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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:
Celia2 · 30/08/2006 22:28

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wordgirl · 30/08/2006 22:29

Where I live there are no grammar schools, we are not religious, can't afford private so DS goes to the comprehensive school round the corner. Not much planning required there then!

SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:30

DS is 5.

I have already started sussing out the excellent secondary feeder school, check their OFSTEDS, etc.,

And I have just started flirting with local Grammar, will have to go to work full time to pay for it, unless some rellys could turn up their toes in the meantime.

nutcracker · 30/08/2006 22:31

I have thought about where Dd1 will go. We have 2 good secondaries on the doorstep but I don't know exactly how good they are, haven't looked that far into it.

There is another one slightly further away that I would prefer her to go to but if I mention it she says she wants to go where her friends go.

Carmenere · 30/08/2006 22:32

DD is 2 and a half and her schooling is the subject of lively debate in this house and I am well aqquainted with the Ofstead website
(hi LGJ)

nutcracker · 30/08/2006 22:33

If i'm being really honest i'd love Dd1 to go to Elmhurst school of dance but as she'd need a very good scholarship I don't know if it's worth applying really.

oops · 30/08/2006 22:33

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SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:33

Her friends wont be joining her at Uni, they may well be going to Uni, but not her Uni, not her course.

So ignore the friends and school thing. IMO.

SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:35

Hi Carmenere.

Maybe it is an Irish thing, this checking and cross checking.

oops · 30/08/2006 22:36

Message withdrawn

Carmenere · 30/08/2006 22:38

Hey Sherlock, oops is calling us pushy

SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:39

Oh God here goes...................

At nearly 3 I had his application form filled in and posted.

He was then in October of the year he was 3 offered a place for the September of the year he was 4.

oops · 30/08/2006 22:40

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oops · 30/08/2006 22:41

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JoPG · 30/08/2006 22:41

Wonder what school Adam did end up at? I guess Crown Woods would be pretty close to him. Kinda funny really cos DH went to Eltham College (scholarship place), and SIL went to Crown Woods. Both went on to uni, DH now works in a bank (yawn) and SIL is a midwife. Thankfully your life is not mapped out by the choices made at 11.

SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:41

How old is DS1 OOOps ??

crunchie · 30/08/2006 22:42

really enjoyed this programme, it is just a shame that some of the children were being pushed in totally the wrong direction. I thought Hannah was quite a sweetie really, I know she really wanted to go to the grammer as it waslovely, but when she said YAY St josephs, I felt quite proud of her being such a grown-up about it all. She was given hope by her parents, who really thought they could get a high scolarship, then for that to be dashed, at least she was happy about st J's instead of being upset/angry at her parents.

I am dreading all this when it comes to our turn as DD1 is simply not clever enough to go to a selective shcool, but I am also unsure how she would flourish as the local comp. I am sure she would be OK, but still part of me wants her to do better than OK IYKWIM

pointydog · 30/08/2006 22:42

I reckon, oops, it must depend a bit on where you live. And also on your priorities in life - community, friends, social skills, education - how you place them all.

Is this mad, awful jostling for schools mainly a city thing?

oops · 30/08/2006 22:43

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Marina · 30/08/2006 22:43

Crown Woods is LB Greenwich. I think Adam was in Catford/Downham area of Lewisham from the footage of him out running, so probably not there.

SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:43

Filled in for his primary school.

He will go there until he is 11.

oops · 30/08/2006 22:46

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SherlockLGJ · 30/08/2006 22:46

No idea Ooops.

oops · 30/08/2006 22:48

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oops · 30/08/2006 22:50

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