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Secondary education

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

Original poster

A bit scared

16 replies

sam1943 · 02/03/2018 18:54

Hello All,
I just joined mumsnet i am a single mother my daughter is 11 yesterday got email tht she got her secondary admission in harris academy south norwood, my first preference was harris invictus croydon. Today when my daughter came from school she was scared and told me tht one of her teacher said she dont like that school because there is knife crime in there and sexual abuse as well ( which is very insensitive of her and too rude) can any one help me in making up my mind on what to do

OP posts:
christinarossetti · 02/03/2018 19:22

That's a really outrageous comment by the teacher, and no way should she be voicing these views to children.

I would speak to the teacher and let her know what effect her statements had on your dd, and ask her to refrain from unnecessarily scaring her.

Then go through whatever admissions procedures you need to ie accepting place, waiting lists, induction days.

The scary reality is there is knife crime around many secondary schools, and the realities of girls being sexually harassed has becoming less secretive. They're challenges of adolescence, not one particular school!

maz99 · 02/03/2018 19:43

You should be getting a letter from Croydon Council next week, which will confirm the school you got and also say that you will be automatically placed on the waiting list for all your higher preference schools. If I remember correctly those waiting lists will be maintained until December this year.

The schools that you had higher on your list should in a couple of weeks send you a letter letting you know where you are on their waiting lists.

This was me 2 years ago, I got the 3rd choice for my DD but 2 weeks later we got a letter from our 1st choice school.

SlackPanther · 02/03/2018 23:46

Good grief!

That teacher had no business voicing views like that to a child going to that school. Quite shocking!

I would definitely take it up with the teacher, and possibly tell the Head, too.

Your poor Dd. It is especially important when they don’t get their first preference to still look forward to secondary schoool.

Original poster
sam1943 · 04/03/2018 01:13

Thanks all for words of support. This admission thing and a big transition from junior to secondary is getting the hell out of me :(((((((

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rose69 · 04/03/2018 06:23

I know it's a stressful time but please check that the teacher did say that rather than it being a different child reporting what a child my have said (which we often get at home from older child).

See if you can find any reviews for the school it seems to have had a good offers in 2017 about pupil behaviour.

PanelChair · 04/03/2018 08:08

First of all, do your own research on the school. If it really is crime-ridden, there’ll be plenty about it in the Croydon Advertiser.

As others have said, you need to be calm and positive when talking to your daughter. If you have a very strong preference for your first choice school, you can appeal, but to win your appeal you’ll need to identify reasons that make it the school that’s best able to meet your daughter’a needs.

Killybashangel · 04/03/2018 13:13

I'm watching Jamie and Jimmy's Friday Night Feast and they are talking to kids from Harris South Norwood on it

Killybashangel · 04/03/2018 13:13

Talking to teachers from there now

Killybashangel · 04/03/2018 13:14

I agree that i would check whether the teacher definitely said that

CremeBrulee · 04/03/2018 13:17

I would start by strongly doubting that a teacher said anything like that. Far more likely to be year 6 general chat from those that aren't going to that school.

Do your own research about the school and if it's not what you want, find out about waiting list places for your first and second choices.

Original poster
sam1943 · 04/03/2018 13:51

Thanks all,
I talked with my dd class teacher he told me tht its her views not directly saying yes to it. I am ok with the school but i think tht she is my only child and its a big leap so i am stressing a bit too much.

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Killybashangel · 04/03/2018 14:36

This article seems quite positive about the school www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/news/croydon-news/ofsted-heaps-praise-south-norwood-863625

Original poster
sam1943 · 04/03/2018 14:52

Thanks alot Killybashangel i am much relieved now

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PanelChair · 04/03/2018 18:15

Certainly, I did some googling and couldn't immediately see anything to suggest that there were serious behaviour issues at the school, let alone knife crime.

Your post chimed with me because, several years ago, my friend's daughter was told by one of the teachers at her primary school that, at the secondary school she was tranferring to, the girls were regularly beaten. It was all nonsense - some bee in the teacher's bonnet - but not what the girl needed to hear at that point.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 04/03/2018 18:18

When did you talk to the teacher to confirm that those are her views? Hmm. It's the weekend...

Original poster
sam1943 · 04/03/2018 20:28

They got result on 1st march which was thursday. So my daughter tells me next day on friday when i went to collect her. Her class teacher was there so its better to ask him there instead of keeping that thing in my head over the weekend

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