I haven't known anyone get in on appeal.

sorry-known

sorry again-when some were not. Time to go to bed I think!

Nope. I hqve known people get in unexpectedly- but never on appeal. Practically noone gets in on appeal!

Heswall- have your children actually passed?

Christ but I'm glad we don't have the 11+ here!

OP you do realise that it isnt homework for you dont you... it isnt "OUR homework" it is your DD's

and surely the fastest way to turn your children off learning is to make it compulsory and battle them to do homework you have set!

If they like writing stories let them.... If they like reading get a good book from the library ..... if they like maths write some sums out .... but FFS if they are 10 and tired after school let them sit and watch a dvd or play on the internet!!

Exoticfruits and Seeker, it's very very different up here, the pass mark is 232 and I have known children with 216 get places.
If you can write your name you are in some years it would seem.
I have a 50% success rate in my house and the best has yet to come, nothing to worry about believe me.

and I should add if YOU want to sacrifice stuff to give your children a private education then go for it but don't give your children the burden of them deciding whether they should go to a posh house or if the family should have posh holidays..... you may as well put the money away for therapy sessions for them when they grow up with ishoos now

I should add that child has struggled ever since and will do well to pass enough GCSE's to go on to 6th form but ironically the local well to do send their children to the grammars because they don't actually need the exam results or education but it's nice to talk about the school at dinner. The peasants like myself sell vital organs for private because they know the DC's will have to have jobs/careers.

I don't think anyone discusses the matter with the children severnofnine.

jajas - there's no harm in having a positive attitude.

Goodness knows where you live-I would keep it a secret or people will be moving there in droves!!

You seem to miss the point that the pass mark will change. Say there are 90 places on entry for year 7. Generally 232marks gets you a place-one year there are still 10 places free and so they go further down the list -as far as 216marks. Next year it could be completely different-they are a very bright year and they fill up the 90 places without having to go below 245marks so anyone below can't get a place.

Some DC will have taken the exam and the parents decided against the place for some reason, maybe they got a scholarship to a private school, maybe they decided on private, maybe they moved away or maybe they always wanted comprehensive but were curious-a whole host of reasons are possible. Those places then become free so can be offered the next highest marks on the list.

It isn't going to work as an appeal unless you can show that it was incorrectly marked or there was something wrong with the test. They can't manufacture places or give the place to the DC with 240 marks when it has already been accepted by the one with 242marks.

When I failed the 11+ my marks would have got me a place in the next town-it was irrelevant-it didn't get me a place in my town.

ironically the local well to do send their children to the grammars because they don't actually need the exam results or education

I would love to know where you live. I live in a very affluent area and I have never come across this attitude-it sounds like something from the early 20th century!

Wow- where do you live, heswall? 1890?

Children have failed and got in on appeal with a letter from their head teacher siting parents divorce 4 years earlier being the reason for failure, pressure due to bullying in the heads own school with the child still in attendence so it couldn't be that bloody bad.
Nobdody has moved here in droves, we've a massively aging population and the highest unemployment in graduates in the country. Combined with London house prices. Not sure what the future holds tbh.

"Children have failed and got in on appeal with a letter from their head teacher siting parents divorce 4 years earlier being the reason for failure, pressure due to bullying in the heads own school with the child still in attendence so it couldn't be that bloody bad."

How do you know this? Because this would not hqppen in any 11+ area I know of. It sounds like Chinese Whispers to me!