11+ 2025 support thread #3

[Pipsquiggle]

Starting another thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/5415616-11-2025-support-thread-2

Bloody brilliant news @DolphinOnASkateboard .
Well done.
Get shopping and rejoice.
Well done for your perseverance and to your brilliant DS
X

I am a long time lurker but posted a bit. Bloody excellent news!! Your son will always remember how you fought for him. I can concur - lots of boys joined during last week in my son’s grammar, so he won’t be late.

Oh wow that's such good news. What a journey you've been on ! Like you said, what's 2 weeks on 5 years. Wishing him the best of starts at his new new school

How has everyone's start of term gone? DD2 seems to be settling in well. We did a few meet ups with people over the summer which seems to have paid off as she's making friends with the people we met, mainly, but has also found another girl to get the bus with. The journey is looooong and I do worry about that as she's knackered, but I think it is still probably the best choice overall as she's a quirky little bean and I think she is more likely to find her crew here. They do maths puzzles in form time and she's about to join geography club.

Now I have it all over again with dd2's 6th form. Her school is falling apart a bit. They're no longer allowed to employ permanent staff, but she's also got her eccentricities and I think they've managed her pretty well so far. Have absolutely no idea how she'll do in GCSEs though which makes choosing next steps quite hard. In principle she has every bit as much potential as dd2 but is less inclined to channel it. If I hint at this though she goes mad. We are looking at arts routes alongside the academic.

@DolphinOnASkateboard I am literally overjoyed for you and your DS! It was meant to be. I hope he can get resettled again quickly. Keep us updated on how he gets on?

Thanks everyone, both for your kind words now and for the support over the nightmarish past 11 months.

He literally hasn’t stopped smiling since he heard the news. Absolutely over the moon. He’s been putting in a huge effort to settle in at his upper school and has been doing really well so he’s a little sad to be leaving so soon. But he is probably the only person who’s happier than his parents with the move.

I know I’m a massive hypocrite for railing against the flaws in the system for so long and yet still grabbing the opportunity it presents. But we live in the world as it is, not the world as we would like it to be. And in the world as it is, Bucks makes you endure this insanity to make sure your kid gets the kind of education that will maximise their potential rather than getting them to the minimum acceptable standard.

And for all the fighting his parents and teachers did for him, this is his achievement. Seven years of hard work by him made it possible for
us to do 11 months of it.

Amazing!!! So pleased for you all :) Justice has been served! I hope he has a fabulous time there :)

Sounds like she's doing great and getting stuck in! My DD is loving it so far - made some nice friends, trying out all the clubs to see what she likes, doing homeworks as soon as it's set - long may it continue!

@DolphinOnASkateboardwhat fantastic news for you and your ds! You must be over the moon so happy for you both!
Ds has settled brilliantly couldn’t have asked for more really. They’ve not been set home work for the first two weeks but it just starting to be set now. His school places a massive emphasis on sport so Ds has been loving trying lots of new things and has been told he will be put forward for school boy trials in his sport which he is delighted with.

DD seems to be settling in pretty well. Coping with the early starts and bus journeys. She’s finding she’s actually quite a long way ahead of the current teaching level in a lot of subjects, which has given her a confidence boost - she was worried about keeping up academically.
Her new best friend went home poorly today, which she was sad about, but it also gave her the chance to strike up a friendship with someone new, so a tiny silver lining there.
All going ok so far! 🙏🏻 Oh apart from being very resentful about homework… no change there 🙄

DS is loving it. Really enjoying the independence such as taking the private school bus and canteen. He's also enjoying the different subjects. Our little 10/11 year olds worked so hard to get into these schools so it's been slightly disheartening to see some press articles discredit the effort they've made. It definitely helps to be surrounded by children who have put the hard work in.

I agree.- I have not seen my son so enthusiastic about school for years and it makes me realise how much he hasn't been pushed at primary. Unfortunately he got norovirus at the start of term but seems to be in his groove now!

@Tiredlady1 Gosh I know, the recent press articles annoy me! Kids get in on hard work and merit... I understand, some kids might have better chances if parents can afford a tutor, etc. but the press makes it all about race.