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Secondary education

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

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Original poster

Calling all South London Mums Re: London Nautical

22 replies

lulu41 · 06/03/2008 14:36

Has anyone successfully got their ds into this school - I know there is a test and naval based questionnaire - can you give me any tips on what sort of questions are asked ie. what should my ds study to obtain the best posssible result on his test

Many thanks

OP posts:

Hallgerda · 06/03/2008 14:43

Haven't a clue, but I'm curious, so bumping for you...

(I gather the story that a naval hero in the family will help your admissions prospects is complete rubbish, sadly...)

I suspect that a bit of practical watersports experience might be a good idea - the school appears to do a lot of that kind of thing, and if your DS doesn't take to it it's probably better to find that out before applying.

Original poster

lulu41 · 06/03/2008 15:19

the area we live in is so dire for schools just hoping for anything half decent even if does mean he has to join the navy

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Hallgerda · 06/03/2008 15:21

Where are you, if you don't mind me asking?

TheMaskedPoster · 06/03/2008 15:35

My two DSSs go to the London nautical school, although they live in W10. Can't say exactly how they got in as their Mother did that part - but I do know that they had to attend Sea Scouts for a year or so before hand. They too go to this school as the schools in their area are rather unimpressive.

Also like to add the school seems very good from what I hear ... they are hot on attendance and we (dh and I) usually hear if they are having one too many days off etc.

Original poster

lulu41 · 06/03/2008 15:59

Hallgerda - in SE17

OK dont know about Sea Scouts but could give it a whirl well dont know if ds would he is much more of a footie boy!!!

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TheMaskedPoster · 06/03/2008 16:17

ah yes - the DSSs didn't particularly revel in the Sea Scout experience but it did help their application (from what I can gather). As soon as they were accepted they stopped going to Sea Scouts as the job was done (so to speak). Good luck anyway lulu41 and if I come across any more info I will pass it on.

mimsum · 06/03/2008 16:37

one of my friends has 2 sons there and we briefly considered it for ds1 - they wear a very militaristic uniform (berets, combat jumpers etc) which her boys like - they do lots of sport, specifically water based sports and it is a sport academy

they get extra points for being able to swim, watersports experience, having history of naval service in the family

if you look at their website I'm pretty sure they have a list of the criteria

in the end we discounted it for ds1 as it wasn't academic enough

Original poster

lulu41 · 06/03/2008 16:40

thanks for your posts guys - any help anyone can come up with is great

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Original poster

lulu41 · 06/03/2008 16:40

actually my mum was in the Wren does that count ???!!

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mimsum · 06/03/2008 17:47

www.lns.org.uk/faq's.htm

naval service has obviously been dropped! although they do need an interest in things nautical ...

Hallgerda · 06/03/2008 20:12

I'd have a good traipse around the National Maritime Museum - your DS might pick up something useful there, and it's a nice place for a day out anyway.

Original poster

lulu41 · 07/03/2008 08:31

True thanks Hallgerda

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citylover · 07/03/2008 15:25

My son sat sat the test for this one in Dec I think the test was fairly basic nautical stuff like port and starboard plus something about Trafalgar. I got some books for him from the library with general nautical terms.

He is not going but a couple of his footie friends are going there. I think it is very sporty so anything your DS does in those areas is a plus!

Presumably if you live in SE17 you are keen to avoid W and GA. Some of my DSs year 6 class have been allocated those (though we are more north east of the borough) and are very upset and unhappy and tbh scared.

Although I was told that these are having lots of money pumped into them and will be improving. However I was not willing to take that risk.

Have you considered CA? This was quite impressive and our 2nd choice.

Good luck. Am in the same borough so feel your pain. Thankfully and miraculously it has turned out ok for us. But really by pure luck I think than anything else.

Original poster

lulu41 · 10/03/2008 10:41

Get W but not GA ? City of London Academy is presumanly CA yes definately considering that

Thanks for you reply Citylover - we too are scared about where he will get in as we definately cant go down teh private route good luck to you and all parents with their choices

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Original poster

lulu41 · 10/03/2008 10:46

Citylover just got GA - Globe Academy - yeah hadnt heard of this one was thinking it sounded good until another parent set me straigh the other day !!! Its a minefield thats for sure - South London headlines on Friday were bad only 48% got first choice but then when I read further 80% got one of their first three choices - so not such a bad average - trying to be postivie

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citylover · 10/03/2008 11:51

Having spoken with the other footie mums yesterday (who represent a range of primary schools) one thing that becomes apparent is not to put down anything on the list you are not comfortable with.

One person got their 6th choice and are now saying that they are not happy. However they are now on 5 waitlists. So hopefully will get something further up the list.

During the process which officially starts in September I felt optimistic one day and completely demotivated the next. I think its the feeling of being out of control that's so awful.

unhappy · 10/03/2008 11:58

Another question Citylover - I know you fill in the common transfer form for your choices but when do the tests for schools begin ie. after they have had an application to them? Whole new ballgame for me - any help greatly appreciated

Hallgerda · 10/03/2008 14:34

You have to ask each school that question, unhappy. I'm aware of one that had a September test last year.

Hallgerda · 10/03/2008 18:31

And I've just had a note via DS2's school (he's in Year 5) telling me to get the Supplementary Form in by September 5 for one of the grammar schools (WG) - test on 13 September.

Never too early to panic, eh

Fauve · 10/03/2008 18:42

I used to work in your area, and I'm afraid we had a joke that an interest in piracy was a requirement for London Nautical

No help to you, but bumps it.

Hallgerda · 11/03/2008 12:04

That's an interesting thought, Fauve. lulu41, would your son enjoy reading sea-based adventure stories? A bit of useful vocabulary would be sure to sink in that way, and given all the stress associated with the secondary transfer process, any fun should be enjoyed to the full.

(By useful vocabulary, I didn't mean "Avast ye, ye stinking bilge-rat" btw...)

citylover · 11/03/2008 12:26

We toured round schools in September of Yr 6 (but went to visit one in Year 5), had to fill in CAF by 20 Oct and DS sat tests in Nov/Dec and had a couple lined up in Jan for an independent and an out of county grammar but we decided in the end to stick with state as couldn't afford private fees and by then we were all tested out!!

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