DD Distraught at having to go to,a Upper School (BUCKS)

[edna1234]

DD and i just drove past her new School, that she will be going to in September and she just Broke down,in tears. she started saying whats the point of going to School, i will just end up on the Dole like most of the kids from the Upper school,She just cried for 2 hrs two nights ago, i tried to reassure her,that she could still get to University,from a Upper School but she said i was lying, i cannot afford Private Education, how can i get DD to be more positive and optimistic about her future.

[seeker]

Just a note of caution- it's not always that easy to move from selective to Jon selective- it can only happen if the child meets the requirements and there are spaces. And there usually aren't spaces.

[almapudden]

Within the 27% GCSE pass rate, what percentage of exams are graded A*-B?

To be honest, if even the high achievers are only coming out with 5 C grade GCSEs, that's alarmingly poor. However, if some children are achieving A* and A grades, then with hard work and support, your DD may do well.

[edna1234]

Cressex Community School, Dont want to tell you how many A and B Grades they got,i understand it is difficult for them,but on their website they are making excuses,about the poor grades saying the movement of grade Boundaries has Destroyed them,it does not fuel you with confidence,when you read that does it. if i choose for DD to do the 12+ next year,what time of the year,would she take it, is the required score still 121 on one paper,and does the transfer if succesfull take place in the September of the next Academic year.

[seeker]

Even if she passed he 12+ there are unlikely to be any places at th grammar school. How many of her friends are going there?

[teacherwith2kids]

Alma, due to the fact it's a secondary modern (with virtually all high achievers removed) there are no results for high achievers recorded on the DofE data because the number of high achievers is statistically insignificant. 45% of middle achievers get 5A* to C as far as i recall.

Edna, my elder brother attended a school with genuinely terrible O-level and CSE results. 24 O level passes in total - as in 24 individual subject exams, not 24 people - out of 60 or so in the year for his year, and that was a record for them. 8 of those passes were at grade A. All of those were by a single person, my brother. A child's results are NOT predetermined by the school they start at 11 - fantastic results, even if only for 1 or 2 people, can come out of poor schools IF those children get support and encouragement from home.

[exoticfruits]

I would find out from the LEA how many pupils got in at 12+ each year.

[edna1234]

3 Girls from her Primary School class passed for Wycombe High,i wonder if they, were saying the "DOLE COMMENTS" as a kind of superiority Complex from 11 yr olds, frightening isnt it,

[ReallyTired]

I am sorry that your daughter feels so upset about her school allocation. Its a pity that you aren't nearer the boarder with the option of sending her to a school in Herts.

The results (both value added and academic) are pretty awful for the particular school. I am not surprised that your daughter is extremely worried.

Do you have the option of any other secondary moderns or a faith school. You could register a continuing interest at different secondary modern or a faith school.

[edna1234]

In 2011 238 kids took the 12+ in Bucks and 156 passed that was a pass rate of 68% so thats encouraging, if i decide to stay in bucks.

[seeker]

But did they get places? You really need to check that.

[BooksandaCuppa]

I suppose there must be some places if it's a standard procedure to even have a 12+.

In our county (some grammars/sec mods - many more comps), there are usually a few places left unfilled in the grammars at year 7 every year (rural enough/poor enough transport that spare places aren't usually filled out of catchment).

At my grammar, we usually take 1-2 students in both yr 8 and yr 9 from the local sec mods - based on current school reference and performance/KS2 Sats results/interview with our Head of English and Maths.

Worth investigating, OP.

[CecilyP]

To be honest, if even the high achievers are only coming out with 5 C grade GCSEs, that's alarmingly poor. However, if some children are achieving A* and A grades, then with hard work and support, your DD may do well.

From the stats, there are only a very small number of high achievers entering the school; so few, in fact, that their achievements can't be listed because that would identify individual pupils.

[mumblechum1]

Edna, did you see my suggestion upthread that you send your dd to Gillotts in Henley?

[edna1234]

Mumblechum. yes i know about Gillotts but i have personal reasons,for not wanting DD to go there.there is another thread that has been started about Wellington School in Trafford,that was the Secondary School that last year got,72% A*To C including English and maths.

[seeker]

Edna- Wellington somehow manages to only have 9% low attainers- and 33% high attainers. Unusual for a school in a selective area- something interesting going on there, I think!

[edna1234]

TOLD YOU SEEKER.

[edna1234]

How ever Seeker it only has 4.7% Fsm,not many Scondary Moderns have such a low take up,its a Secondary Modern School for"MIDDLE CLASS KIDS HOW BIZARE".

[tapdancingmum]

They take the 12+ around February time and find out the results not long after but have to wait until May to see if they have got a place.

My DD1's friend took and passed the 12+ but couldn't get a space at WHS until the start of Y9 where there is more movement in the numbers.

[seeker]

Sorry, Edna- don't understand.

[edna1234]

Seeker What I meant to say was that most, Secondary Schools have a lot higher take up of Free School meals. That might be because they have,a different intake to most Secondary Schools,in Selective Areas,and would explain the high achievement.

[mumblechum1]

I think the cohort at Cressex has historically been an unusually high (for Bucks) number of FSM/English as a second language.

Only 3 miles or so away it would be a very different story, ie Borlase's cohort is largely kids from unusually affluent families with a tiny minority of non-white pupils/English as second language. It's sociologically a very divided area.

[SomeRainbow]

Good advice from many here. I do wish those who advocate this horrid system would take the time to consider children in this position. We took the precaution of moving to a nearby county who don't dismiss children at 11 (or spend hours and countless ££££ transporting them around the county due to the single sex schools). But I accept this is not necessarily possible for all.

[seeker]

But you need to work bloody hard on her "feeling distraught". You have to talk it up, come up with strategies, socially engineer friendships with other kinds going there- be positive yourself. Because she will take the lead from you.

[edna1234]

Just to update you. I have decided to appeal to the Highcrest Academy. The Highcrest Academy has got some intresting ideas,and they are optimistic that they can create a fully Comprehensive School. They seem to have proper top sets,with some Pupils scoring up to 140. I am confident that DD will not have to go to Cressex. And we will be able to educate DD to her abilty.

[exoticfruits]

Hope all goes well for you.