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.............CH 4...........ADMISSION IMPOSSIBLE..................9.00......................

197 replies

RTKangaMummy · 23/08/2006 20:50

Channel 4 Wednesdays 23 and 30 August at 9pm

Each year in September many parents embark on a hugely stressful journey to get their kids into the school of their choice. Around half a million primary leavers need to be allocated a secondary school place and all over the country there is a battle being fought for spots at the most oversubscribed schools. Admission Impossible follows the stories of six families from across the country as they navigate their way through the admissions system, striving to secure the perfect place for their child.

In Surrey determined businessman Mr Shah is rigorously preparing his son Mehdin for a series of grammar and private school examinations. With private tutoring and parental expectation, the pressure is on Mehdin to score highly in the exams for the top six schools in the area. In Bradford, Helen Troman and Hannah Weston are competing against hundreds of other children for a place at highly regarded city academy Dixons. Meanwhile Eileen Stockley, a single mum from Norfolk, is desperately trying to move her gifted son Alex from his state primary to a private prep school, but with a very low income her chances are slim.

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OP posts:
thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 23/08/2006 22:14

I'm so glad to know all you lot view this the same as me. I was beginning to wonder if I was fundamentally unsuited to parenting in the 21st century because a. i want by kids to have fun and b. I have sackfuls of faith in them and believe they have the potential to make good even if they don't get into St Swotty-bergs

SherlockLGJ · 23/08/2006 22:14

Malory my love I do not have your email address.

MaloryTowersIsSlimAndChic · 23/08/2006 22:14

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MaloryTowersIsSlimAndChic · 23/08/2006 22:15

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 23/08/2006 22:29

rtkm007 at googlemail dot com

OP posts:
Celia2 · 23/08/2006 22:33

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aitch71 · 23/08/2006 22:42

so should i be STaitch71, RTkanga?

Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 23/08/2006 22:44

Some of the mumsnetters called me RadioTimesKangaMummy but it was too long so it was shortened to RTKangaMummy

Cos I do TV alerts etc and TV guides

OP posts:
Celia2 · 23/08/2006 22:57

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Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 23/08/2006 22:59

That is ok 2Celia

OP posts:
Original poster
RTKangaMummy · 23/08/2006 23:00

sorry I shouldn't have said that

OP posts:
Celia2 · 23/08/2006 23:04

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aitch71 · 23/08/2006 23:08

gad, the matching jackets...

magicfarawaytree · 24/08/2006 00:26

that dad has issues - whats the point of having a well educated child if you fill his head with racism. people give many excuses for discrimation sex, age etc but to make sweeping statements like that is not healthy. how can you feel part of a community or society if you believe that all others consider you inferior. the mum who said she would go to tony blair to get money from the state system to contribute towards her son opting out is also unreasonable imo. lets get the system improved not just accept it as it is ALL children deserve a good education in a good school not just the gifted and not just those that can afford or are skillful enough to play the system.

Turquoise · 24/08/2006 00:42

I thought it was very telling how often the father used "I" or "me" when he actually meant his son. Poor little beggar.

mysonsmummy · 24/08/2006 01:02

where i live in west london our local school was really oversubscribed this year - they did another part to this progamme about primary school and what parents do to get their kid in a certain school. in the end CH4 only bought the senior school one. my friend did loads of work with them filming her opening letters etc. i think CH4 have made a boob its such interesting stuff for any parent. the main problem at ds school is the children going into reception not getting in if they were not in catchment (although 7 were in catchment and still didnt get in). however, they have older siblings in the school so the parents now have to get them it 2 different schools. not great!

CaligulaCorday · 24/08/2006 08:56

This program was so deeply depressing.

I'm going to have to watch it again next week.

expatinscotland · 24/08/2006 09:43

I knew Mehdin's dad was going to get trounced!

Am I the only one who saw his approach as just a different way of life and NOT tantamount to abuse?!

Gimme a break! He's a man who has worked his arse off to try to give his family a good life. He wants the best for his kids and is willing to go the extra mile to get it - instead of writing Tony Blair and expecting others to pay for it!

Almost NO ONE has pointed out the amount of time the other mother was wasting trying to get other people to pay for her son's education instead of getting another damn JOB to help pay for it herself.

Or the people who were friggin' pretending to be Catholic.

No one sees anymore morally wrong w/any of that, but it's somehow tantamount to abuse for a man to really put in the effort WITH HIS CHILD to try to get the best for him? Hell, how many dads go to work so hard for their kids? And are even willing to help out w/the work involved?

If I had 5p for every father who just walked away from mums on here alone I'd be able to buy a mansion. But I'd be damned before I smashed it up. Like that's going to accomplish anything!

Instead it's all how Medh's dad was akin to Ian Huntly.

[rolls eyes].

oliveoil · 24/08/2006 09:47

er, wasn't she a single mother though, she may not be able to just 'get another job' or 'do more hours' if she does not have childcare.

I thought the asian boy sounded like Chris Eubank.

When he did his essay and he said 'No, I would give you 15' and his little face fell .

Freckle · 24/08/2006 09:57

Thing is, he's forced his child to spend an entire year (if not two) of his life constantly swotting and preparing for exams, which may have distorted his natural ability. Hothousing like that is absolutely no good for the child if he isn't suited to such an academic school in the first place. He may well really struggle after a while.

I also noticed the father's obsession with the other parents, etc.

And what's with the selection process for non-selective schools?? The Dixon's Academy is a non-selective state school, isn't it? So why do they have a selection process which involves more than catchment?

2ManyPimms · 24/08/2006 10:03

Expat - You raise a number of VERY good points! Forgive me for cutting and pasting your post onto the other thread regarding this show...

magicfarawaytree · 24/08/2006 11:29

ian huntly???

expatinscotland · 24/08/2006 11:30

he's abusive, he's pushy, etc. etc.

hope you are aware, that mehd's mother is apparently an MNer, whoever you are.

expatinscotland · 24/08/2006 11:32

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magicfarawaytree · 24/08/2006 11:34

i do think it is brilliant that the father has taken such an interest in his sons education. sad he thinks needs to b3 4 times as good as an 'english'. would he however thinks that his sons choices of an english wife would be as good as an asian bride?
the mother would be better place to get businesses to sponser schemes in normal school so that gifted children still mix with everyone else yet still attain their potential. ruth martin? i think that was her name a classic case.