Anyone watching the Big School Lottery?

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I'm in Scotland too and was watching with horror - what a lot to have to go through. Maybe we are just lucky where we live which is a town that has only one high school where everyone goes (apart from those who travel miles into the nearest city for the private schools) but I've never heard of this in Scotland - I think you just go to the nearest school automatically but that you can ask for another if you want. Isn't done very often though.

we dont have grammer, I dont think all cities do. Its either private or your local school.

When I first came to London I was shocked by how many children left primary schools and went to completely different senior schools to their mates. It just doesnt cross any childs or parents minds where Im from.

Yes, the dad was fit. A very good looking family. I loved it when he cried!!

We don't have grammar's. Do have a lot of private schools and 5 comps. People are quite fussy about which comp they want, and a lot depends on where you live in the town. We live on the edge of the possible area for the best, and eventually were lucky to get DC1 in, and now siblings will follow (I got the spacing just right).

It does make the schools try harder. But I have been saddened that kids at one of the less favoured schools feel substandard because of the school they go to, which actually does have some good points, and does quite well by the kids despite the behaviour issues.

Schools in England vary a lot from area to area.

We live in an area of some very good partially-selective schools. DD is only in Year 4 but when the time is closer we might tutor her. There is one partially selective comp that she will definitely get into based on distance, so we think it wouldn't add too much pressure to try for the better (and further) school based on merit. The program was a real eye-opener to us about how children feel if they didn't get their first choice. Looks like a hard process, not only for the children but the parents too. Dh and I would probably be like Saffiya (?) Khan's family, except that we'd probably both try to muscle in on the tutoring .

I loved the "in a world of his own" boy. He was so cute.

I am quite interested in seeing how these children cope at secondary, especially the tutored ones. Would be good to see how much of a disadvantage it can be, if at all. I hope they do another show later.

the smug family were rather annoying and disliked the way they were bragging. My dcs didn't like them at all!

Thought the family who were allocated to a 'lesser' grammar were a bit hmmm and the lady who changed her mind after completing the form - ouch - you have to be really sure and never ever put down something you don't want.

I liked the boy who was in a world of his own.

Felt a bit for Ethan but thought his mum was a bit more realistic.

Nightmare - I have to go throught it again this time next year. No grammars in my area. Very able ds2 might put him in for an out of area grammar and move in unlikely event of getting a place but would be happy with a decent comp in my borough. There are ome that are fine and oversubscribed and others in very rough inner city that I would never send my dcs to - I don't care how much money has been pumped into them.

Wouldn't tutor my dcs - ds1 went in for a grammar and came 168th (!) but that was without tutoring.

I honestly didn't realise till a few years ago, what a huge variety of state schools there are - I grew up in area where there were comps with good & bad reputations, & at college I had a friends who'd been to Grammar schools & convent schools but I just assumed they were probably like a 'good' comp.

It was a bit of an eye-opener when I realised quite how many people in the public eye who 'went to state school in London' turned out to have gone to super-selective grammars, which rival top independent schools in their teaching & facilities.

I'm not sure what I think about this, one the one hand I wish everything could be divvied up fairer... but those top grammar schools seem so fabulous that I'm glad any child gets to experience them - I would have loved to have gone to a school like that. Yet its their very existence that takes bright, motivated kids out of the rest of the state system and that has a knock-on effect.

P.S. I thought the 'world of his own' boy was great too - I can really see him carrying those qualities into adulthood & being a lovely, creative, intelligent person

I found it really interesting.

I live in one of the areas mentioned alot in the programme, and dd1 goes to the school that Ethan didn't get. The one he did get was our second choice, and is equally as good i'd say, so he will be fine.

Dd2 did consider sitting the 11+ put decided against it.

I felt incredibly lucky to be living where we do. We live in social housig and so could easily have ended up in an area with not such good schools.

If we had been living in such an area then dd1 and dd2 would have taken the 11+ and stood a good chance of passing, but Ds wouldn't tbh.

