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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

my son is going to the local bog standard comp

184 replies

southeastastra · 03/03/2012 21:46

is yours? club

OP posts:
TheOriginalSteamingNit · 05/03/2012 12:56

But pusheed surely someone has to get Bs and Cs? Or are you saying she'd be a straight A* student if she'd gone to private school?

Pusheed · 05/03/2012 12:57

"But what's the point of getting a degree if you want to be a chef?"

None, if that is your ambition at the age of 18 :) I was simply making the point that it is better to have a good degree and not need it then to decide you want to be a lawyer at the age of 21 and realise that you didnt have the grades to get into a good training program.

"And what's the point in your friend trying to be positive in front of his dd when she clearly isn't cut out academically to be a vet?"

Sorry dear but you aren't clever enough to be a Vet - that should go down well :)

MistyB · 05/03/2012 13:00

Earth friendly baby lotion / cream and lush dream cream which does however have a number of parabens which according to them are old ones and some of the least risky? Burts bees are good too. Many products contain something that somebody somewhere is likely to have a problem with so I've always found muscle reaction testing best to see if it suits an individual. You can do this without opening the cream and therefore youdon'thace to try it first to see if it will react.

imnotmymum · 05/03/2012 13:01

MistyB ???

blushingcrow · 05/03/2012 13:07

Yep mine all went to the local comp, great thread op

Pusheed · 05/03/2012 13:11

Not all private schools are academic - even rich people have average kids. So, no I am not stating she would be a straight A student if she had gone private.

I was merely responding to the specific point that getting into a top uni/job is not everyone's objective for their kids.

I wanted to study Law at Uni but my grades weren't good enough. As a graduate I wanted to join the Foreign Office but my cv was not good enough to even get pass stage 1.

Today I have two DCs in private schools so I obviously haven't sufffered financially because of my 'humble' start :) However, I want my DCs to choose whatever career they want and to have the qualifications that will give them a good chance of landing their dream job as opposed to having to compromise at such a young age.

titchy · 05/03/2012 13:11

But probably better thna 'Of course you can be a vet darling...'

Far better surely to let her know NOW what she needs to do if she is capable of some serious hard work to get her grades up to A+, or to gently nudge her in another direction.

And I still don't buy your argument about getting a degree then becoming a (very-much-in-debt) chef. If you're bright but don't know what you want to do at 18 (and not many do!) then yes you need to kep options open. But if your not that academic then what?

titchy · 05/03/2012 13:13

*you're - sorry Blush

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 05/03/2012 13:17

I don't think going to private school is necessarily going to enable your dc to choose any career they want, Pusheed! You might need a reality check there at some point.....

Anyway, yes - great thread Grin

imnotmymum · 05/03/2012 13:19

Sorry but are you saying Pusheed that has yours go to private school they will get better qualifications and landing their dream job and will not have to compromise... my children go to state school and doing very well thank you and in no uncertain terms do they compromise.

LittleAlbert · 05/03/2012 13:24

But -of course- they should be able to choose any career they want, they paid for it, after all.

It ispossible to come out of a 'bog standard' comp with excellent A'levels. And the farmer's daughter with good A level grades and first hand experience with livestock I'd likely to have the edge over the privately educated child with his own pony.

minesawine · 05/03/2012 13:25

What does bog standard mean? Is it about the number of A* - C gcse passes or is it about the type of children going to the school.

My DS has just got our first choice of catholic secondary school with 82% A* - C gcse passes (including english and maths) but with a very high (over 60%) intake of non white or english as a second language pupils.

I could not be happier. Is this bog standard?

Pusheed · 05/03/2012 13:30

titchy - well, the friend is trying to nudge his DD towards whatever the nurse equivalent is to a vet, get some practical experience and then see what the options are for on-the-job training.

As for the point about being a chef, it was just a job category I casually chucked into my post :) but there is a thread about SAHM and whether a degree is wasted, that is waiting for your input. :)

GrimmaTheNome · 05/03/2012 13:30

I've a distant relation who wanted to be a vet. His A levels weren't good enough - this was from a good private school. But he really wanted to be a vet - so, he did a degree in anatomy, got summer jobs with local vets, and then went on to do the 5 or 6 years training as a vet. He's now doing extremely well. Wasn't down to the school he went to - it was down to having passion and tenacity and sheer bloody gumption.

Pusheed · 05/03/2012 13:36

"I don't think going to private school is necessarily going to enable your dc to choose any career they want, Pusheed! You might need a reality check there at some point....."

Going to a private school is no guarantee but going to a selective private school where 30% go onto Oxford or Cambridge is.

Granted my runt of a son :) isn't going to play professional basketball but most professions will be within his reach.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 05/03/2012 13:37

Really, you think going to a selective private school is going to mean your children will be allowed to choose from all the careers there are?

Sounds a bit.... entitled, for want of a better word!

TalkinPeace2 · 05/03/2012 13:43

pusheed
there are more than enough threads about private school on Mumsnet.
Go post on one of them.
THIS thread is about celebrating the excellent education that can be had at true comps.
I expect my children to do better in life than I have because I have given them opportunities and support.
THAT is what matters. Not fees.

imnotmymum · 05/03/2012 13:45

GTN exactly !! she should show those bloody teachers and go for it .IMO there are such low aspirations nowadays it is no wonder we have so many kids out of education

Pusheed · 05/03/2012 13:54

Really, you think going to a selective private school is going to mean your children will be allowed to choose from all the careers there are?

Whats with the 'allowed' part of the question? Who is it that is going to allow or not allow my kids to become lawyers if that is what they want to be and assuming that their grades are good enough?

Pusheed · 05/03/2012 13:56

THIS thread is about celebrating the excellent education that can be had at true comps.

Well, I've said all I have on the subject so I'll retire and let you "celebrate' your success.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 05/03/2012 13:56

Well, quite - but I'd be wary of assuming their grades will automatically be good enough just because they're at private school. However I think there's a fundamental difference in the way we're thinking about cause and effect here.

But really, what TalkinPeace said as well!

seeker · 05/03/2012 13:59

When people look at he results at grammar schools and some private schools and compare them to the results of comprehensive schools they often spectacularly miss the point.

Grammar schools and private schools are rigorously selective. They have very few children with special needs, and they both have very effective means shedding those who do not make the grade along the way!

If you are going to compare, compare the grammar or private school with the top set of a comprehensive. The listed results show the entire cohort. Compare like with like and you will get a very different picture.

LittleAlbert · 05/03/2012 13:59

I loved the humour of my old school. The laugh on school journey, the ridiculous antics, the long-suffering teachers.

Still in touch with some people from school and most have done well and are happy - they are doctors, dentist, city lawyer, radio DJ, children's book author, journalist, gas fitter, football coach, clinical psychologist, teaching assistant, administrator, civil servant, PA, and numerous IT professionals.

Total wastes of space, all of them. Parents shoulda gone private. Sigh.

imnotmymum · 05/03/2012 14:05

Our local state beat 3 indies in the league table and why did Pusheed put "celebrate" ...

LittleAlbert · 05/03/2012 14:13

Because Pusheed feels we should be crying into our beer because our children are apparently shut out of several well paid professions because we sent them to the local comp.