I too watched this open-mouthed. All so different from where I grew up.

I could have gone to a different school than my local, but I'd have needed a 2 hour bus ride and had to learn completely through the medium of welsh.

6 choices!

I live just on the border of Birmingham and the difference in schools is amazing. We moved out because we lived very close to a really good school (within easy walking distance) but were not in the catchment area. In fact we did not have a catchment school at all for primary. I went to the three local schools and they all said we were not in the right road. My neighbour applied to all of the local schools and did not get any. In the end she finally got the school at the end of the road through the waiting list. It really annoyed me when I overheard people who lived about 3 miles away who had got in. There appeared to be no sanity. Another neighbour had to try a different LEA.

Ooh, I teach one of those boys. Saying no more, obviously, but quite exciting to see him on telly.

Yes I noticed that about the seat belts.

Am very glad I don't live in Brum if the show is at all a true representation (prob isn't and I missed the start anyway).

I too was very worried about the kids - if they need tutoring to get in to the school how on earth will they cope once there?

I was amazed that all the parents waited for the kids to come home to open the envelope, wonder if the camera crew asked them to? As the letter was addressed to the parent I would've opened it so I could compose myself if it was bad news!

Thought Ethan's mum was fabulous, went straight into positive mode about the fact the school had a cricket team and "people do really well when they go to that school" when I'm sure she was crying a little inside. Glad to hear the school he got is OK.

I didnt like the smug family who had the money to go private.

I felt myself wanting to cut the front of Sophias hair. I liked that family though.

Caught the end of this, and was intrigued as I went to the school Sophia got to. Can't remember any of us being tutored or anything - all that stress amazed me. Good for her though, she seemed like a lovely girl.

my niece went to the private school featured (obnoxiously in this programme imo) she was on a full bursary after 7+ exam and subsequently went to Camp Hill. She wouldn't have stood a chance had she stayed at her average primary. Almost all of the children were tutored, even at Bluecoat for the 11+ as the competition is so stiff. There was literally 3 years of tutoring build up to taking the tests! She is definitely holding her own now so don't agree with the brigade that say that if you can't pass the test unaided then you will not be able to keep up. There is a knack to passing these tests and this has to be taught and honed.

Not much chance I would say for the average bright, but disadvantaged kid to pass for grammar in this area. loved 'George' - the really quirky, funny boy who got the catholic comp - bet he goes a long way in life if he stays as happy and charming.

Oh the little kid at the catholic school is definately a plant for HR people out there who will come up with all the ideas when older. I thought he held himself well against the attempt to bully girls too.

Bit shocked about the kid who did nothing all summer but play on computer games. Birmingham has a wealth of things for kids to do in the summer including free museums that always lay on kids entertainment and great parks.

I am not applying to any Birmingham schools now after watching this as it seems a bit of a waste of time.

Still shocked at the lunch of pizza, chips, cake (no fruit or veg that they served at posh kids grammer). We used to live just down the road from Sophia based on the film so it was interesting to see that her parents did not apply to any Solihull schools as she is just on the border as a back up for the grammer schools.

I actually thought the policeman should have his own comedy show, a bit like the office. He would be a great character the way he was talking with the snake on his arm.

Oh I missed that. When was the first day program?

It was earlier in the week. Should be on the iplayer. Lol at the policeman who said 'I just try to fit in' - he had what looked like a flak jacket on which was lurid yellow. He also looked as if he was armed! And the snake!!

Loved the show. Thought all the kids were lovely in different ways.
We have the grammar system where I live. My eldest DS has just started Year 8 and didn't pass the 11+ but he is doing extremely well at high school.
It is such a stressful time for children and parents when taking/not taking the 11+ and there is alot of snobbery involved. Having said that I went to a comprehensive in London and it was pretty awful.

Yes I think the police man..and his snake!!! should get their own spin off show.